John Joseph Fugelsang (born September 3, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, writer, television host, political commentator, and television personality.

As an actor, Fugelsang has appeared on film, television, and stage, including CSI, Providence, Coyote Ugly, Becker, The Michael Richards Show, and Savage in Limbo. Fugelsang also appeared in the 2015 documentary film Dream On. As a comedian, he has performed at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, and on the talk show Politically Incorrect. In 2007, he premiered the solo show All The Wrong Reasons Off Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop.

Fugelsang has hosted and co-hosted numerous shows, including VH1 Archives, America's Funniest Home Videos, John McEnroe's short-lived CNBC talk show in 2004, CNBC's Bullseye, Red Eye on Fox News, World Series of Blackjack on GSN, and the political talk show Viewpoint. Fugelsang is also a contributor to the HuffPost weblog, a regular commentator and guest on The Stephanie Miller Show, and has been featured on CNN, Fox News, Dennis Miller, The Young Turks, Air America, CNBC, and MSNBC. Since 2015, Fugelsang has been the host of Tell Me Everything, a "progressive talk" show on SiriusXM Insight.

Fugelsang's first book, Separation of Church and Hate - A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, was published in August 2025. This book won the American Book Award 2026, the audio book won an Audie award, and was a New York Times bestseller.

Early life and education Fugelsang was born on Long Island, New York. Of Danish, German, and Irish descent, he is the son of a former Carmelite nun and a former Franciscan friar.

At New York University, Fugelsang a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in Film and Television. Fugelsang also studied theatre at the Boston University Theatre Institute and the Circle in the Square Theatre.

Career Stage and screen

Fugelsang has appeared in diverse projects as an actor, ranging from CSI and Providence to Coyote Ugly. As a comedian, he has performed at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen and the Just for Laughs Festival in Montréal and he has made more than 20 appearances on Politically Incorrect.

In 2007, he premiered the solo show All The Wrong Reasons Off Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop.Charles Isherwood. "Goodness gracious, that's why he's a mess" (review of "All the Wrong Reasons"), The New York Times, April 16, 2007. Retrieved 2011-08-02. The show received a Drama League nomination for Distinguished Performance. New York Magazine said "Fugelsang has the soul of an iconoclast" and The New York Daily News said the piece "packed an unexpectedly lovely and life affirming wallop".

Subsequent runs included Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City's Barrow Street Theatre, Albuquerque, and closing the South Beach Comedy Festival in Miami.

Additional film, television, and stage credits include Becker, Somewhere in the City, The Michael Richards Show, Beyond Belief, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Hamlet, Blue Window, and Savage in Limbo.

Fugelsang appeared in the 2015 documentary film Dream On.

Host and presenter Fugelsang has hosted VH1 Archives, George Harrison: The Last Performance, and Paul McCartney's Live Town Hall on VH1. He was also on America's Funniest Home Videos (co-hosting with Daisy Fuentes) for two seasons (1998–99), co-hosted John McEnroe's short-lived CNBC talk show in 2004, and was a regular on CNBC's Bullseye and Red Eye on Fox News. He was the co-host of the World Series of Blackjack on GSN alongside Ben Mezrich, the author of Bringing Down the House. He also co-hosted, along with Debra Wilson and Teresa Strasser, TV Watercooler on TV Guide Channel (2005–09). In 2012, John Fugelsang hosted a series of videos on the YouTube channel entitled "POLIPOP". From January 2013 until August 2013, Fugelsang was the host of the Current TV political talk show Viewpoint. The show ended with the end of all live programming on Current.

Political commentator In addition to his appearances on the late-night political talk show Politically Incorrect (1993–2002), Fugelsang has been a contributor to HuffPost weblog.

Fugelsang is a regular commentator and guest on the nationally syndicated progressive radio program, The Stephanie Miller Show, and has served as guest host on occasion. His usual guest spot on the show is entitled "Fridays with Fugelsang". He also tours alongside Miller and comedian and musician Hal Sparks as part of the Sexy Liberal Comedy Show. For 2017, the tour was entitled "Sexy Liberal Resistance Tour" along with Frangela (Frances Callier and Angela Shelton). The first show for the new tour was at the Barrymore, April 22, 2017, Madison.

Fugelsang has been featured on CNN, Fox News, Dennis Miller, The Young Turks, Air America, CNBC, and MSNBC. He served as the host on the Current TV political talk show, So That Happened. Additionally, he has contributed to Current TV's coverage of the 2012 presidential campaign. In an appearance on CNN in 2012, a question of his prompted the Romney campaign's Etch-a-sketch gaffe. On January 6, 2013, he replaced Eliot Spitzer as host of Viewpoint on Current TV. Since 2015, Fugelsang has been hosting Tell Me Everything, a "progressive talk" show on SiriusXM Insight.

Personal life Fugelsang lives with his wife, designer Charmien La Framenta, and their son, Henry Jack, in Hollywood and New York City's Greenwich Village.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1996 Conception Jack Short film VH1 Archives Himself/host Television series documentary 1997 George Harrison & Ravi Shankar: Yin & Yang Himself/host Television special 1998 Somewhere in the City Henry Twice Upon a Time Brett Television film Decampitated Phone Voice Specialist The Daily Show Himself 1 episode 1998–1999 America's Funniest Home Videos Himself/host 21 episodes 1999 Final Rinse Ozzie Politically Incorrect Himself 1 episode 1999 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Artie Season 3 episode 12 1999–2002 Providence Mr. Chris Calloway 3 episodes 2000 Coyote Ugly Richie the Booker The Michael Richards Show Mauskopf Episode: "Simplification" Becker Greg Jackson Episode: "Beckerethics" Flix Himself/host 2001 18 Wheels of Justice N/A Episode: "Come Back, Little Diva" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Vincent Thomas Avery Episode: "Ellie" 2002 Late Friday Himself 1 episode The Conspiracy Zone Himself Episode: "FEMA" 2003 House of Clues N/A Episode: "Pilot" 2004 McEnroe Himself/co-host 22 episodes 2005 The Basement The Man 2009 The Whole Truth Prosecutor Smith 2010 Curb: The Discussion Himself 4 episodes 2011 The Moms View Feature Guest Unknown episodes 2012 Price Check Jake John Fugelsang: So That Happened Host Caffeinated with John Fugelsang Himself 20 episodes 2014 The Girl on the Train Lottery Guy 2017 Maggie Black Paul Tutor Pimp Jacob Television film 2017–2018 Page Six TV Himself/Host 2019 Jonathan Pie's American Pie Self Television film 2021 Radio Gods Choade 1 episode

References

External links

Videos on YouTube Biography at William Morris Agency