Jeff Ayars is an American filmmaker and actor known for writing, directing, and performing in the comedy duo Cannibal Milkshake alongside Dan Rosen. He is also known for the film Philadelphia, Ti Amo (2011) starring Rebecca Rittenhouse, his Tribeca Film Festival selection The Snapstory, his acting in FBI: International and his horror features This Is Our Home and Voices Carry. Ayars will soon be seen alongside Melissa Leo in the upcoming feature film Mother Wolf.
Education Ayars grew up in Media, Pennsylvania, where he attended Penncrest High School and was one of 595 students in the country to receive a national writing award from the NCTE during his senior year.School Notes. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Accessed June 22, 2020. Ayars went on to attend Cornell University from 2008 to 2013, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. During his time at Cornell, Ayars produced videos for The Cornell Daily Sun and other companies and campus organizations. While on a brief hiatus from Cornell, Ayars studied creative writing at The University of Pennsylvania, where he published a satire of Franz Kafka.University of Pennsylvania Ayars' film and pop-culture thesis was an exploration of personas in film using Ryan Gosling quotations.Molly Messersmith, Jeffrey Ayars, and Da Ying: Inapprorpiation. Cornell Architecture Art Planning. Accessed June 22, 2020.
Career As a child, Ayars was in two television commercials for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1993 and 1994. His father, NBC Sports executive and Emmy Award winner Robert Ayars,Rockets, Astros Find New Home With Comcast SportsNet Houston. Sportsvideo. 2012-09-28. Accessed June 22, 2020. who at the time worked for the PRISM television network, shot and directed the commercials.Biography. IMDb. Accessed June 22, 2020.
Ayars has gone on to act, produce, direct, edit, and write for various forms of media such as online content, film, television, documentary, short film, and commercial.
Ayars is currently the Head of Video Production at Blackbird, where he directs their talkshow, Take Me To Your Spot, featuring influencers, entertainers, and chefs such as Chris Bianco.
Cannibal Milkshake Cannibal Milkshake is a comedy partnership between Jeff Ayars and his Cornell University classmate Dan Rosen. The duo produces, writes, directs, edits, and acts in their videos, and are frequent contributors to The New Yorker.Jeff Ayars. The New Yorker. Accessed June 22, 2020. Ayars and Rosen's sketches have also been featured by CollegeHumor, Funny or Die, Comedy Central, Fortune Magazine, and Elizabeth Banks' WhoHaHa network. Their work is largely tech-world satire and movie parodies, notably featuring Ayars performing as a crazed Bradley Cooper, Oscar Awards-hungry Leonardo DiCaprio, finance-bro Ryan Gosling, and James Bond as a stressed-out dad. Ayars and Rosen have also performed live at New York City venues like the Upright Citizens Brigade TheatreCannibal Milkshake. Accessed June 22, 2020. and The People's Improv Theater, where Ayars performed live with actor Richard Kind and comedian Judy Gold in 2021.
Film Ayars' first short film during college starred Rebecca Rittenhouse and went on to screen at the Philadelphia Film Festival.Dan Gross: Wendy Williams speaks out. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Accessed June 22, 2020.Love in Philadelphia. Cornell University. 2011-10-31. Accessed June 22, 2020. His work has subsequently been featured at the NYC Web Fest, New York City Independent Film Festival, Manhattan Film Festival, New Filmmakers Los Angeles, Cinequest Film Festival, The Lower East Side Film Festival, and the Tribeca Film Festival.Tribeca Film Festival. Accessed June 22, 2020.
Ayars produced and starred in the 2019 psychological thriller feature, This Is Our Home. Written by Rob Harmon and directed by long-time friend and collaborator Omri Dorani, the film co-stars Simone Policano and tells the story of a struggling couple on a weekend away that takes a turn with the arrival of a mysterious child.This Is Our Home (2019). Accessed June 22, 2020. The film was executive produced by former Paramount Pictures executive Inga Vainshtein Smith, known for Hardcore Henry.
The subject of mental health is an important theme in Ayars' work.Borderline Coffee. Accessed June 22, 2020. He was one of 75 creators selected to attend the Kindred Mind Matters mental health summit sponsored by HBO.HBO Partners With Social Impact Organization Kindred For Mental Health Event. Deadline. June 19, 2019. Accessed June 22, 2020.
Ayars is developing a romantic comedy feature film GOLD BOY that deals with the subject of mental health and is inspired by his own struggles at Cornell University.No superpowers, just spandex: the other half of my story. Medium. Jul 14, 2019. Accessed June 22, 2020. The film pitch was a finalist in the Yes, And Laughter Lab initiative to combine comedy and social justice sponsored by Comedy Central.2019 winners. Yes, And Laughter Lab. Accessed June 22, 2020.
Television From 2013 to 2025, Ayars has worked at Comcast NBCUniversal. From 2019 to 2025, he served as a producer for Morning Joe on MSNBC, responsible for field packages and produced behind-the-scenes featurettes on the Curb Your Enthusiasm finale, Oppenheimer, and Severance.17 states submit proposals to host Hyperloop certification center. Morning Joe on MSNBC. Accessed June 22, 2020. He previously worked producing EPKs and promos for NBCUniversal.
In 2022, Ayars made his network television debut as a guest star on Dick Wolf's CBS procedural FBI: International.
Ayars has also starred in national television commercials, including a campaign for the Ad Council. He starred as Thomas Jefferson in the 2022 Super Bowl ad for ClickUp.
Filmography Year Title Type Director Writer Editor Producer Executive producer Actor Other Notes2011Philadelphia, Ti AmoShortAs Michael2013Christopher WalkenomaShortAs Jeffrey2014MacGuffinVideo shortAs Jeffrey the Small-Town-Multi-Billionaire2015Pound: The Woof Dawg StoryShortAs Woof Dawg2016Two Girls One ShowDigital seriesAs Sassy bartender2016Ghost FriendTV Pilot2017The New Yorker: Shorts & MurmursTV seriesAs Millennial hoarder, Intern Maht, Startup founder2017The Notebook SnapstoryVideo shortAs Ryan Gosling2017Assholesassociate producer2017NY NY LandVideo shortAs Finance Bro Gosling2018I, NancyVideo shortAs Campbell's Soup Director2018Masterclass: Marvel CGI ActingShortAs Chris Evans2019All Hail BethTV seriesAs Holden Hans2019Final CallbackShortAs angry auditioner2019DTFTV mini series2019This Is Our HomeAs Cory2019An Auteur Is BornShortAs Bradley Cooper2020NeverthelessDocumentaryassociate producer2021Actorsassociate producer2021International Falls2021Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial KillerTV specialJoel Rifkin2021Being George Lucas: A Connor Ratliff StoryDocumentaryexecutive producerpost-production2021No DyeShortAs Pat2022FBI: InternationalTV seriesAs Henry Martin2019-2022Morning JoeTV seriesfield producer507 episodesTBDImposter SyndromeDocumentaryfilmingTBDThe Abaddon PitAs DaveTBDMental Health and Horror: A DocumentaryDocumentaryassociate producerfilmingTBDWhat Are We?TBDTrustShortcompletedTBDMother WolfIndependent film
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