Rich is a Peabody® Award-winning writer and producer with four Emmy® and four WGA Award nominations, best known for his work on Comedy Central’s Key & Peele. Rich was responsible for the sketch Substitute Teacher (“…Ay-ay-Ron?”), which was recently referenced in a clue on Jeopardy!, and in 2024, the sketch was added to The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum Of American History.
For K&P, Rich also wrote Text Message Confusion, Dueling Hats, Black Ice, Karim & Jahar, Following MLK, Killing An African Warlord, Boarding Order, Racist Zombies, Obama Meet and Greet, Saw Parody, Town Hall Audience Member, Uh, I Actually Pressed It Already, Teaching Center, Mafia Hit, Terrorist Meeting, Mr. Mahina, and many more.
“Rich’s work on Key & Peele is nothing short of legendary.”
— Jordan Peele
Other TV credits include: MADtv, The Tonight Show w. Jay Leno, Saturday Night Live, HBO’s The Sketch Pad, and Comedy Central’s critically-acclaimed Review. An alum of Chicago’s The Second City and Improv Olympic, he’s also provided punch-up work on the films Mean Girls and Get Out.
Rich’s current screenplay The Widow Daredevil was an Official Selection of the Beverly Hills Film Festival and was featured recently in table reads at Buffalo Comedy Collective, The Chautauqua Women’s Club, and Niagara University. September 12 & 19 there will be staged performances of The Widow Daredevil, the play at Buffalo Comedy Collective – Buffalo, NY.
Rich took his first improv class from Stephen Colbert at Chicago’s The Second City in 1992. He went on to tour with The Second City’s National Touring Company and later co-created five original sketch comedy revues with The Second City’s Etc., and Main Stage Companies. While in Chicago, Rich was a performer, director, coach and teacher at Improv Olympic (Now iO) under the direction of Charna Halpern and the late Del Close. Rich performed in early casts of Chicago’s longest-running improv show: The Armando Diaz Experience. Rich co-starred in Jeff Richmond and Michael Thomas’ Hamlet! The Musical, and alongside T.J. Shanoff, co-created and starred in the hit parody, The Roof Is On Fiddler. Talarico played on iO house teams, Mr. Blonde and Faulty Wiring and co-created the long-form improv shows Close Quarters, Trio, and Dasariski.
As an actor, Rich has appeared on screen on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, MADtv, the feature film High Fidelity, on Comedy Central’s Review, and in A&W Root Beer’s classic TV ad, Mr. Dumass. Talarico’s extensive experience in the comedy industry has made him a sought-after teacher, writer, coach and consultant.
“Rich Talarico is one of the all-time great Caucasian Improvisers.”
— Tina Fey
STAND-UP COMEDY
Currently, Rich is teaching and performing improvisation, sketch comedy and stand-up comedy around the U.S.
As a stand-up, Rich headlined the Oops All Headliners show in Austin, TX, at the Frog Rock Brewery in Austell, GA and performed featured sets at Nashville’s Bowery Vault, Scruffy City Hall in Knoxville, TN, Magruder’s Pub in Buffalo, Don’t Tell Comedy, Buffalo, Chicago’s Lincoln Lodge and at the historic Uptown Theater in Utica, NY. Rich recently performed stand-up, opening for Ian Bagg, Dave Koechner & Kevin Nealon at Kellar’s Magic Comedy Club in Erie, PA and featured at Dick’s Last Resort in Panama City Beach, FL. Rich will be performing stand-up comedy 8/21 and 8/22 at the Buffalo Comedy Collective –info and tickets below.
ASK RICH?
If you have a question about comedy writing, improv, stand-up, sketch or anything entertainment related. Reach out through the contact page on the bottom of my website…
TEACHING
“As a teacher, Rich brings Lakers legendary coach Phil Jackson to mind; a cerebral educator who brings out the best in people.”
— Keith “Lucky” Lehrer, original drummer of “Circle Jerks”
“Rich was a great group moderator. He gave all the participants equal time and offered feedback and encouragement that felt very genuine. ”
— Writing Student, Caroline P. – Orlando, FL
“A rare combination of both mastery in practice and in lesson delivery.”
— Improv Student, Eric P., – Improv Cincinnati
“Rich knows how to write sketches — that much is obvious. But it was clear that he loves helping people get better too. Don’t wait to find a better sketch class. It might not come along.”
— Tim Marks, Founder, Kansas City Improv Company
“If you have the chance to bring in Rich as an instructor, or a performer, take advantage of the opportunity!”
— Luke Watson Co-Founder, Third Coast Comedy Club – Nashville, TN
“Rich’s care for his craft and his students shines through”
— Stefanie J., – Improv Student, Atlanta, GA
“Clear with relevant progressive steps and struck a great balance of theory and practice.”
— Kara W., Online Writing Student
WRITING CONSULTING/COACHING
“Rich and James were amazing guides for my continuing journey in developing my voice for my comic characters.”
— Pops L.
“I brought my first screen play to Rich for help. I gained much from our conversation as Rich offered me ideas, resources, and a couple assignments. […] James was wonderful sending me full notes on our session.”
— Joseph Paul K.
ADVOCACY
Rich is a long-time member of both the Screen Actors and Writers Guilds. The WGA West has called Rich a “fierce advocate,” and Corporate Sponsored Piracy is an issue he’s been working on passionately for the last few years. Writers, actors, directors, and musicians are being robbed ($12 Billion so far on YouTube alone), contracts are being violated, and the unions are turning a blind eye. “Hey, I wrote this one.”
Fans & Artists support and learn more at:
