David Benjamin Wain (born August 1, 1969) is an American comedian, writer, actor, musician, and director. He has co-written and directed seven feature films, including Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Role Models (2008), Wanderlust (2012), and They Came Together (2014). He has also served as a creator, producer, writer and director on a number of television series, includingWet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, Childrens Hospital, Medical Police, and Mr. Throwback. He has had small roles in most of the films and TV series he has produced or directed. Wain had a starring voice role as The Warden on the 2008–2014 Adult Swim animated series Superjail!, and has provided the voices for Courtney Wheeler and Grover Fischoeder on Bob's Burgers since 2012.
He began his career as a member of the sketch comedy troupe The State. The group had their own TV show on MTV from 1993 to 1995, The State, for which Wain directed many of the sketches. He is also a member of the comedy trio Stella, along with two other members of The State who were also involved in Wet Hot American Summer, Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter. The three wrote and starred in short films or skits called the Stella shorts, as well as the 2005 TV series Stella. He is the founder and drummer of the garage band the Middle Aged Dad Jam Band.
Early life Wain was born to a Jewish family in Shaker Heights, Ohio, the son of Nina (née Saul) and Norman Wain. As a young man, Wain went to a summer camp in Canaan, Maine, on which Wet Hot American Summer was loosely based.
Career
In 1988 while attending NYU film school, Wain became a founding member of the sketch comedy group The New Group. This group later came to be known as The State, and in 1993 he and his fellow members created and starred in The State, a sketch show that lasted 26 episodes on MTV. Wain and Michael Patrick Jann directed most of the show's sketches.
In 1997, Wain, Michael Ian Black, and Michael Showalter formed the comedy trio Stella.
Wain's first feature film, Wet Hot American Summer (2001), was an absurdist summer camp comedy starring Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Ken Marino and Elizabeth Banks. Wain directed the film, and co-wrote and co-produced it with Showalter, who also plays a lead role.
His second feature film The Ten, starring Winona Ryder and Paul Rudd (and a large ensemble cast of well-known actors), had a short theatrical run and was released on DVD on January 15, 2008.
Wain's third feature, Role Models, starring Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jane Lynch and Elizabeth Banks, was his first widely released film. Released in theaters on November 7, 2008, the film received positive reviews from critics and fans alike, as well as earning $19 million on its opening weekend.
Wain starred in a web series titled Wainy Days on the website My Damn Channel, which ran for five seasons and ended in January 2012. The series follows a fictionalized version of Wain through his everyday life as he tries to romance numerous women and discusses his problems with his friends at the sweatshop where he works. Elizabeth Banks, Jonah Hill, Jason Sudeikis, Rob Corddry, Thomas Lennon, Josh Charles, Paul Rudd, and Michael Ian Black, and various other Stella, The State and Wet Hot American Summer alumni have all guest-starred in various episodes. The recurring cast included A.D. Miles, Matt Ballard and Zandy Hartig, who was instrumental in the creation of the series.
As one third of the comedy troupe Stella, Wain has co-hosted the long running nightclub show in New York City, toured the United States and made a series of shorts with the group, and eventually help create a 2005 series on Comedy Central based on their routines.
Wain is featured as the voice of The Warden in the animated series Superjail!. He was a featured commentator in the I Love the 70s series, I Love the 90s Part Deux series, and the weekly VH1 show Best Week Ever.. With The State, Wain co-wrote the book State by State with The State. He has appeared in such movies as The Baxter, Keeping the Faith and Role Models. Wain's fourth feature film, Wanderlust, was released on February 24, 2012. It stars Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Malin Akerman and Alan Alda. Wain directed the film, from a screenplay he wrote with Ken Marino, and has a cameo in the film as a TV weatherman.
His fifth feature, the romantic parody They Came Together, was released in June 2014. The cast includes Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, and Christopher Meloni. Wain and Showalter co-wrote the eight-episode Netflix prequel Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp based on the 2001 film with almost the entire cast of the original film returning. The series premiered on July 31, 2015, and was more well received by critics. He returned to co-write and direct another Netflix sequel Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, which premiered in 2017.
In 2018 Wain directed A Futile and Stupid Gesture, a feature film biography of National Lampoon founder Doug Kenney, starring Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson and Joel McHale.
In the COVID-19 pandemic, Wain founded the Middle Aged Dad Jam Band, in which he plays drums alongside fellow State alumnus Ken Marino as well as four other dads, and his son.
Personal life Wain lives in Los Angeles. He has two sons and is divorced from Zandy Hartig, an actress and producer.
Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released
Film Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes 1992 Aisle Six Short film; also editor 2001 Wet Hot American Summer 2007 The Ten 2008 Role Models 2012 Wanderlust 2014 They Came Together 2018 A Futile and Stupid Gesture 2026 Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes 2000 Keeping the Faith Steve Posner Bamboozled Bunning 2001 Wet Hot American Summer Paco 2003 The Third Date Ralph Short film 2004 Along Came Polly Wedding Videographer Uncredited 2005 The Baxter Louis Lewis 2006 Delirious Byron 2007 The Ten Abe Grossman / Cartoon Voices Reno 911!: Miami Breen the Plumber Puberty: The Movie Principal Kirkpatrick 2008 The Guitar Phone Man Role Models Chevron Baine 2009 I Love You, Man Wedding Photographer 2012 Sleepwalk with Me Pete Thanks for Sharing Addict #2 2013 Hell Baby Dr. Marsden She Said, She Said Mediator Short film 2014 They Came Together Keith 2016 Brother Nature Uncle Mel 2017 Fun Mom Dinner Wayne 2018 My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes Narrator Documentary short A Futile and Stupid Gesture Interviewer Under the Eiffel Tower Frank Dog Days Wacky Wayne 2022 Kimi Angela's Dentist The Bob's Burgers Movie Grover Fischoeder (voice) Voice role 2025 The Napa Boys Wilbur Winejudge 2026 Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass People Magazine Editor Teleman Greevis
Television Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes 1992–1993 You Wrote It, You Watch It 1993–1995 The State 1995 The State's 43rd AnnualAll-Star Halloween Special TV special 1997 Apartment 2F 1999 Random Play 2000 Strangers with Candy Episode: "The Blank Page" 2000–2001 Mad TV 2000–2002 Sheep in the Big City 3 episodes 2005 Stella 2007–2011 Wainy Days Directed 20 episodes 2008–2016 Childrens Hospital Also developer;Directed 12 episodes 2010 Party Down Episode: "Not on Your Wife Opening Night" 2013–2015 Newsreaders Also creator;Directed segment "Sitcom Family" 2014 A to Z Episode: "F Is for Fight, Fight, Fight!" 2015 Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Also creator 2017 Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later 2020 Medical Police Also creator;Directed 5 episodes 2023 Miracle Workers Directed 2 episodes 2024 Mr. Throwback Directed 6 episodes
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes 1992–1993 You Wrote It, You Watch It Various characters 1993–1995 The State Various characters 27 episodes 1995 The State's 43rd AnnualAll-Star Halloween Special Various characters TV special 1997 Apartment 2F David Segment: "Finishing the Novel" 1999 Random Play Various characters 3 episodes 2000–2002 Sheep in the Big City Stu (voice) Episode: "Belle of the Baaah" 2003 Crank Yankers Al Foster #1 / David 2 episodes 2003–2022 Reno 911! Sam / Sensual Masseuse 3 episodes 2004 Cheap Seats without Ron Parker Brian Lewis Episode: "High-School Cheerleading" 2005 Stella David 10 episodes 2006 Entourage Agent Episode: "Three's Company" 2007–2011 Wainy Days David 35 episodes 2007–2014 Superjail! The Warden (voice) 35 episodes 2008–2016 Childrens Hospital Rabbi Jewy McJewJew / himself / various characters 20 episodes 2009 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Shell Dante Episode: "Hair" 2012 New Girl Male Race Participant Episode: "Secrets" Comedy Bang! Bang! Gordon Thatchet Episode: "Elizabeth Banks Wears a Red Dress" 2012–present Bob's Burgers Courtney / Grover Fischoeder (voice) 17 episodes 2013 Burning Love Reg Durjmah Episode: "Dancing!" The Greatest Event in Television History Bell Taint Episode: "Hart to Hart" Key & Peele Person at People Park #6 Episode: "#3.13" 2013–2015 Newsreaders Jim Davidson 6 episodes 2014 Married David Episode: "Waffles & Pizza" 2015 Broad City Maureen's Ex Episode: "Coat Check" Weird Loners Howard 2 episodes Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Maternity Episode: "Paid Family Leave" Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Yaron 6 episodes 2015–2018 Another Period Albert Downsy Jr. 14 episodes 2016 Younger Hugh Shirley 2 episodes 2016–2019 Drunk History Thomas Jefferson / Julius Caesar 2 episodes 2017 Fresh Off the Boat Reggie Episode: "Living with Eddie" Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later Yaron / Bill Clinton 6 episodes 2018 Portlandia Brad Episode: "Open Relationship" Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Dr. Pratt Episode: "Nathaniel Is Irrelevant" 2018–2019 Teachers Pastor Ted 3 episodes 2019 Cake Dan 2 Episode: "Inside Out" 2019–2022 Tuca & Bertie Various voices 3 episodes 2019–2020 Superstore Dan 3 episodes 2020 American Dad! Mailroom Guy (voice) Episode: "Businessly Brunette" 2021 Big City Greens Ronald Featherman (voice) Episode: "Winter Greens" 2022 Murderville Magic Melvin Episode: "The Magician's Assistant" Tig n' Seek Jason Mezner Episode: "A Bucket of Blub" The Sex Lives of College Girls Craig Hennessey Episode: "Frat Problems" 2023 History of the World, Part II Bishop 2 Episode: "VIII" Miracle Workers HOA Member Episode: "H.O.A." 2024 Mr. Throwback Greg / Bartender Episode: "Bang Bang" 2025 The Great North Alan (voice) Episode: "Ghouls Rush In Adventure"
References
External links
Wainy Days series