Editing Matt Besser (section)

==Career==
After seeing an [[improvisational comedy]] show at Second City [[iO Theater]] featuring [[Dave Koechner]], [[Tim Meadows]] and [[Chris Farley]], Besser began taking classes there.<ref name="BA"/> His improv group Victim's Family (alongside [[Rick Roman]], [[Adam McKay]], Miles Stroth, and [[Ian Roberts (American actor)|Ian Roberts]]), later renamed The Family (minus Roman, plus [[Neil Flynn]], and [[Ali Farahnakian]]), was directed by [[Del Close]], the first long-form group Del focused on.<ref name="BA"/>

Besser is a founding member of Upright Citizens Brigade, which began as a [[sketch comedy]] group in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] in 1990. Original members included [[Ian Roberts (American actor)|Ian Roberts]], [[Ali Farahnakian]], [[Adam McKay]], [[Rick Roman]], and [[Horatio Sanz]].

In 1993, UCB were regular guests on stage at the [[New Variety]] produced and hosted by R. O'Donnell at the Chicago Improv comedy club.<ref name=Spitznagel>{{cite news|last=Spitznagel|first=Eric|title=The New Variety Just Might Make Comedy Dangerous Again|newspaper=The Third Word magazine Sept/Oct issue|date=October 11, 1993}}</ref>

While performing at the New Variety, Besser was cast and directed by [[Richard O'Donnell (playwright)|O'Donnell]] in the New Year's Eve special ''Twisted'', which aired on [[WFLD]] Fox 32 TV, Chicago.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hoffhines |first1=Eric |title=Fox 32 Twisted TV with Matt Besser |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaRUNICzovU |website=YouTube |date=31 March 2008 |access-date=March 31, 2008}}</ref> ''Twisted'' also featured Besser (and comedian Michelle Garb) in a series of improvised commercials directed by O'Donnell for McDonald's, Toyota, and Ameritech.<ref name="Fox2">{{cite web |last1=Hoffhines |first1=Eric |title=Fox 32 Twisted TV with Besser & Garb |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdFy6l_SuDo |website=YouTube |date=20 March 2008 |access-date=March 31, 2008}}</ref>

In 1996, the UCB relocated to [[New York City]]. Their sketch-comedy series ''[[Upright Citizens Brigade (TV series)|Upright Citizens Brigade]]'' aired for three seasons on [[Comedy Central]] from 1998 to 2000. The cast consisted of Besser, [[Amy Poehler]], [[Ian Roberts (American actor)|Ian Roberts]], and [[Matt Walsh (comedian)|Matt Walsh]]. It originally included a voice-over by [[Del Close]]. After its cancellation, [[Comedy Central]] released all three seasons on DVD.

Besser and the UCB moved on to other projects and opened comedy theaters in New York City and Los Angeles. Besser went on to be the creator and co-star of the [[Method Man & Redman|Redman]] & [[Method Man]] MTV hidden camera prank show ''Stung''. In 2004, he created and starred in his second [[Comedy Central]] show, ''[[Crossballs]]'', which mocked news debate shows by pitting fake experts (played by Besser and other comedians) against real people.

Besser has appeared in films such as ''[[Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story]]'', ''[[Martin & Orloff]],'' ''[[Year One (film)|Year One]]'', ''[[Undead or Alive]]'', ''[[Drillbit Taylor]]'', and ''[[Junebug (film)|Junebug]]'', in addition to a number of sitcoms including ''[[Reno 911!]]'', ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'', ''[[New Girl]]'' and alongside his wife [[Danielle Schneider]] in ''[[Community (TV series)|Community]]''. In 2003, the UCB filmed their first full-length improvised movie, ''Wild Girls Gone''. In early 2010 the film was screened at several indie theaters in the [[Los Angeles]] area and is sold for digital download on iTunes and on DVD at the official ''UCB Theater'' website. The troupe had also performed their signature brand of longform improv (ASSSSCAT) in a special for the [[Bravo (US TV channel)|Bravo]] channel in 2005. In 2008, they released a [[DVD]] entitled ''ASSSSCAT!: Renegade Improv Comedy'' through [[Shout! Factory]], which features an uncensored improv performance by the troupe and special guests. The DVD also includes deleted scenes and along with other bonus features.

In 2008, Besser played the part of "Courtney Frenchip", the hippie roommate of [[David Cross]] in ''David's Situation'', a pilot made for [[HBO]] written by Cross and [[Bob Odenkirk]]. The pilot was filmed live on May 9, 2008, but was not picked by HBO as a series. In 2013, he portrayed [[Edwin Stanton]] in the "Chicago" episode of [[Comedy Central]]'s ''[[Drunk History]]''. Between 2011 and 2014, he appeared on ''[[Parks and Recreation (TV series)|Parks and Recreation]]'' as the morning [[radio personality|DJ]] Crazy Ira.

Besser and the UCB continue to run a Los Angeles comedy theater in [[Franklin Avenue (Los Angeles)|Franklin Village]]. Besser and the UCB perform several times a week at the Los Angeles theater, in their show ''ASSSSCAT 3000'' every Sunday night.