Bobcat Goldthwait

Bobcat Goldthwait (simply known as Bobcat) is one of several comics who emerged during the '80s and became known for his persona (à la Howie Mandel, Sam Kinison). Until later in his career, he rarely appeared out of character: a gutsy goofball with a grating voice. Bobcat is perhaps best remembered for his big debut role as "himself" in the movie Police Academy 2, the following Police Academy movies, and his string of comedy specials, including one in 1987, aptly titled Bobcat Goldthwait: Is He Always Like That? He also appeared in offbeat movies such as One Crazy Summer and the cult-classic Tape Heads.

Mr. Goldthwait enjoyed his heyday in the coming-of-age of nightclub comedy era, but his popularity decreased in the mid-'90s, when a subtler approach to comedy — like that of Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Degeneres — hit the scene. By then he had developed his own loyal following, however, and recorded one of his concerts, Meat Bob Live from 1992; he also can be heard on several of the Comic Relief recordings.

Throughout the second decade of his career, Bobcat continued to appear in bit parts in a slew of Hollywood B-movies. He also made countless appearances on popular network television shows throughout the '90s, including Married...With Children, Hollywood Squares, and as well as hosting his own comedy series in a quiz show format called Bobcat's Big Ass Show for FX.

Bobcat got his start performing in comedy clubs when he was 15 and still attending high school. When he was 19, he made his first television appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. This is not the first time he would make a splash on the late-night talk-show circuit. He is also (perhaps not so fondly) remembered for an Andy Kaufman-esque stint on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that involved setting a chair on fire and ensuing arson charges.

Besides setting fire to studio furniture, Bobcat has done almost everything on stage, including shaving his already-balding head! (He is known for wearing somewhat of a mullet.) He has always seemed to maintain an air of rebelliousness in his work. Besides acting, Mr. Goldthwait has directed the cult film Shakes the Clown, which he also wrote, and directed Aquabats "Super Rad" video. (Seemingly uncharacteristically, Bobcat has also used his unique voice to narrate and play roles in several children's cartoons — including the voice of Pain in Disney's animated feature Hercules, among others.)

Mr. Goldthwait has two children — a daughter, Tasha, who is also an actress, and stepson, Tyler. He has been married twice, and is currently married to actress Nikki Cox, who is 16 years his junior.