BRIGGS, Joe Bob 1953–
(John Bloom)

PERSONAL

Original name, John Irving Bloom; born January 27, 1953, in Dallas, TX; son of Rudolph Lewis and Thelma Louise (maiden name, Berry) Briggs; married Joyce Karns, September 2, 1978 (divorced, August 7, 1979); married Paula Leigh Bowen, July 3, 1988. Education: Attended Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.

Addresses: Contact —P.O. Box 2002, Dallas, TX 75221.

Career: Television and radio host, actor, comedian, composer, and writer. Auto mechanic, Hooks, TX, 1974–76; singer, Lawton, OK, 1974–77; Dallas Times Herald, Dallas, TX, critic, 1976–77; Texas Monthly, Austin, staff writer, 1978–81; Dallas Times Herald, columnist, 1981–85; Creators Syndicate, columnist, 1984—; stand–up comedian performing in An Evening with Joe Bob Briggs, U.S. cities, beginning in 1985. Also worked as an investigative reporter.

Member: Free Press Association (member of national board of directors).

Awards, Honors: Named Spot News Reporter of the Year, United Press International, 1976; Robert F. Kennedy Award, social reporting, 1977; Cable ACE Award nominations, 1989 and 1990; DVDcentral Award, best commentary track; National Magazine Award nominations, for Texas Monthly.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

(Scenes deleted) Gonzo Mothcock, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Part 2 (also known as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ), Cannon, 1986.

Dewey "Daddy–O" Phillips, Great Balls of Fire, Orion, 1989.

Himself, Back to Hollywood Boulevard (also known as Hollywood Boulevard II ), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists Home Video, 1991.

(As John Bloom) Don Ward, Casino, 1995.

(As John Bloom) Shock technician, Face/Off (also known as Face Off ), 1997.

Scrappy the janitor, The Storytellers, 1999.

Himself, Drive–In Movie Memories (documentary), 2001.

Himself, American Scary, 2004.

Television Appearances; Series:

Host, Joe Bob's Drive–In Theatre, The Movie Channel, 1986–1993.

Host, Mostervision (also known as Joe Bob's Hollywood Saturday Night and Monstervision and Monstervision and Joe Bob's Last Call ), TNT, 1995–2000.

Contributor, "God Stuff," The Daily Show, Comedy Central, 1996–1998.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Deputy Joe–Bob Brentwood, The Stand (also known as Stephen King's The Stand ), ABC, 1994.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Indecision '92: The Republican National Convention, Comedy Central, 1992.

The 18th Annual CableAce Awards, TNT, 1996.

After Sunset: The Life and Times of the Drive–In, 1998.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Blast from the Past," Hooperman, ABC, 1988.

The Tonight Show, NBC, 1990.

Billy Ray, "Scared Single," Married … with Children, Fox, 1993.

Billy Ray Wetnap, "Shoeway to Heaven," Married … with Children, Fox, 1994.

Himself, "Slashers," SuperSecret Movie Rules, VH1, 2004.

Radio Appearances; Series:

Host, Media America, syndicated, 1988—.

Host of Joe Bob's Drive–In Review, 1989–91.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

The Chiller Theatre Expo Video, Vol. 1 (also known as Chiller Theatre Toy, Model & Film Expo '92 ), Exposure Index Independent Cinema, 1992.

Himself, After Sunset: The Life & Times of the Drive–In Theater, 1995.

Himself, The Many Lives of Jason Voorhees (short film), New Line Home Video, 2002.

Himself, Chainsaw Redux: Making a Massacre, New Line Home Video, 2004.

WRITINGS

Radio Series:

Writer for Joe Bob's Drive–In Review, 1989–91.

Television Writing; Series:

Host segments, Joe Bob's Drive–In Theater, The Movie Channel, 1986–1993.

Host segments, Monstervision (also known as Joe Bob's Hollywood Saturday Night and Monstervision and Monstervision and Joe Bob's Last Call, TNT, 1995–2000.

Television Scores; Series:

Joe Bob's Drive–In Theater, The Movie Channel, 1986–1993.

Books:

(With Jim Atkinson) Evidence of Love, 1984.

Joe Bob Goes to the Drive–In, Delacorte, 1987.

A Guide to Western Civilization; or, My Story, Delacorte, 1988.

Joe Bob Goes Back to the Drive–In, Delacorte, 1990.

The Cosmic Wisdom of Joe Bob Briggs, Random House, 1990.

Iron Joe Bob, Atlantic Monthly Press, 1992.

Profoundly Disturbing: The Shocking Movies That Changed History, Universe, 2003.

Other:

Syndicated columns include "Joe Bob Goes to the Drive–In," 1984—, and "Joe Bob's America," 1988—. Contributor of articles and reviews to magazines and newspapers, including Playboy, Washingtonian, Texas Monthly, and The Door. Author of the biweekly newsletter We Are the Weird, Briggs Museum of American Culture, 1985.

ADAPTATIONS

Evidence of Love was adapted as a television movie, A Killing in a Small Town.

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Cineaste, summer, 2003, p. 32.

Reason, April, 2003, p. 17.

Electronic:

Joe Bob Briggs Official Site, http://www.joebobbriggs.com, April 19, 2004.