Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr, July 2, 2004
Born	Jon Ferguson Mohr (1970-08-23) August 23, 1970 (age 41) Verona, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, Comedian
Years active	1990–present
Spouse	Nikki Cox (2006-present) Nicole Chamberlain (1998-2004)
Website
http://jaymohr.com

Jay Ferguson Cox Mohr (born Jon Ferguson Mohr; August 23, 1970) is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, as a featured player for two seasons on the long running sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire. Mohr could also be known for his near-identical impersonation of actor Christopher Walken.

Early life[link]

Mohr was born in Verona, New Jersey. His mother, Jean (née Ferguson), is a nurse, and his father, Jon Wood Mohr, is a marketing executive.^[1] He has two sisters, Julia and Virginia.

Career[link]

Acting career[link]

Mohr appeared as a featured player for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons of Saturday Night Live. His 2004 memoir, Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live (ISBN 1-4013-0006-5), details this tumultuous period of his life, including his battle with chronic panic attacks. Though his potential was appreciated by SNL creator/producer Lorne Michaels, Mohr was impatient with his progression to full cast member, and left the show on bad terms. He has since reconciled with Michaels.

Mohr had a recurring role in the first season of The Jeff Foxworthy Show as Jeff Foxworthy's brother, Wayne. Mohr's first major film role was in 1996 when he played the conniving Bob Sugar, a sleazy sports agent in Jerry Maguire, followed in 1997 by a starring role in Picture Perfect. In 1999, Mohr starred in the television series Action, in which he played sleazy film producer Peter Dragon. Mohr later hosted a talk show on ESPN entitled Mohr Sports which ran briefly in 2001 before being cancelled. He was also the voice-over artist for Fox Sports Net's Beyond the Glory. Mohr has also appeared in movies such as Are We There Yet?, Small Soldiers, Go, Pay It Forward, and The Groomsmen. Mohr was offered a late night talk show job by Michael Eisner but he declined. Mohr managed to convince Eisner to let him host a talk show on ESPN entitled Mohr Sports which ran briefly in 2001 before being cancelled. The talk show job Mohr passed was then offered to Jimmy Kimmel and became Jimmel Kimmel Live. ^[2]

In 2003 and 2004, Mohr created, hosted, and was executive producer of NBC's Last Comic Standing reality television program. The show aired for three seasons, but was cancelled near the end of the third season due to poor ratings, only to be renewed later. Mohr was very vocal toward NBC concerning its cancellation^[3] and did not return for the show's fourth season in 2006. Mohr was replaced with new host Anthony Clark, but he is credited as a consultant. On the season finale of Last Comic Standing 4, Jay performed as a guest comedian. He had a recurring role on the TV series Ghost Whisperer, which had developed into a regular role. Mohr also appeared in an episode of the hit sitcom Scrubs - "My Own Private Practice Guy" in 2003 and in an episode of The West Wing in 2004. Parts of Mohr's stand up was featured in Comedy Central's animated series Shorties Watchin' Shorties.

Mohr starred as newly divorced dad Gary Brooks for two seasons on the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried. Paula Marshall played his ex-wife. In January 2010 he took the role as Billy in Clint Eastwood's thriller film Hereafter.^[4] He was also set to guest star on NBC's fall 2010 show, Outlaw.^[5]

Radio[link]

Mohr has contributed frequently to The Jim Rome Show as a caller and has also guest-hosted the program. His nickname on the show is "Slam Man", and, more recently, the derisive "Weigh More" and "Ham Man," "Salami Man" and -- when feeling particularly fancy -- "Prosciutto Man." Rome often lets him promote his upcoming comedy club appearances. Mohr finished in 7th place in the 2007 Smack-Off, 6th place in the 2008 Smack-Off, 10th place in the 2009 Smack-Off, 6th place in the 2010 Smack-Off, and 6th place in the 2011 Smack-Off. Jay is also known to do "drive-by" call-in's to the show to usually promote one of his stand-up shows or live events.

He was, at one time, a frequent guest on the Opie and Anthony radio program. His appearances occurred less frequently after Mohr moved to California due to the time difference between California and New York. Instead, Mohr began appearing as a caller more frequently on the Ron and Fez Show. In June 2008, Mohr's work schedule allowed him to once again become a frequent contributor on Opie and Anthony.

Podcast[link]

Mohr hosts his own podcast entitled Mohr Stories. The podcast was hosted on the SModcast Podcast Network,^[6] often taped in his garage, which he has dubbed "Fake Mustache Studios".^[7] On May 4, 2012, Mohr announced his departure from SModcast. He will be hosting Mohr Stories on his newly-formed network named "Fake Mustache Studios".^[8]

Other work[link]

In June 2004, Mohr's first book, Gasping for Airtime: Two Years in the Trenches of Saturday Night Live, was published by Hyperion and chronicled his two years working on Saturday Night Live. In May 2010, publisher Simon & Schuster released Mohr's second book, No Wonder My Parents Drank: Tales from a Stand-Up Dad. He has also hosted the 2010 and 2011 NHL Awards.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life[link]

Jay Mohr, 2009

Mohr has a son, Jackson,^[9] from his six-year marriage with former model Nicole Chamberlain.

He married actress Nikki Cox on December 29, 2006.^[10] In December 2008, he filed legal papers requesting a legal name change to Jay Ferguson Cox Mohr, adding the surname of his wife.^[11] Mohr has been sober since 1996.^[12] He commented on the Late Late Show that he is of Scottish ancestry.^[13] Mohr was raised Presbyterian, but he converted to Roman Catholicism.^[14][15][16]

Mohr and Cox's son, Meredith Daniel Mohr, was born on May 5, 2011.^[17]

Filmography[link]

• Suburgatory (2011)
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2011)
• Outlaw (2010)
• Hereafter (2010)
• Monk (2009)
• Lonely Street (2009)
• Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust (2009) (Video game)
• Gary Unmarried (2008–2010) (TV)
• Saints Row 2 (2008) (Video game)
• Street Kings (2008)
• Even Money (2007)
• Christmas Do-Over (2006)
• Ghost Whisperer (2006–2008)
• Community Service (2006)
• Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006) (Video game)
• The Groomsmen (2006)
• Las Vegas (2005) (TV)
• King's Ransom (2005)
• Are We There Yet? (2005)
• Seeing Other People (2004)
• Shorties Watchin' Shorties (2004)
• CSI: Miami (2003)
• Scrubs (2003)
• Fastlane (2002) (TV)
• S1m0ne (2002)
• The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
• Speaking of Sex (2001)
• Black River (2001)
• Cherry Falls (2000)
• Family Guy (2000) (TV)
• Pay It Forward (2000)
• 200 Cigarettes (1999)
• Go (1999)
• Playing by Heart (1999)
• Action (1999) (TV)
• Small Soldiers (1998)
• Paulie (1998)
• Jane Austen's Mafia! (1998)
• From The Earth To The Moon (1998)
• Suicide Kings (1997)
• Picture Perfect (1997)
• Jerry Maguire (1996)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jay Mohr

• Jay Mohr official website
• Jay Mohr at the Internet Movie Database
• Jay Mohr SI.com archive
• Weekly column on FOXSports.com
• Jay Mohr on the Jim Rome Show