Andy Gross

Andy Gross (born Andrew Gross on May 10, 1968) is an American former professional racquetball player, now a touring comedian, ventriloquist, magician and illusionist. He is known for his television and film appearances, and for his live touring show called Andy Gross' MindBoggling Variety Show.

For the writer, see Andrew Gross.
Andy Gross
Entertainer Andy Gross.
Born (1968-05-10) May 10, 1968
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation(s)Magician, stand-up comic, racquetball player
Spouse(s)April Bartlett
(1997-present)
Children

Life and career

Gross was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Marshall and Joan Gross, where he attended Parkway Central High School. At 15, Gross became the youngest professional racquetball player in the history of the sport, winning a record number of Southern California tournaments in the years leading up to his retirement at the age of 26.[1]

Following his athletic career, Gross established himself as an entertainer, creating a live act that combines comedy, ventriloquism, and magic. His ventriloquism has been put to use in television series such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Las Vegas, as well as in the sci-fi Web series After Judgment.

Since 2000, Gross has toured the United States with his MindBoggling Variety Show, which combines his comedy, magic, and ventriloquism with large-scale stage illusions. Among the more notable ventriloquist's dummy characters in the stage act is Steve, The Customer Service Guy, a soft puppet who dispenses computer repair support by telephone.

Andy Gross performing with Steve, The Customer Service Guy

In 2013, Gross created a video depicting a spin on the classic cut-in-half illusion that he dubs the "Split Man" trick,[2] which makes it appear as though the entertainer has been severed in two but is still able to walk about. The video, shot guerrilla-style in various public places in which unsuspecting passersby are jarred by the sudden appearance of his 'Split Man', premiered on the Web before being showcased on a variety of national platforms.

Gross owns a sizeable and significant collection of ventriloquist dummies and memorabilia, which frequently supplies props for television, film, and stage productions. Additionally, since 1997, he has designed a line of toys, prank novelties, and magic tricks, having won the Top 10 Duracell Kids Choice Award for one of his designs.[3]

In August 2018, Gross sparked controversy at Purdue University during his performance at the freshman orientation closing ceremony. Gross made a joke about being sexually aroused by a female student touching his thigh after telling her to "press up against me back to back, cheek to cheek," when he stated that he "got a free feel out of it" near the end of his opening act.[4] In addition, he made continual sexual comments that many students interpreted as sexual harassment.[5] One of these comments included an insinuation that the female student's proximity to him gave him an erection, with Gross exclaiming "let me out," in reference to his genitals.[6] These actions prompted a great deal of backlash from students, with many protesting in the form of a walkout during the performance. Gross decided to no longer perform on college campuses.[5]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1990 Just the Ten of Us
1995 Beverly Hills, 90210 Ventriloquist Episode: "You Gotta Have Heart"
1998 The Jenny Jones Show Self Headline comedy special
2002 93 til Infinity Malley Short film
2002 Trance Young Magician 2 Short film
2003 Las Vegas Ventriloquist dummy Episode: "Jokers and Fools"
2008–2009 After Judgment Ventriloquist Episode: "No More Time" (2008)
Episode: "I Bleed for You" (2009)
2013 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Self

References
  1. "eSpeakers Marketplace". www.espeakers.com.
  2. DeVore, Sheryl (October 15, 2015). "'Split Man' brings act to Genesee". chicagotribune.com.
  3. "Andy Gross | Meet the Comedian". December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
  4. "What Comedian Andy Gross Did To Disgust Purdue Students". 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  5. Bangert, Dave (August 21, 2018). "Purdue gets refund, as comedian Andy Gross apologizes, swears off college shows". Journal & Courier.
  6. EDT, James Hetherington On 8/20/18 at 8:41 AM (2018-08-20). "Comedian Andy Gross accused of sexually harassing student in freshman show". Newsweek. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
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