Paul F. Tompkins (born September 12, 1968) is an American actor and comedian.
Tompkins was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a receptionist mother and railway worker father. He started out in stand-up comedy in 1986 at The Comedy Works, Philadelphia, PA, where he was half of a duo with the late Rick Roman. He moved to Los Angeles in 1994.
Tompkins appeared and wrote for The Daily Show in 1998, before Jon Stewart took over as anchor. In 1998, he created Driven to Drink, a one-man show that aired on HBO. He recorded two half-hour specials for the Comedy Central Presents TV series, one in 2003 and another in 2007.
Tompkins appeared as a featured player on Mr. Show with Bob and David, and served as a staff writer for the show's second and third seasons. He also appeared in several episodes of the short-lived Tenacious D TV series, and appeared in the 2006 Tenacious D motion picture. In the first season of Real Time with Bill Maher, Tompkins had his own segment.
He is currently featured as a commentator on VH1's Best Week Ever and is a frequent guest on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. He can often be heard as a regular guest of Never Not Funny, Jimmy Pardo's weekly Podcast. He also periodically appears on Tom Scharpling's The Best Show on WFMU radio show.
His first stand-up comedy album, Impersonal, was released in 2007 on AST Records. In the liner notes, Tompkins explains that the jokes on the CD are his older, less personal material. He says he will record another album in the coming year that features his more recent work.
Tompkins frequently performs live in Los Angeles at Largo (nightclub), Comedy Death-Ray and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
Started out in stand-up comedy in 1986 at The Comedy Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was half of a duo with the late Rick Roman. Dropped out of Temple University. Moved to Los Angeles in 1994. Met actor Jay Johnston through mutual friend Adam McKay and created a live sketch show called "The Skates", which led to his being hired on HBO's "Mr. Show with Bob and David".
