Chris Rush
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Born Name:
Christopher John Mistretta
Born Date: February 11, 1946
Born Place: Brooklyn, New York
Died Date: January 28, 2018
Died Place: Forest Hills, Queens, New York
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, writer, author, radio personality
Brief Biography: Chris Rush was best known for his counterculture comedy style and early contributions to National Lampoon magazine. Praised by his mentor George Carlin as "one of the true comedy greats," Rush built a distinct reputation for raw, fast-witted, stream-of-consciousness humor.
Early Life and "Mad Scientist" Beginnings:
Roots: Born in Brooklyn, New York, to an Italian-American family and raised in the Roman Catholic faith.
Education: Attended Brooklyn Technical High School and graduated from the City College of New York in 1968 with a degree in Organic Chemistry.
Pre-Comedy Career: Spent two years working as a molecular biologist at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, earning him the moniker of a "mad scientist" turned comic.
The Switch: Stepped onto a comedy stage for the first time during an open mic night at The Gaslight Cafe, receiving a standing ovation that prompted him to pursue comedy full-time.
Career Highlights and Albums:
National Lampoon: Served as one of the original contributing writers and editors for National Lampoon magazine from 1970 to 1973.
Gold Record: Signed to Atlantic Records by Ahmet Ertegun. His 1973 debut album, First Rush, went gold and achieved cult status for its drug-culture-friendly routines.
Discography: Released subsequent comedy albums including Beaming In (1981), recorded live at The Other End in New York City, and There's No Bones in Ice Cream.
Musical Openings: Frequently crossed over into the music scene, opening live shows for iconic acts like Tom Waits, the Talking Heads, B.B. King, and the Electric Light Orchestra.
Media and Later Years:
Television: Made several appearances on ABC's Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and Midnight Special, alongside later appearances on Comedy Central, Showtime, and A &E.
Radio: Co-hosted the morning drive-time show Wakin' Up With The Wolf on WPYX in Albany, New York, and was a frequent guest on the Joey Reynolds Show on WOR.
Writing: Authored the humor book Milking the Rhino: Dangerously Funny Lists (2007) and contributed to fellow comedian Tim Allen's best-selling book I'm Not Really Here.
Born Date: February 11, 1946
Born Place: Brooklyn, New York
Died Date: January 28, 2018
Died Place: Forest Hills, Queens, New York
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, writer, author, radio personality
Brief Biography: Chris Rush was best known for his counterculture comedy style and early contributions to National Lampoon magazine. Praised by his mentor George Carlin as "one of the true comedy greats," Rush built a distinct reputation for raw, fast-witted, stream-of-consciousness humor.
Early Life and "Mad Scientist" Beginnings:
Roots: Born in Brooklyn, New York, to an Italian-American family and raised in the Roman Catholic faith.
Education: Attended Brooklyn Technical High School and graduated from the City College of New York in 1968 with a degree in Organic Chemistry.
Pre-Comedy Career: Spent two years working as a molecular biologist at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, earning him the moniker of a "mad scientist" turned comic.
The Switch: Stepped onto a comedy stage for the first time during an open mic night at The Gaslight Cafe, receiving a standing ovation that prompted him to pursue comedy full-time.
Career Highlights and Albums:
National Lampoon: Served as one of the original contributing writers and editors for National Lampoon magazine from 1970 to 1973.
Gold Record: Signed to Atlantic Records by Ahmet Ertegun. His 1973 debut album, First Rush, went gold and achieved cult status for its drug-culture-friendly routines.
Discography: Released subsequent comedy albums including Beaming In (1981), recorded live at The Other End in New York City, and There's No Bones in Ice Cream.
Musical Openings: Frequently crossed over into the music scene, opening live shows for iconic acts like Tom Waits, the Talking Heads, B.B. King, and the Electric Light Orchestra.
Media and Later Years:
Television: Made several appearances on ABC's Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and Midnight Special, alongside later appearances on Comedy Central, Showtime, and A &E.
Radio: Co-hosted the morning drive-time show Wakin' Up With The Wolf on WPYX in Albany, New York, and was a frequent guest on the Joey Reynolds Show on WOR.
Writing: Authored the humor book Milking the Rhino: Dangerously Funny Lists (2007) and contributed to fellow comedian Tim Allen's best-selling book I'm Not Really Here.