Kevin Bleyer

Kevin Bleyer is a multiple Emmy, Peabody, and Writers Guild Award-winning television writer/producer, a former writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, a contributor to President Barack Obama's speeches, the author of the best-selling Me the People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution, a co-author of the #1 NY Times Bestseller Earth: The Book, and the co-author, with Governor Bill Richardson, of How to Sweet-Talk a Shark. In 2008, he became a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2014, he served as a Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.[1]

Television writing

After doing commentaries and freelance reporting for NPR's "All Things Considered" and American Public Media's "Marketplace", Bleyer began his television writing career as a writer and producer for Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher from 1996 to 2002.[2] He then wrote for the critically acclaimed Bravo series Significant Others and created and executive produced the Showtime pilot Nightly, in which he was also featured as an on-air correspondent.[3] In 2003, Bleyer became a writer and producer on Dennis Miller, a position he held until the show's cancellation in 2005.[2]

From 2005 to 2013, Bleyer was a member of the writing staff of The Daily Show, where he worked on over 1000 episodes and several specials, earning four Emmys in the process.[3] He also won a WGA Award in 2010 for his work on the show in 2009.[3] Bleyer was also one of several Daily Show writers to write for the 80th Annual Academy Awards in 2008, when Jon Stewart served as host.[4]

After his tenure at The Daily Show, he was a writer for the first two seasons of the Fox supernatural dramedy Sleepy Hollow.

In 2013, as a USAID consultant, Bleyer produced "Studio 7" in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the first topical news political satire program in Central Asia.[5]

Political writing and activities

Bleyer contributed to many of President Obama's addresses, including his comedic speeches at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, from the President's inauguration in 2008 to at least 2013.[6][7][8][9][10] After the speech in 2010, reporters from several outlets reported erroneously that The Daily Show staff worked on the President's remarks. The White House and Comedy Central clarified that Bleyer worked independently on the speech, in light of accusations of the show being too close to President Barack Obama.[11][12][13][9]

Among the first contributors chosen to launch The Huffington Post, Bleyer is a frequent commentator for National Public Radio. He also reported from Iraq as part of The Daily Show's "Operation: Silent Thunder," featuring correspondent Rob Riggle, in 2007.[14] That same year, he was profiled by Charlie Rose.

In 2008, Bleyer participated in a mock debate before the United States Congress based on the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, which involved multiple sitting Congresspeople. He also spoke to NPR about his involvement in the strike.[15]

Bleyer is the author of the book Me The People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America, published by Random House in June 2012.[16] He is also the co-author, with former US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson, of "How to Sweet-Talk a Shark," detailing their humanitarian trip to North Korea in 2013 and their attempts to negotiate the release of Korean-American detainee Kenneth Bae.

Personal life

Bleyer is the younger brother of sports anchor Keith Bleyer.

Bleyer was raised in Washington and had a role in the movie Twice in a Lifetime as a teenager. He went on to attend Stanford University, where he sang with the Stanford Fleet Street Singers and studied both communications and computer engineering, earning a degree in the former in 1994. He also had an internship at New York's Public Theater, where he assisted playwright Anna Deavere Smith and performed dramaturgical duties with playwright Tony Kushner.[2]

He lives in New York.

References
  1. Huang, Wen (21 July 2014). "Institute of Politics announces fellows for fall 2014" (Press release). Chicago: University of Chicago Office of Communications. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  2. Whitty, Stephen (November–December 2006). "Seriously Funny: Does Daily Show writer Kevin Bleyer think comedy news promotes cynicism? Not so much". Stanford Magazine. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0088354/
  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1103965/
  5. Rickleton, Chris (15 May 2013). "Kyrgyzstan: Comedy Troupe Holds Up Mirror to Society". Eurasianet. Kyrgyzstan. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  6. Nichols, Hans (30 April 2012). "Obama Draws on Professional Help to Keep the Jokes Rolling". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  7. Nordyke, Kimberly (3 May 2011). "Obama's Donald Trump Jokes Helped by 'Daily Show' Writer". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  8. Angelo, Megan (3 May 2011). "Meet The "Daily Show" Writer Who Helped Obama Kill At The White House Correspondents' Dinner". Business Insider. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  9. Grove, Lloyd (2 May 2010). "Obama Trounces Leno". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  10. Grove, Lloyd (28 April 2013). "White House Correspondents' Dinner: Obama Nails It, Again". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  11. Roberts, Soraya (4 May 2010). "Jay Leno recycled White House Correspondent's Dinner jokes; 'Daily Show' staffer wrote for Obama". New York Daily News. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  12. MacNicol, Glynnis (3 May 2010). "Obama WHCD Funny Explained: Daily Show Writer Penned Jokes". Mediaite. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  13. Parnes, Amie (3 May 2010). "Jon Favreau on Obama's WHCD success". Politico. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  14. Gough, Paul (20 August 2007). "'Daily Show' in war zone". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  15. "'Daily Show' Writer Notes News Ripe for Comedy". National Public Radio. All Things Considered. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  16. Minzesheimer, Bob (2011). "Josh Lieb of 'Daily Show ' puts his wit to 'Unspeakable Evil'". USA Today. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
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