Mikelle Budge, known professionally as Mary Mack (born July 25, 1975),[1] is an American comedian, musician, and writer. Mack currently stars as Jessica Wearsprada "Jesse" Opposites in the animated sitcom Solar Opposites, which debuted May 8, 2020 on Hulu/Disney+.[2][3][4] She has released seven albums of her stand-up.[5][6][7]
Early life
Mack was born in Minnesota to parents from Duluth and raised near Webster, Wisconsin.[8][6][9]
She has a bachelor's degree in music from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and an MFA in conducting from Middle Tennessee State University.[10] She taught music at the elementary and middle school levels in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and Nashville, Tennessee,[11] and led a polka band in Nashville before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to pursue a career in comedy.[12][10]
Career
Mack describes herself as a "folk humorist," using storytelling and her strong northern-Wisconsin accent as part of her comedy,[13][14] playing off of the Fargo stereotype of Midwesterners in a way that Mack has described as blending Gilda Radner and Garrison Keillor.[10] Chris Spector of Midwest Record notes that the seeming innocence of Mack's "little-girl voice and demeanor ... gives Mack an edge. Mack's zingers hit harder since she lulls you into this place where you just don't expect it."[15] A classically trained musician with two degrees, she often plays mandolin as part of her act.[12] She has performed at SF Sketchfest, the Vancouver Comedy Fest, the Andy Kaufman Awards, and the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal.[16][17]
TV and radio appearances
Before Solar Opposites, in which she voices Jessica Wearsprada "Jesse" Opposites, Mack voiced the character Dylan Beekler in the first season of Golan the Insatiable[18] making a guest appearance as a drunken Zeeble in Aqua Teen Hunger Force,[19] and voicing Renée in a recurring role in Kiff. Mack's other TV appearances include Last Comic Standing in 2014,[8] Conan,[20] Comedy Central's Live at Gotham,[21] and Last Call with Carson Daly.[14]
Mack has been featured on WTF with Marc Maron, The Bob & Tom Show, XM's National Lampoon Comedy Radio, Wits, and Minnesota Polka Spotlight.[21][8][22]
Discography
Mack has released seven albums of her stand-up. Jake Kroeger of the Comedy Bureau called her 2015 album Pig Woman "especially mischievous and fun" with a "down-to-earth, Midwestern zeitgeist".[23] Richard Lanoie of the Serious Comedy Site called the album "an absolute hoot" and "absolutely fearless".[24]
- Either You Wake Up or You Don't (2007)
- Pinch Finger Girl: A Tragedomedy (2009)
- "Happy Father's Day" (digital single, 2009)
- Pig Woman (Stand Up! Records, 2015)
- Mrs. Taco Man (2019)
- Comedy Bootleg 2020 (2020)[5][6][7]
- All Ages (2021)
- Perm Day (2022)
Video games
- Doobie Dooper – Trover Saves the Universe
- Jessica Wearsprada "Jesse" Opposites – Warped Kart Racers
Personal life
Mack is married to fellow comedian Tim Harmston; they frequently tour together.[25]
References
- ^ "Episode 34: Mary Mack and Scott Krinsky". The Dork Forest with Jackie Kashian (Podcast). April 19, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ McLevy, Alex (April 29, 2020). "May's TV premieres travel to Hollywood, Central Park, and the afterlife: Solar Opposites (Hulu)". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 28, 2018). "Alien Animated Comedy From 'Rick and Morty' Duo & 20th TV Gets Hulu Series Order". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (January 17, 2020). "Hulu Sets Premiere Dates For 'The Great', 'Ramy' And 'Solar Opposites' – TCA". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ a b Mary Mack at AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
- ^ a b c Mehta, Raghav (December 22, 2015). "12 questions with Mary Mack". City Pages. Minneapolis. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ a b "Albums". Mary Mack Comedy: Official Site. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c Carlson Gustafson, Amy (May 19, 2014). "Five Twin Cities comedians on revived 'Last Comic Standing'". Pioneer Press. St. Paul. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Mack brings her north woods comedy home to the Northland". Duluth News Tribune. August 11, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ a b c Priesmeyer, Molly (August 24, 2005). "Rambler: Itinerant storyteller, standup, musician, and actor Mary Mack stumbles into comedy and staves off insanity". City Pages. Minneapolis. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ "Episode 273: Tattletail Videos With Mary Mack". Lady To Lady (Podcast). April 11, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Horgen, Tom (December 20, 2011). "Mary Mack: Laugh now (cry later)". Star Tribune. Minneapolis-St.Paul. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ Roberts, Chris (September 29, 2010). "Mary Mack's riffs on the Midwest resonate nationally". Minnesota Public Radio. St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ a b Pharris, Kelda J.L. (February 10, 2019). "Midwest comfort fuels comedian Mary Mack". Aberdeen News. Aberdeen, South Dakota. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ Chris Spector (April 7, 2016). "Volume 39/Number 158". Midwest Record. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Maron, Marc (March 18, 2012). Episode 263 - Mary Mack. WTF with Marc Maron
- ^ "Did You Know?". Burnett County, Wisconsin Government Center. Archived from the original on September 25, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ Bolles, Dan (October 25, 2017). "Comedian Mary Mack Talks Music, Writing and Touring With Her Husband". Seven Days. Burlington, Vermont. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ^ "Aqua Teen Hunger Force - Storage Zeebles". IMDb. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- ^ Justin, Neal (September 15, 2016). "Minneapolis comic Mary Mack cracks up Conan". Star Tribune. Minneapolis-St.Paul. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "Expect musical merriment from Mary Mack". Duluth News Tribune. Duluth, Minnesota. December 17, 2009. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ Roth, David (January 1, 2015). "Mary Mack". Minnesota Original. Season 5. Episode 2. PBS. Twin Cities PBS. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
- ^ Kroeger, Jake (October 10, 2015). "Mary Mack's Fantastic "Pig Woman" Out Now". The Comedy Bureau. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Richard Lanoie (April 9, 2018). "Mary Mack – Pig Woman". The Serious Comedy Site. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Thomas, Rob (July 14, 2015). "Wisconsin husband-and-wife comedians are married to comedy (and each other)". Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
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