Behrendt, Greg 1963–

views updated

Behrendt, Greg 1963–

PERSONAL: Born 1963, in San Francisco, CA; married Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt, c. 2001; children: Bella True, Mighty Luna. Education: Studied theater at University of Oklahoma. Hobbies and other interests: Playing for band Black Rattle.

ADDRESSES: Home—Los Angeles, CA. Agent—Nicole Chabot and Stacey Pokluda, BWR Publicity, 9100 Wilshire Blvd., 6th Fl., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. E-mail—questionsforgreg@yahoo.com.

CAREER: Stand-up comedian and author. Performed with a rock band during early career. Consultant to and uncredited writer for television series Sex and the City, Home Box Office (HBO), c. 1998–2001, and consulting producer for Committed, 2005; host of syndicated radio show Manversation; currently associated with comedy workshop Un-Cabaret and creator of traveling show Bring on the Rock. Actor in films, including The Independent, 2000, Run Ronnie Run, 2002, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, 2003, Never Been Thawed, 2005, and Freeze Out, 2005; produced and starred in pilot television episode of The Lemur, Comedy Central, c. 2000; appeared in television series Late Friday, 2001, and as himself in comedy shows, including An Evening at the Improv, 1982, 2001 ABC World Stunt Awards, 2001, USO Comedy Tour, 2002, Mantastic, HBO, and UNCOOL; guest appearances on numerous television shows, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 2003, Oprah, 2004, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 2005, and The Colbert Report, 2005.

WRITINGS:

(With Liz Tuccillo) He's Just Not That into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys, Simon Spotlight Entertainment (New York, NY), 2004.

(With wife, Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt) It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken: The Smart Girl's Breakup Buddy, Broadway Books (New York, NY), 2005.

ADAPTATIONS: Flower Films adapted He's Just Not That into You as a feature film.

SIDELIGHTS: In addition to performing stand-up routines since he was in his twenties, comic and writer Greg Behrendt has appeared on television, in films, as a radio host, and on the stage. It was his work on the smash HBO television series Sex and the City, however, that led to his biggest coup. Behrendt worked as a consulting producer and uncredited writer on the show for three years and was a primary writer for several episodes. During one work session with the staff of writers for Sex and the City, one of the women was fretting that a man she dated had not called her. Her female colleagues all tried to comfort her with excuses as to why he might not call, but Behrendt, the only male writer on the staff, told her frankly, "No. He's just not that into you," as he related in a People article. This one line would inspire the book He's Just Not That into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys.

Written with Liz Tuccillo, He's Just Not That into You offers frank advice to women about men in a humorous and brutally honest way. One of the basic tenets of the guide is that men will do almost anything to avoid confrontation with a woman. Katie Merx further explained in Crain's Detroit Business that the book "advises women to get out of relationships in which they are not treated well." Behrendt was surprised by how well the book sold, and it soon was on the New York Times and Los Angeles Times best-seller lists. He found himself touted as a kind of relationships expert and was invited to appear on such talk shows as Oprah.

The success of Behrendt's first book naturally led to a follow-up, It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken: The Smart Girl's Breakup Buddy, this time written with his wife, Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt. While the first book is about relationships that never get off the ground, the second uses blunt humor to explain to women why relationships end. Furthermore, the authors "go through the basics of how to survive a breakup," according to Kristine Huntley in Booklist. The advice includes telling women not to wallow in self-pity, overeat, mope around at home, or try to call the man repeatedly. According to a Publishers Weekly contributor, "Behrendt's frankness—never too harsh—is as winning as ever."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 2005, Kristine Huntley, review of It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken: The Smart Girl's Breakup Buddy, p. 23.

Cosmopolitan, November, 2004, Meaghan Buchanan, "Why That Guy Went M.I.A.: A Blunt 'Sex and the City' Insider Sheds Some Light on Infuriating Male Behavior," interview with Greg Behrendt, p. S30.

Crain's Detroit Business, November 1, 2004, Katie Merx, "Not into You?: Time to Move On," p. 25.

Daily Variety, February 8, 2005, James Ulmer, "Stand-Up Guide to Guys," review of He's Just Not That into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys, p. A4.

Hollywood Reporter, October 25, 2004, Chris Gardner, "Are You into It?," p. 23; December 3, 2004, Liza Foreman, "NL Makes Date with 'Not That into You' Book," p. 4.

Library Journal, September 15, 2005, Crystal Renfro, review of It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken, p. 77.

People, October 4, 2004, Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, "He's Just Not That into You: A Line of Dialogue from 'Sex and the City' Spawns a Surprise-Hit Advice Book," p. 61.

Publishers Weekly, September 19, 2005, review of It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken, p. 59.

School Library Journal, April, 2005, Jane S. Drabkin, review of He's Just Not That into You, p. 163.

Variety, July 16, 2001, Steve Chagollan, "Greg Behrendt: Masculinity Given New Dimensions," p. 35.

Washington Post, August 23, 2004, Roxanne Roberts, "Zero Calls, and One Cruel Answer," p. C1.