Jimmy Tingle was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The social, political and economic diversity of that city laid the groundwork for his development as a performer and satirist. He started performing in 1980 during the early stand up comedy scene in Boston and quickly rose through the ranks from open-mike performer to paid engagements, headlining at comedy clubs, theaters and colleges nationwide. He is now regarded as one of the top social commentators and humorists in the country.

Jimmy was the American correspondent for Sir David Frost’s show for PBS and the BBC, The Strategic Humor Initiative. He completed two seasons with 60 Minutes II on CBS as the humorist / commentator in the Andy Rooney spot. He worked as a contributor and satirist for MSNBC and has appeared on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, The Tonight Show, Larry King Weekend, and The Late Show with Conan O'Brien, The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder, The American Comedy Awards, as well as his own HBO comedy special.

Tingle recently appeared as a television talk show host in Chris Rock’s film, Head of State. Other film credits include the role of the neighborhood bartender in Next Stop Wonderland, a priest in Boondock Saints, and a restaurant owner in By the Sea. Jimmy also starred in the Emmy Award-winning documentary on art censorship, "Damned in the USA" produced by Channel Four in England in partnership with Channel Thirteen in New York.

He co-starred in the PBS "Travels" series special "America with the Top Down" and appeared in "But Seriously" and "But seriously 94" , Showtime documentaries featuring prominent social satirists from Lenny Bruce to the present.

From 2002 to 2007 he served as owner, principal performer and producing director of Jimmy Tingle's OFF BROADWAY Theater in Somerville, MA, which presented over 200 productions and/or co productions from the worlds of comedy, music, theater, television, radio, political events and kids shows during it’s five years of existence. In August of 2007 JTOB was voted “Best of Boston" in "Theater Alternative" category by Boston Magazine.

Jimmy has the rare distinction of winning the prestigious “Best of Boston” award as both a performer “Best of Boston” 2001 in the “stand up comedy” category and as a producer in 2007 for Jimmy Tingle’s OFF BROADWAY Theater.

Jimmy’s t theatrical credits include writing and starring in four different one person shows all of which were directed by Larry Arrick. “Jimmy Tingle's Uncommon Sense, The Education of an American Comic; received stellar reviews during a nine-week engagement at the American Place Theater in New York City and continued to succeed brilliantly at the Hasty Pudding Theater in Cambridge, MA becoming the longest running one person show in that theater's history. The show made its Los Angeles debut at the Coast Playhouse in 1998 and was nominated by The L.A. Weekly for "best male solo performance" for their 20th Annual Theater Awards. Uncommon Sense was followed by Jimmy Tingle in the Promised Land (2002) and Jimmy Tingle’s American Dream (2005), which is currently in production to be released as a film. Jimmy is currently touring his latest theatrical satire "Jimmy Tingle for President: The Funniest campaign in History."

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