Jeff often begins the first minutes of his show with a unique "flip-chart" explaining the current state of our society. Any one of his many hysterical and original charts is filled with absurd graphs, stats and "facts" on a single topic, ranging from "American history" to "Building self-esteem" to "The war on drugs". To top his climactic opening, he brings to light our individual connection to those events and moreover, how they affect him. His parents once phoned and asked, "you’re 26 years old now, why are we still paying your rent at the first of every month?" To which Klinger replies, ‘cause that’s when it’s due"

Klinger, who lives in Chicago, IL, grew up in Brooklyn, NY. In 1996,while at the University of Utah, Jeff entered a comedy competition. It was on that stage, that Jeff decided he would pursue comedy as his career. Klinger won the competition and left school. Two years later, Jeff would call his Chicago home base because of its location and proximity to all the cities he works.

In 1999, between gigs, Jeff made his first short film titled Thanks Tony! The 7 minute long satire about the quest for self-esteem went straight to the film festival circuit. Thanks Tony premiered at the Chicago Comedy Shorts Film Festival. The overwhelming thrill of watching his own movie on the big screen drove Klinger home in a fit of joy and he missed the rest of the evening.

The following year proved to keep Klinger very busy. In June2000, Jeff appeared at the Chicago Comedy Festival for his first time. Later that summer, Jeff taught a stand up comedy class to children at the Village Players Theater. The kids loved Jeff’s short attention span and began to bond. Jeff’s class was so successful that he scheduled his next tour such that he could teach the class again in the spring. Later that year Jeff set a personal record with a 16-week, non-stop tour.

In addition to performing, writing, and making films, Klinger expanded his audience through a number of TV appearances. After appearing on PBS’s The Cheap Show, Jeff had his first taste of what celebrity might be like. For next week or so, Klinger had numerous strangers offering comments such as, " Hey I saw you on the Cheap Show."

Over the next few months, Jeff would continue to appear on the small screen. Veteran TV host Ben Hollis asked Jeff to perform as a stand-up on his new show, Ben Around Town. In what turned out to be a great show, Klinger, along with friends and fellow comedians Larry Reeb and Owen Smith each gave interesting interviews to be aired along with their stand-up performances.

It was the first time Klinger’s flipcharts were seen on T.V.

2001 has only been brighter for the young comedian. He was invited back to the Chicago Comedy Festival for his second year in a row. Jeff performed all three nights of the festival and proved to be a favorite with audiences and industry alike. Klinger also made a return to competitiveness. Currently he is a semi-finalist in the Comedy Central Laugh Riots Competition.

 



"One of the most entertaining and interesting comedians today . . . an interesting choice of topics with a new and different slant that always keeps you guessing. . .my new friend"
-George Carlin

Television
PBS - “The Cheap Show”
WTTW ( Chicago) - “Ben Around Town”
featured w/ Larry Reeb


Clubs

Barrel of Laughs | Comedy Café
Comedy Comedy | Comedy House Theaters
Funny Bone | Knuckleheads
Laff’s | Comedy Cellar
Laughlines | Riddles
Second City |Skyline Comedy Club
Stooges | Zanies


Agencies worked with

RCM, inc.
Funny Business
Kenneth Muller
Midwest Comedy Express
Turner Talent Network

Colleges & Corporations

Western Michigan University
IPA / IBA
North American Vending, Inc
FFR Marketing

Comedy Festivals

Chicago Comedy Festival, 2000 & 2001
Chicago Comedy Shorts Film Festival, 2000
Second City’s 40th Anniversary Weekend, 1999
“Canned Laughter” Midwest, 1998

Short Films

Written and Directed numerous successful films,
including “Thank’s Tony!”


Training

Columbia College, Chicago, IL
Theater, Sitcom Writing & Comedy
Second City Improvisation
Second City Sketch Writing

 

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