Billy Eichner

Billy Eichner Headshot

Actor • Comedian • Writer • Personality • Producer

Birth Date: September 18, 1978

Age: 45 years old

Birth Place: New York City, New York

Boisterous comedic personality Billy Eichner took the DIY approach to his craft from early on, often creating his own shows to star in, rather than wait around to be cast in someone else's project. The New York native had an energy and volume that couldn't be contained, even as a child. His parents allowed him to test the waters of show business, resulting in a small but memorable appearance on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ) when he was 12 years old, playing one of John Goodman's sons. Though the appearance was far from glamorous, it didn't put Eichner off from performing in the slightest. He would go on to major in theater when he enrolled at Northwestern University in 1996. After graduating, Eichner returned to New York. Within a year, he and four friends from college found themselves itching to put together their next creative outlet, and they collaborated on an off-Broadway musical entitled "I Sing!" in which Eichner starred in 2001. Additionally, Eichner decided to continue his education, this time in the form of improv classes which he took from the famous Upright Citizens Brigade. He would go on to complete the UCB's rigorous theater program before getting the urge to collaborate with some other like-minded performers on yet another project. This time, he and friend Robin Taylor put together a live variety show called "Creation Nation," which combined stand-up comedy, scripted sketches, interviews with celebrities, and original musical numbers. The show went up in the basement of the independent book store the Drama Book Shop in 2003 and soon gained a substantial cult fan base, which followed the show even as it moved from one location to another. SNL's own Rachel Dratch came to a performance and was so entertained that she bonded with the cast after it was over, going out drinking with them and ultimately agreeing to appear in an upcoming performance. "Creation Nation" also featured video segments written by Eichner and directed by his friend Benjamin Salka, which helped Eichner develop his talent for man-on-the-street style interviews. He began being offered more opportunities as the show began to wind down around 2007, such as when Radar Online commissioned the comedian to produce a series of satirical segments that same year. Eichner was even cast in a talk-show pilot alongside legendary comedian Joan Rivers in 2006 called "Joan Rivers' Straight Talk," though the series wasn't picked up. Nonetheless, Eichner still had the drive to create his own projects, and he parlayed his street-interview persona into a web game show called "Billy on the Street," which found him surprising largely unimpressed New York pedestrians on the sidewalk to quiz them on pop culture facts. Eichner's trademark manic scream when surprised pedestrians took too long to answer quickly became the comic hallmark of the series. The improvised game show was picked up by the comedy website Funny or Die and he began shopping it around to TV networks, hoping it could find a place in television. In the meantime, Eichner starred in a one-man off-Broadway show at the UCB Theater called "Billy Eichner Goes Pop!" in 2009. Finally, in 2011, "Funny or Die's Billy on the Street" (Fuse, 2011-2014) was picked up by the cable network Fuse, elevating Eichner's visibility almost overnight. He was soon offered a recurring role as easily exasperated city employee Craig Middlebrooks on the hit Amy Poehler series "Parks and Recreation" (NBC, 2009-2015), as well as a voice acting appearance on the animated series "Bob's Burgers" (Fox, 2011-). Eichner was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host in 2013. While continuing "Billy on the Street," Eichner began starring in his first situation comedy, playing a version of himself on "Difficult People" (Hulu 2015- ) opposite fellow comedian Julie Klausner.

Credits

Parks and Recreation

Actor
Show
2024

After MidnightStream

Guest
Talk
2024

Mufasa: The Lion King

Voice
Timon
Movie
2024

Bros: Extras

Actor
Show
2022

Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ CelebrationStream

Host
Special
2022

Here Comes the Sun

Guest
Show
2022

BrosStream

Actor
Bobby
Movie
2022

BrosStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

BrosStream

Screenwriter
Movie
2022

CBS Mornings

Guest
News
2021

Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas SpecialStream

Guest
Series
2020

The Drew Barrymore ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2020

Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Extras

Guest
Show
2020

Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Extras

Host
Show
2020

The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II

Music Performer
Show
2020

Billy Eichner, Seth Rogen, JD McCrary & Donald Glover: Hakuna Matata (From The Lion King)

Music Performer
Show
2020

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen: Can You Feel the Love Tonight (From The Lion King)

Music Performer
Show
2019

Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Billy Eichner & Seth Rogen: Can You Feel the Love Tonight (From The Lion King/Audio Only)

Music Performer
Show
2019

Billy Eichner & Seth Rogen: The Lion Sleeps Tonight (From The Lion King/Audio Only)

Music Performer
Show
2019

RuPaul

Guest
Talk
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

Desus & Mero

Guest
Show
2019

The Lion KingStream

Voice
Timon
Movie
2019
52%

A Little Help With Carol BurnettStream

Guest Star
Series
2018

The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHaleStream

Guest Star
Series
2018

Access

Guest
Show
2017

American Horror Story: Cult

Actor
Harrison Wilton
Show
2017

Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesStream

Music Performer
Reality
2017

Friends From CollegeStream

Guest Star
Felix
Series
2017
26%

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

Talk Show the Game ShowStream

Guest
Game Show
2017

Tinder Takeover

Guest
Show
2016

Neighbors 2: Sorority RisingStream

Actor
Oliver Studebaker
Movie
2016
64%

The Angry Birds Movie

Voice
Chef Pig, Phillip
Movie
2016

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Difficult PeopleStream

Actor
Billy Epstein
Series
2015
96%

Red Nose Day

Guest
Show
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Music Performer
Talk
2015

Last Week Tonight With John OliverStream

Guest Star
Himself
Talk
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

The MillersStream

Guest Star
Leon
Series
2013
47%

The AwesomesStream

Guest Voice
Series
2013

Hollywood Game Night

Guest
Game Show
2013

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

CBS This Morning

Guest
Show
2012

Billy on the StreetStream

Host
Reality
2011

LIVE with Kelly

Host
Talk
2011

The Chew

Guest
Talk
2011

New GirlStream

Guest Star
Barry
Series
2011
95%

Dish Nation

Guest
Talk
2011

Bob's BurgersStream

Guest Voice
Mr. Ambrose
Series
2011

ConanStream

Actor
Talk
2010

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

Lorraine

Guest
Show
2010

The Dr. Oz Show

Guest
Talk
2009

The Project

Guest
Show
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Self
Talk
2009

Parks and RecreationStream

Actor
Series
2009
93%

Parks and RecreationStream

Guest Star
Series
2009
93%

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Guest
Talk
2009

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

Guest
Show
2007

ET Canada

Guest
Show
2005

The Soup

Actor
Talk
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

Real Time With Bill MaherStream

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

The BachelorStream

Guest
Reality
2002

Last Call With Carson Daly

Guest
Talk
2002

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

Charlie RoseStream

Guest
Talk
1991

The SimpsonsStream

Guest Voice
Billy
Series
1989
85%

This Morning

Guest
Show
1988

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutBilly Eichner

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Best Lines of the Week (November 12-18): ‘You Don’t Break Up With Someone By Fax’

Dickinson Season 3 - Billy Eichner and Hailee Steinfeld
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‘Dickinson’: How Mermaids Inform Emily’s Wild Night Out With Walt Whitman

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‘Dickinson’: Emily Offers Hope Amid the Bleak Civil War in Full Season 3 Trailer (VIDEO)

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‘Dickinson’ to End With Season 3 — Watch the First Teaser (VIDEO)

Impeachment American Crime Story Beanie Feldstein
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Roush Review: ‘Impeachment’ Is Mostly Monica’s Tripp-y Story

Impeachment: American Crime Story Cast, Bill Clinton, Clive Owen

See the ‘Impeachment’ Cast in Character vs. Their Real-Life Counterparts

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Billy Eichner, Who Had Joked Colton Underwood Was Gay, Posts in Support of the Bachelor Star Coming Out

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Best Lines of the Week (April 10-16): ‘I’m the New Berlin Wall, Baby’

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‘Billy on the Street’ Is Coming to Netflix — 7 Must-See Segments (VIDEOS)

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Billy Eichner Follows up on His ‘First Gay Bachelor’ Joke to Colton

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TV News Roundup: ‘Billy on the Street’ Is Back, Zachary Quinto Returns to Horror & More

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‘Billy on the Street’ Gets Web Series Revival Produced by Lyft

Parks and Recreation - Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt, Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope

See the ‘Parks & Recreation’ Cast Reunite at the March for Our Lives

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10 - Ross Mathews, Michelle Visage, RuPaul, Carson Kressley, and Christina Aguilera

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 10 Guest Judges Announced

Billy Eichner at Variety's Power of Women NY Presented by Lifetime

My Obsessions: ‘American Horror Story’ Star Billy Eichner Cherishes Lisa Kudrow, ‘The Golden Girls’ and ‘Feud’

Difficult People

5 Most Essential Episodes of ‘Difficult People’ Seasons 1 & 2

Billy On The Street: Sarah Jessica Parker

5 Smaller Networks You Need to Know About Right Now

Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito, Rob McElhenney

12 TV Characters Who Make You Feel Good About Yourself

FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE, cobie smulders, roush review
Review

Roush Review: ‘Friends From College’—Sometimes Engaging, Quite Often Exasperating

DIFFICULT PEOPLE - Billy Eichner, Julie Klausner
Preview

Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner Sharpen Their Claws for Season 3 of ‘Difficult People’

John Carroll Lynch as Twisty the Clown in American Horror Story: Freak Show

Paley Center Plans ‘American Horror Story: The Style of Scare’ Exhibit

Valentine's Day Binge-Watching TV

Dateless on Valentine’s Day? These Are Your Binge-Watching Options

Hairspray Live! - Season 2016

‘Hairspray Live!’: On the Set of the TV Version of John Waters’s Hit Musical

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‘Billy on the Street’s 7 Greatest Guests (Including Elena, Of Course)

Difficult People - Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner

‘Difficult People’s Julie Klausner on the Pop Culture Targets in Season 2

Billy on the Street with Chris Pratt

‘Billy on the Street’: Chris Pratt, Tina Fey and Julianne Moore Come Out to Play

Difficult-People

What’s Worth Watching: ‘Difficult People’ on Hulu for Wednesday, September 16

Difficult-People

What’s Worth Watching: ‘Difficult People’ on Hulu and ‘Mr. Robinson’ on NBC for Wednesday, August 5