Oswalt’s style of stand-up comedy is often described as acerbic and sarcastic, and it covers a great deal of subject matter. Topics range from pop culture frivolity such as comic book supervillains and 1980s hair metal to deeper societal issues like American excess, rampant materialism and foreign policy. Critics have recognized Oswalt for employing keen wit, biting insight and unabashed love of the absurd. Quite a few of his routines are about vice, especially pornography and alcohol. A famous line: “Do you think you have a problem when you refer to all alcohol as ‘pain-go-bye-bye-juice’?” Oswalt has described himself as a “man without a country” in that he dislikes both George W. Bush and hippies. In February 2004, some jokes critical of President Bush got him booed off the stage in Pittsburgh. In 2004 Oswalt released a comedy album entitled Feelin’ Kinda Patton and later that year a longer, unedited version of the same recording called 222, both through the United Musicians collective. He is also on a split EP called “Patton Vs. Alcohol Vs. Zach Vs. Patton” with Zach Galifianakis. Looking for a way to bring cutting-edge comedy to a different audience, Oswalt put together the Comedians of Comedy tour in 2004, using indie rock venues instead of traditional (and expensive) comedy clubs. The tour featured Oswalt, Galifianakis, Brian Posehn, and Maria Bamford. The fall 2004 tour was documented in a 2005 film of the same name; it was followed by a six-episode Comedy Central series based on the summer 2005 tour. He has appeared on the television shows Home Movies, I Love the ’80s, The Fairly OddParents, Crank Yankers, Reno 911!, and The Batman. In 2007, Oswalt will voice Rémy, the lead character in Disney-Pixar’s “Ratatouille.” He is also a huge fan of the legendary rock band Phish, and has been spotted at several of their concerts. Oswalt married writer Michelle McNamara on September 24, 2005. He stars in the 2009 movie “Big Fan”. |
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