Timothy Richard Heidecker (/ˈhdɛkər/; born February 3, 1976) is an American comedian, writer, director, actor, and musician. Along with Eric Wareheim, he is a member of the comedy duo Tim & Eric.

Tim Heidecker
Heidecker in November 2017
Born
Timothy Richard Heidecker

(1976-02-03) February 3, 1976 (age 48)
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • writer
  • director
  • actor man
  • musician
Years active1996–present
Spouse
Marilyn Porayko
(m. 2007)
Children2
Websitetimheidecker.com

He has also appeared in films, including Bridesmaids (2011), Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012), The Comedy (2012), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and Us (2019). He currently co-hosts the parodic film review web series On Cinema, stars in the comedy series Decker alongside Gregg Turkington and hosts a weekly call-in show, Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker,[1] with DJ Douggpound and Vic Berger.

Early life and education

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Timothy Richard Heidecker was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on February 3, 1976.[2] He attended and graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School in Allentown, then attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where he met his comedy partner Eric Wareheim.[3]

Career

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Television

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Heidecker and Wareheim created, wrote, and starred in Tom Goes to the Mayor, a limited animation series that aired from November 2004 to September 2006 on Adult Swim. Heidecker plays Tom, the protagonist of the show who continually brings his ideas to the Mayor (played by Wareheim) only to have them thwarted in most cases, leaving Tom worse off than when he started. According to their website, Wareheim and Heidecker had mailed copies of an early version of the show to comedian Bob Odenkirk, who agreed to take on the project as the executive producer of the series and sold it to Adult Swim.[4]

The duo's second show, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, premiered in 2007, on Adult Swim. They also created and starred in Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, and appeared together as debt collectors on the Adult Swim special Young Person's Guide to History and have made guest appearances in the movie Let's Go to Prison, as well as the Scottish video game series VideoGaiden and a Version 2 episode of Mega64.[5] Heidecker also had a small role in the 2011 film Bridesmaids, and a leading role in the 2012 independent drama The Comedy, directed by Rick Alverson and also starring Wareheim. In July 2012, Heidecker starred in an episode of Workaholics. In 2012, he guest starred in Dinosaur Jr.'s music video "Watch the Corners".[6] In the same year, Heidecker made a cameo appearance on the independent movie reviewing site, Red Letter Media. Heidecker appeared in an episode of the RedLetterMedia series, "Half in The Bag." The episode is titled "Season Finale: Step Up Revolution." Within the short sketch comedy, Heidecker plays a VCR repairman named "Tim". Shortly after his introduction into the scene, he flies through the ceiling and makes his exit from the skit.[7]

Heidecker starred in a series of films for Absolut Vodka's website with Wareheim and Zach Galifianakis. In 2010, Heidecker and Wareheim directed a series of Old Spice commercials starring actor Terry Crews. Using characters and skits from Awesome Show, Heidecker and Wareheim (via their Abso Lutely Productions company) created an online-only show called "Tim and Eric Nite Live!," originally broadcast on the website SuperDeluxe.

Since 2012, Heidecker has hosted a parodic web series and podcast called On Cinema, where he and special guest (Gregg Turkington) discuss films from past and present. In 2013 an On Cinema Film Guide app was released, featuring the voices of Heidecker and Turkington reviewing over 17,000 films. Heidecker, Wareheim, Sarah Silverman, Michael Cera, and Reggie Watts announced on the podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! that they were starting a comedy YouTube channel called Jash.

Since 2016, Heidecker has hosted the podcast and web series Office Hours Live along with Vic Berger and Doug Lussenhop. It features phone and video calls with fans, comedians, musicians, and political commentators.[8]

The duo's anthology horror series, Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories, aired on Adult Swim from 2014 to 2017. A sitcom starring the duo, Beef House, premiered in March 2020.

On October 23, 2020, Heidecker released his first stand-up comedy special, An Evening with Tim Heidecker, on YouTube. Filmed in the style of a typical standup special, Heidecker's special is a parody of the format in which he deliberately plays a hack stand-up comic.[9]

Music

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Heidecker performing in Tim & Eric in October 2009

Heidecker played in various indie rock bands while in Philadelphia. He made an appearance in the 2008 Ben Folds and Regina Spektor music video titled "You Don't Know Me".

Although Davin Wood composed the music for Awesome Show, Heidecker would sometimes sing and write lyrics. Williams Street Records released both Awesome Record, Great Songs! and Uncle Muscles Presents Casey and His Brother in 2008, featuring music from the first two seasons. Wood previously composed the music for Tom Goes to the Mayor, and he and Heidecker form the duo Heidecker & Wood. Inspired by 1970s soft rock, they released their first album, Starting from Nowhere, on March 15, 2011.[10] The duo released a second album in the same style on November 12, 2013, Some Things Never Stay the Same. They cite the influence of Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson, and Boz Scaggs.[11]

In 2012, Heidecker contributed a parody campaign jingle for Herman Cain's presidential bid titled "Cain Train".[12] This was the first of nine songs which would eventually become a full album, titled Cainthology: Songs in the Key of Cain. All of the proceeds from the album's sales go to benefit the Violence Intervention Program.[13] The number nine was chosen as the number of songs, and $9.99 the original price, in reference to Herman Cain's 9-9-9 financial plan.

Before the release of Bob Dylan's album Tempest in September 2012, Heidecker released a Dylan pastiche called "Titanic", spoofing the news that the album would feature a 14-minute track about the RMS Titanic.[14] In 2013, he released two more Dylan parodies—"Running Out the Clock", inspired by Dylan's 1983 album Infidels, and "Long Black Dress", a song in the actual style of Dylan's album Tempest—and collaborated with the indie band The Earth is a Man on a cover of Dylan's "All the Tired Horses."

In 2013, Heidecker released the album Urinal St. Station under the Drag City label with his band, The Yellow River Boys.[15] The lead single, "Hot Piss", was released in June 2013.[16] Vice Magazine named Urinal St. Station as the best album of 2013.[17]

Heidecker and Davin Wood composed and performed the song "Weatherman" which was used in the 2014 film The Age of Reason.

In June 2014, Heidecker and Wareheim released a 12" single, "Jambalaya", as Pusswhip Banggang.[18]

Heidecker's solo album In Glendale was released in May 20, 2016, on Rado Records.

He released Too Dumb for Suicide: Tim Heidecker's Trump Songs via Jagjaguwar on November 8, 2017, a year to the date after Trump's presidential victory.[19]

In August 2020, Heidecker announced Fear of Death, a concept album featuring members of Foxygen, The Lemon Twigs, and Weyes Blood, slated for release on September 25 from Spacebomb Records.[20]

Heidecker's sixth album, High School, was released June 24, 2022, on Spacebomb Records[21] followed by a supporting North American tour.[22]

Personal life

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Heidecker is married to actress Marilyn Porayko.[23][24][25][26] They have a daughter born in 2013[27] and a son born in 2016.[28]

Heidecker joined the Democratic Socialists of America in June 2018.[29] He has described himself as both an atheist and an agnostic.[30]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 The Attic Expeditions Orderly Film debut
2002 Tom Goes to the Mayor Tom Peters (voice) Short film
2003 Tom Goes to the Mayor: The Return
2006 Let's Go to Prison Wine Taster With Eric Wareheim
2011 Terri Mr. Flemisch
Bridesmaids Dougie
2012 The Comedy Swanson
The Five-Year Engagement Chef
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Tim Writer
Director
Producer
2014 A Merry Friggin' Christmas Dave
2015 Vacation Utah Cop
Fantastic Four Mr. Richards
Entertainment The Celebrity Co-writer
2016 First Girl I Loved Mr. Quibodeaux
2017 Brigsby Bear Coach Brad
Kuso Phil
Flower Bob
Sundowners Tom
2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp Captain Daniel Gooobler
2019 Us Josh Tyler / Tex
Mister America Tim Heidecker Writer
Producer[31][32][33]
2021 Some of Our Stallions Dr. Thrush
2022 Spin Me Round Fran
The People's Joker Perry White (voice)
2023 First Time Female Director Greggy Thompson
2024 Y2K Howard
Fetus Monster Derek (voice) Short film
Pavements Gerard Cosloy
Nutcrackers TBA
2025 Him TBA Post-production
TBA Atropia[34] TBA Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Basketball (voice) Episode: "Hypno-Germ"
2004–2006 Tom Goes to the Mayor Tom Peters (voice) Writer
Director
Producer
2007–2010 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Tim Heidecker / Various roles Writer
Director
Producer
2007 Acceptable TV Mood Swing Cosby (voice) Episode: "Kosbees"
2008 Young Person's Guide to History Debt Collector TV special
2008–2010 The Sarah Silverman Program Frances Episodes: "I Thought My Dad Was Dead, But It Turns Out He's Not"
"A Slip Slope"
2009 Talkshow with Spike Feresten Jim Heckler Episode: "Jim Heckler and Derrick Whipple"
2010–2016 Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule Jan Skylar Writer
Director
Producer
2010–2011 Funny or Die Presents Various Writer
2011 Jon Benjamin Has a Van Mosham the Alien Lawyer Episode: "Stardoor"
The Simpsons Amus Bruse (voice) Episode: "The Food Wife"
2011–2022 Bob's Burgers Burt Dellalucci / various (voice) 4 episodes
2012 Workaholics Reverend Troy Episode: "The Lord's Force"
2012–2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! Phil Gorsley 2 episodes
2013 Kroll Show Jason Episode: "Secret Room"
Eastbound & Down[35] Gene 8 episodes
2013–2017 Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories Various Writer
Director
Producer
2013, 2014 Drunk History Max Schmeling / Cop 2 episodes
2014 Community Male Four #1 Episode: "App Development and Condiments"
The Birthday Boys Mill Owner Episode: "Plight of the Working Class"
2015 Man Seeking Woman Bartender Episode: "Pitbull"
Another Period Hal Carnegie Episode: "Funeral"
W/ Bob & David Executive producer
2016 Fresh Off the Boat Mr. Jenkins Episode: "Phil's Phaves"
2016–2017 Decker Jack Decker Writer
Producer
2017 Jeff & Some Aliens Bruce Starr (voice) Episode: "Jeff & Some Confidence"
Portlandia Ant Guy Episode: "Ants"
Clarence Tim / Teddy / Damien Dawson (voice) Episode: "Rock Show"
Animals Stan (voice) Episode: "Rats"
2018 Pickle and Peanut Zip / additional voices Episode: "Black Light Bowling/90's Adventure Bear And The Coconut Helmet"
2019–2023 I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson Various 3 episodes
Crank Yankers Brad
2019 A.P. Bio Greg Miller/Bouvier Episode: "Personal Everest"
Black Monday Not Milken #1 Episode: "243"
2020 Beef House Tim Writer
Producer
Wild Life Doug (voice) Episode: "Doug the Bear"
Moonbase 8 Professor Scott "Rook" Sloan Writer
Producer
2021 Ultra City Smiths[36] Mayor Kevin De Maximum (voice) 5 episodes
Just Beyond Dale Episode: "Parents Are From Mars, Kids Are From Venus"
2022 Our Flag Means Death Doug Episode: "Wherever You Go, There You Are"
2022–2023 Killing It Rodney Lamonca 10 episodes
2023 Fired on Mars Darren Young (voice) Main role
Miracle Workers Stephen Episode: "Olympus"
Solar Opposites Garth (voice) Episode: "The Mobile AISHA Emitter"
Teenage Euthanasia Edu-Mart Announcer (voice) Episode: "Sexually Educated"
Carol & the End of the World Guest Performer (voice) 5 episodes
2024 What We Do in the Shadows Jordan Recurring

Web series

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Year Title Role Notes
2005 House of Cosbys Mood Swing Cosby (voice) Episode: "Episode 2"
2006 Mega64 Mega64 Ragtime Jug Brother Episode: "Stranger"
2007 Clark and Michael Self-Defense Instructor
2007-2008 Tim and Eric Nite Live! Tim Heidecker Also co-creator and co-writer
2012–present On Cinema at the Cinema Writer
Director
Producer
2012 Half in the Bag Himself
2013 Tim & Eric's Go Pro Show Writer
Director
Tim's Kitchen Tips
Dr. Wareheim Writer
Director
2014–2015 Decker Agent Jack Decker Writer

Podcasts

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Year Title Role Notes
2006 Tim and Eric: The Podcast Various Also co-writer, co-director, and producer
2011–2019 Comedy Bang! Bang! Himself, Elton John, George Burns, Nick Nolte 15 episodes
2011–2013 On Cinema Tim Heidecker Writer
Producer
2013 How Did This Get Made? Himself Guest commenter for The Odd Life of Timothy Green (Episode 54)
2016–2022 Chapo Trap House 4 episodes: 79, 150, 357, 629
2016–present Office Hours LIVE Co-hosted with DJ Douggpound and Vic Berger[37]
2018 H3 Podcast Episode 82
2019 Hollywood Handbook Episode 284: "Tim Heidecker, Our Close Friend"
This Is Branchburg Producer 8 episodes
2020 QAnon Anonymous Himself Episode 100: Mr. Nobody feat Tim Heidecker
2023 Therapy Gecko Episode: "TIM HEIDECKER GIVES ADVICE AS A GECKO"[38]
Cheapshow Episode 359: Stars Over 45 [39]

Applications

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Year Title Role Notes
2015 On Cinema Film Guide Tim Heidecker writer

Discography

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Solo

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Studio albums

Compilation albums

  • 2018: Another Year in Hell: Collected Songs from 2018

Live albums

  • 2023: Live in Boulder

The Tim Heidecker Masterpiece

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  • 2000: Working Vacation (EP)
  • 2002: Theatre of Magic (rock opera)

Tim & Eric

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Heidecker & Wood

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The Yellow River Boys

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  • 2013: Urinal St. Station
  • 2021: Greatest Hits

Bibliography

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Stand-up special

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Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ "Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker". Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  2. ^ Tim Heidecker [@timheidecker] (December 23, 2013). "Great to be back home in Allentown, PA!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Longsdork, Amy (October 2, 2014). "Creepy Crawly Comedy: Allentown's Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim serve up haunting humorous drama in 'Bedtime Stories'". The Morning Call. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  4. ^ Brown, Janelle (July 17, 2006). "10 Comics to Watch: Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim". Variety. Retrieved February 16, 2007.
  5. ^ ""Mega64": Stranger". IMDb. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  6. ^ "Dinosaur Jr. - "Watch the Corners" Official Video". Vimeo.com. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  7. ^ "Red Letter Media Half in the Bag: Step Up Revolution". Redlettermedia.com. August 7, 2012. Archived from the original on September 20, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  8. ^ Tim Heidecker's channel on YouTube
  9. ^ "'An Evening With Tim Heidecker' Is a Parody of a Standup Special". Vice.com. October 23, 2020.
  10. ^ Hudson, Alex. (December 13, 2010) Tim and Eric's Tim Heidecker to Release Album as Heidecker & Wood • News •. Exclaim.ca. Retrieved on 2012-09-04.
  11. ^ "Heidecker & Wood". Heideckerandwood.com. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  12. ^ cain train: Herman Cain Campaign Video. YouTube. Retrieved on September 4, 2012.
  13. ^ Cainthology: Songs In The Key Of Cain, by Tim Heidecker. Boing Boing. Retrieved on September 4, 2012.
  14. ^ "Listen: Tim Heidecker Spoofs Bob Dylan With 14-Minute Song About the Titanic". Rolling Stone. July 24, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  15. ^ Urinal St. Station, by the Yellow River Boys. Drag City. Retrieved on January 3, 2014.
  16. ^ The Yellow River Boys - "Hot Piss". YouTube. Retrieved on January 3, 2013.
  17. ^ VICE's Top 50 Albums of 2013. Vice Magazine. Retrieved on January 3, 2014.
  18. ^ Pusswhip Banggang "Jambalaya". Drag City. Retrieved on July 1, 2014.
  19. ^ "Tim Heidecker Announces New Album of Trump Songs: Too Dumb for Suicide | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. November 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  20. ^ Colburn, Randall (August 5, 2020). "Tim Heidecker Made a Record About Death with Weyes Blood and The Lemon Twigs". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  21. ^ "Tim Heidecker Announces New Album and Tour, Shares Video for New Song: Watch". Pitchfork. April 12, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  22. ^ Alter, Rebecca (April 12, 2022). "Tim Heidecker Is Going on Two Tours at Once". Vulture. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  23. ^ Tim Heidecker's Myspace page, retrieved February 9, 2009
  24. ^ Marilyn's Myspace id 3nine78, retrieved February 9, 2009
  25. ^ Tim Heidecker's Myspace blog, entries "Talking to Your Parents" and "Full Story (Reposted), retrieved February 9, 2009
  26. ^ "Tim and Eric Junior Teaching Bible Lesson". Youtube.com. Retrieved on September 4, 2012.
  27. ^ Sundermann, Eric (November 7, 2013). "Tim Heidecker: The Coolest Dad Ever | NOISEY". Noisey.vice.com. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  28. ^ "Instagram". Instagram. October 8, 2016. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  29. ^ Heidecker, Tim (June 19, 2018). "I just joined the @DemSocialists / That stunt in DC today convinced me. I encourage all to take a look and considering joining as well". @timheidecker. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  30. ^ "Awesome Show, Great Job! w/ Tim Heidecker". Mythinformed.org. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  31. ^ "On Cinema Fans Will Get a Movie of Their Own This Fall". July 2019. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019.
  32. ^ "Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington Set to Star in On Cinema Movie, Mister America". Pastemagazine.com. July 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  33. ^ "Tim Heidecker and Greg Turkington to Star in New Film Mister America". Pitchfork. July 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  34. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (November 7, 2024). "Memento International Boards Luca Guadagnino-Produced War Comedy 'Atropia' Starring Alia Shawkat, Callum Turner (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  35. ^ "Ken Marino And Tim Heidecker Join Season 4 Of Eastbound & Down". June 27, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  36. ^ "AMC Animated Series 'Ultra City Smiths' Sets Voice Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. April 1, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  37. ^ "Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker". Office Hours Live with Tim Heidecker. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  38. ^ "TIM HEIDECKER GIVES ADVICE AS a GECKO- Therapy Gecko". YouTube. February 5, 2023.
  39. ^ "Ep 359: Stars Over 45". CheapShow. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  40. ^ Webby Award winners listed at Internet Video Mag, Tim and Eric listed in paragraph 5 Archived August 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Internetvideomag.com (May 6, 2008). Retrieved on 2012-09-04.
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