Hannibal Buress

Hannibal Amir Buress (/ˈbʌrɪs/ BURR-iss, born February 4, 1983) is an American comedian, actor, rapper, producer, and writer. He started performing comedy in 2002 while attending Southern Illinois University. He starred on Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show from 2012 to 2020, and was featured on Comedy Central's Broad City from 2014 to 2019. He is also known for an October 16th, 2014 stand-up routine, which brought the sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby to public attention and outcry, for which he was universally lauded.[1][2]

Hannibal Buress
Buress in 2019
Born
Hannibal Amir Buress

(1983-02-04) February 4, 1983
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actor
  • producer
  • rapper
  • writer
Years active2002–present
Children1
Comedy career
Medium
  • Stand-up comedy
  • film
  • television
Genres
Subject(s)
  • African-American culture
  • American politics
  • current events
  • everyday life
  • human sexuality
  • popular culture
  • race relations
  • racism
  • food
  • religion
  • self-deprecation
  • The streets
Websitehannibalburess.com

Early life

Hannibal Amir Buress[3] was born in Chicago, Illinois,[4] on February 4, 1983,[5] the son of Margaret Buress, a teacher, and John Buress, a Union Pacific Railroad employee.[4] He was raised in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. He was named after Carthaginian general Hannibal,[6] and has told stories in his stand-up act about his name causing women to turn him down because of its association with fictional cannibal Hannibal Lecter. After attending Steinmetz College Prep, he attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale for four years but did not graduate. While there, he became friends with hip hop artist Open Mike Eagle.[7][8]

Career
Buress performing in October 2007
Buress performing in October 2009
Buress in 2012

Buress began his stand-up career at an open mic in 2002. He has been featured in The Awkward Comedy Show special on Comedy Central, and alongside comics Baron Vaughn, Eric André, Marina Franklin, and Victor Varnado, and on the FX sitcom Louie. From 2012 to 2020, he co-starred as Eric André's sidekick on The Eric Andre Show.[9] In July 2010, Buress made Variety magazine's "Ten Comics to Watch in 2010" list.[10]

His first stand-up comedy album, My Name is Hannibal, was released on July 27, 2010.

Buress was a writer on Saturday Night Live from 2009 to 2010.[11] He left with only one of his sketches having aired.[4] In September 2010, he began writing for the fifth season of the NBC comedy series 30 Rock.[12] He left after six months,[4] although he continued to portray various characters on the show for 9 episodes from 2010 to 2012 such as "Gus", "Homeless Guy" and "Bum".[13][14]

He released his second album, Animal Furnace, in 2012, which also aired as a special on Comedy Central. The album received positive reviews.[15]

His stand-up comedy has been featured on Comedy Central programs such as Live at Gotham and John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show. He has also performed on several late night talkshows such as The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Lopez Tonight, Russell Howard's Good News, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, and Conan. Additionally, he performed a set at the 2012 Secret Policeman's Ball at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.[16]

An hourlong Comedy Central show, Hannibal Buress Live from Chicago, aired on March 29, 2014.[4]

He used to host a weekly stand-up comedy show at The Knitting Factory on Sunday evenings in Brooklyn, New York.[17] In October 2016, Buress began a podcast called Handsome Rambler.[18]

Buress played Coach Wilson in the 2017 Marvel film Spider-Man: Homecoming. Buress paid a lookalike who did not look like him to attend the film's premiere in his place, because he was busy with the film Tag. He got in contact with the lookalike when he did a video for the MTV Movie Awards.[19][8]

On February 8, 2020, he appeared on The Bob Ross Challenge, painting for the first time, coming up with the art nickname 7.[20]

He had a comedy special for Cornell University via Zoom on April 17 at 9 pm exclusive to the students.[21]

Buress was one of many collaborators on Foam and Flotsam, a comedy album by Chelsea Peretti about coffee. The EP was released on April 21, 2020.[22]

On April 30, 2020, he released a single called Judge Judy, paying homage to the series of the same name after it was announced that the show would end in 2021.[23]

Bill Cosby routine
Main article: Bill Cosby sexual assault cases

On October 16, 2014, at the Philadelphia club The Trocadero, Buress was recorded doing an extended routine about sexual assault allegations against comedian Bill Cosby.[24] Buress addressed Cosby's legacy of "talk[ing] down" to young black men about their style of dress and lifestyle. Buress criticized the actor's public moralizing by saying: "Yeah, but you raped women, Bill Cosby, so that kind of brings you down a couple notches." When the audience responded to Buress's accusation with incredulity (Philadelphia being Cosby's home town), he encouraged everyone to search for "Bill Cosby rape" on Google when they got home.[25]

Buress had been doing the same Cosby routine for the previous six months with little response,[26] but the October performance went viral after being posted on the website of Philadelphia magazine.[27][28] A media firestorm ensued, with numerous publications tackling the question of how Cosby had managed to maintain, as Buress called it in his set, a "Teflon image" despite more than a decade of public sexual abuse accusations.[29][30][31][32]

Comedian Eddie Murphy later referenced Buress's role in the allegations coming to light while impersonating Cosby during his 2015 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor acceptance speech, mockingly playing Cosby as threatening Buress's life.[33]

Personal life

After living in New York City, Buress moved back to his hometown of Chicago in 2017 and settled in its Wicker Park neighborhood. Buress is a fan of the Chicago White Sox.[34]

In December 2017, Buress was arrested in Miami for disorderly intoxication.[35] Bystander footage of the arrest showed Buress mocking the police officers and demanding to know why he was being arrested.[35] The arrest report revealed that Buress was detained because he approached the police officers and would not stop asking them to call an Uber for him.[36] Buress later stated, "I asked the [officer] to call me an Uber, and he said, 'No.' He told me to leave the street. I go into this bar to get a phone charger for an Uber. He follows me into the bar, and told me I'm too drunk to go inside. [...] 'If I can't be on the street, where do you want me to be?' I ask him. I was in a state of trying to get home. [...] I don't really believe I was at fault."[37] The case was later dismissed. The Miami New Times reported that the arresting officer has an alleged history of violence and was previously disciplined by internal affairs for an alcohol-fueled assault. The report was included by Buress in a televised stand-up routine he did at the Olympia Theater in Miami, in August 2019.[38][39] In July 2020, Buress brought a lawsuit against the City of Miami and the officers involved for constitutional violations in connection with the incident.[40] The case is currently proceeding in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Buress stated in a September 2018 interview that he had "quit drinking" after a number of "different situations [happened] that were alcohol fuelled", such as "arguments" stating that the ways he had handled things "were not smooth, just messy shit".[41]

Buress owns a building in Chicago[42] and in 2017 removed residential tenants in order to convert the property into Airbnb short-term rental units.[43] In October 2019 he posted a tweet against Bernie Sanders' call for rent control and asked for donations to an Illinois landlords association, leading to Twitter users criticizing him with the phrase "Hannibal Buress is a landlord".[44] Buress later stated that he regretted his now-deleted tweets, which he claimed were jokes meant to stir up controversy. He attributed the criticism he received to fallout over comments he made on Bernie Sanders' age. Buress also said a housing charity had refused his $4,000 donation due to his perceived landlord advocacy.[43]

Buress has a daughter.[45]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2011 Heart Break Darryl Short film
2012 Sleepwalk with Me Hannibal Uncredited[46]
2013 The Kings of Summer Bus Driver
Fester's Feast Milk Man
2014 Neighbors Officer Watkins
The Begun of Tigtone Seed Steed Voice, short film
Are You Joking? Kenny
2015 Band of Robbers Ben Rogers
Daddy's Home Griff
2016 Nerdland Nerd King Voice[47]
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Officer Watkins
The Angry Birds Movie Edward the Birthday Dad Voice[47]
The Nice Guys Bumble [47]
Flock of Dudes Pussypop
The Secret Life of Pets Buddy Voice[47]
The Comedian Himself
2017 Kuso Kazu
The Disaster Artist Bill Meurer
Baywatch Dave the Tech
Spider-Man: Homecoming Coach Wilson
2018 Blockers Frank
Tag Kevin Sable
Slice Hannibal
2019 The Secret Life of Pets 2 Buddy Voice[47]
2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home Coach Wilson
2023 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Genghis Frog Voice

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2009–2010 Saturday Night Live Michael / Airplane Passenger 2 episodes
2010 Louie Hannibal 2 episodes
Delocated Comedian #2 Episode: "Kim's Krafts"
2010–2012 30 Rock Hannibal / Bum / Homeless Guy / Gus 9 episodes
2012 8 Out of 10 Cats Himself (guest / contestant) Series 13, Episode 2 (4 May 2012)
2012–2020 The Eric Andre Show Himself (co-host) Also writer and producer
2013 The Mindy Project Derek Episode: "Bunk Bed"
Kroll Show Basketball Player Episode: "Dine & Dash"
High Maintenance Web Series Hannibal Episode: "Jonathan"
Bob's Burgers Hefty Jeff Voice, episode: "My Big Fat Greek Bob"[47]
2013–2015 Lucas Bros. Moving Co. Momma Lucas Voice, 7 episodes
China, IL Matt Attack / DJ Don Jose / Street Troll Voice, 9 episodes
2014 Chozen Crisco Voice, 10 episodes
2014–2019 Broad City Lincoln Rice 29 episodes
2015 The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber Himself
Why? with Hannibal Buress Himself (host) Also creator and executive producer
The Jim Gaffigan Show Himself Episode: "Maria"
2016 Childrens Hospital Himself Episode: "Kids Hospital"
Adventure Time Flame Prince Voice, episode: "Five Short Tables"[47]
Easy Jason Episode: "Hop Dreams"
2016–2017 High Maintenance Comedian 2 episodes
2017 Justice League Action Mr. Terrific Voice, 2 episodes[47]
Crashing Himself Episode: "Barking"
BoJack Horseman Miles Voice, episode: "The Judge"
Most Expensivest Himself Episode: "High Rollers"
2020 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Himself 2 episodes
The Simpsons Finch Voice, episode: "The Road to Cincinnati"
2022 Ziwe Himself Episode: "Socially Liberal, Fiscally Conservative"
2023 What We Do In The Shadows Energy Vampire Council Member Episode: "The Campaign"

Web series
Year Title Role Notes
2018 Hot Ones Himself Episode: "Hannibal Buress Freestyles While Eating Spicy Wings"[48]
2020 The Bob Ross Challenge (Mashable) Himself 1 episode[20]
2021 The Daily Bugle Coach Wilson 1 episode

Video games
Year Title Role
2013 Grand Theft Auto V Himself on the FlyLo FM radio station[49]
2016 NBA 2K17 Ice

Discography

Albums/comedy specials
  • My Name Is Hannibal (2010)
  • Animal Furnace (2012)
  • Live from Chicago (2014)
  • Comedy Camisado (2016)
  • Hannibal Takes Edinburgh (2016)
  • Miami Nights (2020)

Guest appearances
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"A Slow Death" 2013 itsTheReal, DJ Drama Urbane Outfitters, Vol. 1
"Doug Stamper (Advice Raps)" 2014 Open Mike Eagle Dark Comedy
"Get It Together" 2015 Serengeti Kenny Dennis Flexi
"Intro" Statik Selektah Lucky 7
"Hannibal Interlude" Lil Dicky Professional Rapper
"Nothin' But Love" BJ the Chicago Kid, Joey Badass —
"All the Way" 2016 Jeremih, Chance the Rapper, King Louie Merry Christmas Lil' Mama
"The Moonlanding" 2017 The Cool Kids Special Edition Grandmaster Deluxe
"OhSh" 2018 Jean Grae, Quelle Chris Everything's Fine

Singles
  • Judge Judy (2020)[23]

Awards and nominations
Year Work Award Organization Category Result
2007 Stand-up routine Chicago's Funniest Person Time Out Chicago Chicago-based contest Won[50]
2010 Saturday Night Live Emmy Award Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series Nominated[51]
2011 Funny as Hell Best Performance in a Hosted Stand-Up/Sketch Comedy Program or Series Gemini Awards Best Performance in a Hosted Stand-Up/Sketch Comedy Program or Series Won
2012 30 Rock Writers Guild of America Award Writers Guild of America Outstanding Achievement – Comedy Series Nominated[52]
2012 Stand-up routine American Comedy Award Comedy Central Best Club Comic Won[53][54][55]
2014 The Eric Andre Show Best Talk Show Host Adult Swim Best Talk Show Host Won
2018 Tag Teen Choice Awards The Forum Choice Movie: Fight Nominated

References
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