Dane Cook on AllMovie

A stand-up comic whose rock & roll sensibility and unwavering loyalty to his fan base have propelled him to become one of the most popular comedians of his generation, Dane Cook hit it big on the comedy circuit before breaking into feature films with bit parts in such movies as Buddy and Mystery Men in the late '90s. Born in Cambridge, MA, and raised in Arlington, Cook was an introverted child whose shy exterior betrayed a hyperactive and intensely creative imagination. By the time Cook was able to find his voice as a comic he was also able to recognize that his unique approach was an ideal blend of his mother's manic energy and his father's sarcastic swagger, and in 1990 it was time to take the stage for his debut stand-up performance. Having found enough success on stage to say goodbye to his day job just three short years later, Cook was finally prepared to make his bid for the big time. If his early screen roles weren't necessarily substantial enough to gain him notice on the big screen, it was his early short film Spiral that showed the promise needed for his career in front of the camera to continue gaining momentum. Back in the realm of stand-up comedy, Cook's debut release Harmful if Swallowed went certified gold after selling more than 450,000 copies in less than two years.

It was around this time that the rising star first realized the career-boosting potential of the Internet, an epiphany that soon resulted in the creation of his popular personal website, danecook.com. Though the site did indeed provide the comic with a notable means to staying in touch with his rapidly growing fan base, it was Cook's subsequent MySpace page that would truly serve to show the humble comic's progressive mind for innovation. Appearances on such popular television comedy programs as The Man Show, Crank Yankers, and Jimmy Kimmel Live found success coming at a clip, and soon after supporting roles in such features as Torque and Waiting made Cook a familiar face to moviegoers, the versatile funnyman realized his life-long dream of hosting Saturday Night Live in December of 2005. That same year, Cook's sophomore stand-up album Retaliation, debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and soon went certified platinum. Back on the small screen, Cook made an impression when he hit the road with three other comics on the Comedy Central show Tourgasm, and in 2006 it was finally time to test his luck as a feature lead alongside Jessica Simpson and Dax Shepard in the wholesale workplace comedy Employee of the Month.