Chris Hardwick
Chris Hardwick is a comedian, actor, TV host, author, writer, producer, and podcaster whose quick wit and up-to- the-minute intellect have made him the voice for a generation of pop culture enthusiasts. Hardwick currently serves as founder, CEO, and creative head of Nerdist, a media empire under the Legendary Digital Network that encompasses the Nerdist.com website, YouTube channel (over 2M subscribers), and a podcast network of 49 shows that includes Hardwick’s own incredibly successful Nerdist Podcast, which he continues to host weekly and garners over 5.5M downloads per month. He has attracted some of the biggest names in the world as guests on the show, including Tom Hanks, Mel Brooks, Jodie Foster, Tom Cruise, and Sir Paul McCartney.
Hardwick is perhaps best known as host and executive producer of Comedy Central’s two-time Emmy Award-winning nightly comedy game show @midnight. Additionally, he has an extensive multi-year deal with AMC, which sees him hosting and executive producing multiple programs for the network. Hardwick’s duties include not only new programming but continuing to serve as host and executive producer of current and new Talking live after shows, including the highly rated Talking Dead, Talking Dead: Fear Edition, Talking Saul, Talking Preacher, and Talking with Chris Hardwick.
Hardwick also serves as host and executive producer of NBC’s hit game show series The Wall, which features everyday people and families competing for life-altering amounts of money in a game of knowledge, camaraderie, and luck. New episodes of the show began airing this June. Additionally, Hardwick will develop, executive produce, and host NBC’s upcoming series The Awesome Show, which will highlight stories of revolutionary scientific and technological advances and will marvel at the tremendous feats that humans are capable of when they utilize them, both now and in the future.
On stage, Hardwick continues to solidify himself as one of today's top touring standup comedians. In 2016, he wrapped his Funcomfortable tour, during which he shot his newest one-hour comedy special of the same name. The special premiered on Comedy Central, and Hardwick later made it available for a limited time as a streaming 50-minute Nerdist Podcast. An extended deluxe edition is currently available for purchase on iTunes and across digital platforms, including CC: Stand-Up Direct, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play, and Sony Entertainment Network. Hardwick’s first comedy special, Mandroid, aired on Comedy Central in 2012.
Off-screen, Hardwick partnered with Shadi Petosky at Puny Entertainment, an interactive entertainment and animation studio that focuses on design and story. The duo’s first original series, Danger & Eggs, will release on Amazon this June. The animated children’s show follows the adventures of fearless D.D. Danger and her ever-cautious best friend, a talking egg named Phillip. Hardwick also recently beefed up his production duties with the launch of his new production company, Fish Ladder. The shingle has a first-look deal with AMC Studios where several projects are already in the works.
In June 2017, Hardwick launched his first-ever ID10T Music Festival and Comic Conival, a two-day festival celebrating music, gaming, comedy, technology, and all things pop culture. Created and hosted by Hardwick, the festival took place in Silicon Valley and combined chart-topping musicians, renowned comedians, makers, and some of the most influential people in the entertainment industry.
In addition to his current ventures, Hardwick has made memorable appearances alongside Kelly Ripa as guest co-host of Live with Kelly. He served as a contributing writer for Wired Magazine for six years and released his first book, The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (In Real Life), in 2011.
He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Lydia Hearst.