Paul Gilmartin

Early life

Paul Gilmartin was born in South Holland, Illinois, and attended St. Joseph's school in Homewood. He is an alumnus of Indiana University at Bloomington. While there, he majored in theater and was a member of the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa. He also studied at Chicago's famed Second City. Before his foray into stand-up comedy in 1987, Gilmartin regularly appeared in several plays around Chicago.

Dinner and a Movie

In 1995, Gilmartin assumed hosting responsibilities for TBS cooking and entertainment show, Dinner and a Movie, a position he held for more than 16 years from the show's premiere to its eventual finale in 2011. While at the helm, Gilmartin was best known for his sardonic wit and self-effacing humor. Throughout its run, the show relied heavily on Gilmartin's improvisational abilities and the easy-going rapport he established with his string of female co-hosts. Dinner and a Movie was a hit from the onset, helping significantly improve ratings for TBS. One critic dubbed it, "the first television show to combine well-worn theatrical movies, improvisational comedy and culinary education."

The Mental Illness Happy Hour

In 2011 Gilmartin launched and is currently the host of a weekly podcast, The Mental Illness Happy Hour. The long-format interview style show examines lives affected by mental health issues, including depression, addiction, fear, anxiety, abuse, and gender identity. Of his hosting abilities, The New York Times described Gilmartin as having created, "a perversely safe place in which he and his guests talk about their fears, addictions and traumatic childhoods." Gilmartin's guests on the podcast have included comedians like Adam Carolla, Paul F. Tompkins and Doug Benson. In its first year of production, the show received over 1 million downloads. It currently ranks as one of the most popular self-help podcasts on iTunes.

Additional appearances

Gilmartin's television credits include his own half-hour comedy special, "Comedy Central Presents Paul Gilmartin". He has also appeared on Politically Incorrect, The List on VH1, HBO Comedy Showcase, MTV's Half-Hour Comedy Hour, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, This Week in Comedy and The Naughty Show. He is also a frequent guest on The Adam Carolla Show, performing political satire as right-wing Congressman Richard Martin and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Show. As a live performer, Gilmartin has appeared before many audiences in the United States and abroad. His stage credits include the Montreal Comedy Festival, and three separate appearances at the Aspen Comedy Festival. Gilmartin has also appeared on the "Jimmy Dore Show" on KPFK 90.7FM, Los Angeles, Fridays at 3pm PST. He also appears in the Jimmy Dore show "Left, Right & Ridiculous" at the Improv Lab in Hollywood, CA.

Personal life

Gilmartin has faced his own battles with mental health and addiction. He suffers from clinical depression which went undiagnosed until his mid-30s. Following a major depressive episode in 2003, in which Gilmartin was experiencing suicidal thoughts, he entered treatment and discovered he had a drug and alcohol addiction. He has been sober now for 12 years. He currently resides in Los Angeles. In addition to his theatrical successes, Gilmartin is an accomplished practicing woodworker, creating pieces in a Danish Modern style.