Andrew Santino

The redhead who never asked for permission

Andrew Santino was born in Chicago in 1983 and grew up in the River North area. There wasn't much room for delicacy in an urban environment that shaped his cynical, direct character. He started hanging out at local comedy clubs long before the entertainment industry in Los Angeles knew how to pronounce his name.

In 2014, he starred in the ABC series Mixology. It was a failed project that barely lasted one season on air. But that setback taught him that his tone didn't fit the bland sitcoms designed for all audiences.

Not everyone can keep up with the pace of the industry.

Shortly after, in 2017, he got the chance to work on I'm Dying Up Here. This Showtime production featured Jim Carrey as executive producer and explored the stand-up comedy scene of the 1970s. Santino played Bill Hobbs (a bitter comic with an ego problem), proving he could carry the dramatic weight of a complex story.

A Home in Cable TV

Santino has always preferred the edges of cable TV to the empty glitter of network channels. In 2020, he joined the cast of Dave as Mike. His role as manager and friend of rapper Lil Dicky let him play with a mix of frustration and loyalty that earned him critical acclaim.

During the filming of the second season in 2021, the production had to deal with the logistical restrictions of the pandemic. Santino used that time to expand his presence in the digital ecosystem. And the gamble paid off.

The podcast format gave him the financial freedom that television denied him.

He released Whiskey Ginger in 2018, and later, in 2020, he teamed up with comedian Bobby Lee to create Bad Friends. These direct channels with the audience surpassed 100 million views within a few years. Thanks to this success, he was able to fund his own comedy specials without depending on a studio's decisions.

Studio films and production figures

In 2023, he appeared in the Netflix series Beef. It was a brief role, but it carried the electric tension he often brings to his scenes. That same year, he recorded his special Cheeseburger at the Paramount Theatre in Denver, where he moved away from trivial topics and dug a little deeper into his monologue.

Audiences responded by filling theaters in cities he had never even visited before.

In 2024, he worked alongside John Cena and Zac Efron in the movie Ricky Stanicky. The film, directed by Peter Farrelly for Amazon MGM Studios, marked his return to major Hollywood productions. Filming took place mainly in Melbourne and had an estimated budget of $50 million.

The movie premiered directly on digital platforms on March 7, 2024.