The Warmup Guy

When the cameras are off, he takes the stage.

Television shows like Friends, Full House, and Growing Pains might take only 20 minutes to air, but tapings frequently last several hours. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, Robert Perlow was the go-to warmup comedian on television sets, where he was responsible for keeping the live studio audience engaged and laughing. In this hilarious tell-all book, Perlow offers a personal, behind-the-scenes look at some of television’s most famous shows and actors. With stories including Tim Allen’s on-set meltdown, an improv class with Robin Williams, and a close friendship with Alan Thicke, Perlow divulges everything from the good and the bad to the downright outrageous!

Robert Perlow is a comedic entertainer who creates, produces, writes, and stars in taped performances. A self-proclaimed ＂product of TV,＂ he grew up with the medium, having discovered it at five years old. Perlow is the star of a one-man show, ＂Tales from Hollywood,＂ and the creator, producer, and star of the multimedia presentation ＂The Warm-Up Guy,＂ which chronicles his career in entertainment. For twenty years he worked as the warm-up comedian for TV shows such as Friends, Growing Pains, Cheers, Newhart, Who’s the Boss?, Mork & Mindy, Taxi, and Full House. Perlow was also the longtime warm-up comedian for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Perlow received bachelor of science and master of business degrees from the University of Rhode Island. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Writers Guild of America. He was the creator, co-producer, and star of Let Bob Do It with Jason Alexander and received partial writing credits for Who’s the Boss, Webster, Night Court, Head over Heels, and Laverne & Shirley.

Perlow lives in Narragansett, Rhode Island. This is his second book.