Dane Cook is a stand-up comedian and film actor from the United States. As a standup comedian, he has a distinct style that resembles long-form storytelling interspersed with multi-meaning phrases, all delivered with a casual demeanor. He attributes his sense of humor to his parents, having inherited their eloquence and ability to speak persuasively on any subject. He is only interested in making the audience laugh and will go to any length to do so. He can be amusing, corny, and vulgar, or simply blabber like a retard, as long as the audience laughs. Despite his popularity, a number of critics have been harsh on him. They claim that his humor is superficial, devoid of substance, and, while it may make people laugh, it is not truly amusing. They assert that he is exaggerated and tediously predictable. There have also been allegations of plagiarism leveled against him, which he has largely dismissed. He was recently embroiled in controversy after withdrawing from a fundraiser for the victims of the Boston Marathon attacks. Despite the criticism, he is regarded as a phenomenal performer with a sizable fan base.
Childhood & Adolescence
Dane Cook was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 18, 1972, to Donna Jean and George F. Cook. He was raised as a Roman Catholic in Arlington, Massachusetts, along with his elder half-brother, Darryl, and five sisters.
After graduating from Arlington High School, where he overcame shyness through standup comedy, he attended college and studied graphic design, but was determined to pursue a career in comedy.
Career of Dane
Dane Cook relocated to New York City and then Los Angeles, where he began performing. In 1998, he made his television debut on Comedy Central’s ‘Premium Blend’.
He signed a contract with Comedy Central in 2003 and shortly thereafter released his debut CD/DVD, ‘Harmful If Swallowed,’ which features appearances on Comedy Central Presents, Comics Come Home 5, and Premium Blend.
‘Retaliation,’ his second DVD/CD, was released in 2005 to widespread acclaim and was certified double platinum.
In 2005, HBO aired and later released ‘Vicious Circle,’ a live standup comedy special written, produced, and performed by the comedian.
In 2005, he shot two pilot episodes for his sitcom ‘Cooked,’ but the project was never picked up. Eventually, the two completed episodes were released on DVD as ‘The Lost Pilot Episodes.’
He was cast as a lead in the 2006 film ‘Employee of the Month,’ alongside Jessica Simpson and Dax Shepard. Critically panned, the film also bombed at the box office.
In 2006, HBO aired ‘Tourgasm,’ a documentary about his 30-day, 20-show tour with friends Robert Kelly, Gary Gulman, and Jay Davis.
He starred alongside Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, and William Hurt in ‘Mr. Brooks,’ a 2007 psychological thriller film, as the inquisitive Mr. Smith who blackmails ‘Mr. Brooks’ using photographs of the crime.
In 2007, he starred alongside Jessica Alba in the romantic comedy film ‘Good Luck Chuck’ as a dentist. Although the film was panned by critics, it performed well at the box office.
He traveled to Iraq in 2008 with Robert Kelly and Al Del Bene to entertain American troops stationed there. He was the headlining act, Kelly was the featured act, and Del Bene served as the emcee.
He auditioned in 2010 for the role of ‘Captain America’ in the film ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. He also lent his voice to the animated film ‘Planes’ in 2013 as ‘Dusty Crophopper. In the 2014 sequel ‘Planes: Fire & Rescue,’ he reprised his role as Dusty.
Significant Works of Dany
Dane Cook’s sophomore album, ‘Retaliation,’ was released in 2005 by ‘Comedy Central Records’ and peaked at #4 on the Billboard charts, went double platinum, and sold 1,264,748 copies in the United States alone.
In May 2009, his fourth album, ‘Isolated Incident,’ was broadcast on Comedy Central and then released on CD. The new album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
Awards and Accomplishments
Cook won the Pixie Award for Best Actor in a ‘i-feature film’ in 2000 for his performance in ‘Spiral’. He was nominated for the ‘Teen Choice Award’ in the ‘Choice Comedian’ category for four consecutive years and won the award in 2007. The awards, which are broadcast annually on Fox Television, are determined by teen voting.
Personal History and Legacies
Dane Cook has been living in Los Angeles with Raquel Houghton since 2006. She is a Costa Rican singer-actress raised in New York City and the lead singer of the band ‘Valli Girls.’ In 2006, he lost his mother, Donna, to cancer, and his father, George, a year later.
Estimated Net Worth
Dane Cook is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has a net worth of $35 million. Throughout the years, Dane Cook has proven to be a popular yet incredibly controversial stand-up comedian.
While many argue about the merit of his comedic talents, the fact that he has achieved a considerable level of success is beyond doubt.
Cook often performs to sold-out venues. Outside of stand-up comedy, Dane Cook is an established actor with a number of notable credits.
Trivia
The half-brother of this famous comedian, who was also his business manager, and his half-wife brother’s were convicted of embezzling millions of dollars from the comedian and sentenced to prison.
‘I don’t write any of my material down,’ this successful comedian declared. I enjoy improvising and being spontaneous.’