Doug Benson – Comedian

Early Career

Doug Benson’s journey into the world of comedy began in a rather unexpected way. While working as a stand-in on numerous movies in the 1980s, he had roles as an extra in films such as Blade Runner, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, About Last Night, and even served as a backup dancer in the Disney theme park attraction Captain EO.

It was during his time in Los Angeles that Benson’s comedic spark was ignited. A dare between friends led him to step onto the stand-up stage. Despite one friend not showing up and the other signing up too late, Benson took the plunge. He recalled, “I went in anyway and did my three minutes of whatever I could come up with, and people actually laughed.”

At the age of 22, Doug Benson started performing regularly as a stand-up comedian. However, it wasn’t until he turned 28 that he embraced a more laid-back lifestyle, which included indulging in cannabis. This change came after a week’s worth of gigs where he smoked pot alongside fellow comedians Brian Posehn and Greg Proops.

Rising through Comedy

With his unique blend of humor and a newfound affinity for cannabis, Benson made his earliest television appearances as a stand-up comedian in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He graced the screens of Comedy Central’s The A-List and Two Drink Minimum. His talent also landed him a spot among the featured comedians in Joel Hodgson’s sketch-comedy pilot, The TV Wheel, which aired on Comedy Central in 1995.

One of Benson’s earliest gigs in the world of television was writing for the MTV game-show Trashed in 1994, showcasing his versatility in the comedy scene.

Teaming up with fellow comedians Arj Barker and Tony Camin, Doug Benson co-created and performed in the comedy stage-show The Marijuana-Logues. His passion for cannabis comedy extended to hosting High Times’ 6th annual Stony Awards alongside rapper Redman.

Comedy Albums

Benson’s comedic talent wasn’t confined to the stage and screen. He made his mark on the comedy album scene, appearing on the comedy compilation album Comedy Death-Ray.

His album journey continued with the release of several memorable titles. On August 4, 2009, Benson’s second album, Unbalanced Load, was released by Comedy Central Records. This was followed by Hypocritical Oaf on August 31, 2010, kicking off a tradition of releasing new albums every April 20, with subsequent summer release dates. Potty Mouth, his fourth album, hit the shelves on August 29, 2011, with Smug Life following on July 3, 2012. Gateway Doug, his sixth album, was released on July 9, 2013. In a humorous twist, Doug released a sequel to Gateway Doug entitled Gateway Doug 2: Forced Fun on July 8, 2014. His latest album, Promotional Tool, made its debut on June 9, 2015.

Doug Loves Movies Podcast

In 2006, Doug Benson embarked on a new venture by hosting a weekly comedy podcast titled Doug Loves Movies (formerly I Love Movies with Doug Benson). Recorded in front of a live audience at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles, the show quickly gained popularity. The podcast features Benson and his guests discussing both movies and comedy.

A notable segment of the podcast is the Leonard Maltin Game, often described as “Name That Tune” with movies instead of songs. In this game, Benson reads excerpts from Leonard Maltin reviews, and guests wager on how many cast names it would take to identify the movie from the bottom of the cast list up.

The podcast also includes engaging segments like Tweet Relief: Tweets About Movies, Watch This/Not That, and various entertaining games that keep listeners coming back for more.

Throughout the podcast’s history, Benson would humorously declare, “As always, Willem Dafoe is a Shithead,” a phrase that became widely recognized and even prompted Google searches. In 2019, the runners-up in the Leonard Maltin game were granted the privilege of naming a “shithead” as a consolation prize. Starting in early 2019, Doug began closing the show with “Positive Energy” in honor of his late friend, Brody Stevens.

Twelve Guests of Christmas and More

In 2010, Doug Benson initiated an annual tradition – the Two-Hour Twelve Guests of Christmas special. This festive episode breaks from the norm, featuring 12 guests, occasionally even more. They engage in an elimination-style Leonard Maltin Game, adding a unique holiday twist to the podcast. Over the years, notable contestants have claimed victory, including Scott Aukerman, Graham Elwood, Sean Sakimae, Riki Lindhome, and others.

Beyond Doug Loves Movies, Benson ventured into other podcast projects, such as The Benson Interruption, available for a monthly fee. He also made guest appearances on various popular podcasts, including Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Joe Rogan Experience, WTF with Marc Maron, and many more.

Getting Doug with High

From 2013 to 2019, Doug Benson hosted a captivating weekly talk show on YouTube named Getting Doug with High. Airing live every Wednesday at 4:15 PM PST, the show brought featured guests together for recreational marijuana consumption at precisely 4:20. The show was a unique blend of candid conversations, marijuana-related topics, and even featured a magic trick at the end. Occasionally, the show took place in front of a live audience in Los Angeles, offering a one-of-a-kind experience for both the performers and viewers.

Super High Me

In 2008, Doug Benson took center stage in the documentary-style film Super High Me. A clever play on the name and concept of the film Super Size Me, this production compared the effects of not smoking any marijuana at all for 30 days with the effects of smoking as much marijuana as possible for the same duration. The film, produced by Red Envelope Entertainment, aimed to shed light on the impact of cannabis use on one’s health. The results were surprising, as it showed little to no negative effects on Doug’s well-being. In 2014, the film’s producers planned a sequel, Super High Me Redux, featuring additional footage. However, Doug took legal action to halt its production.