Better Know A Staffer: Frank Lesser

Frank Lesser is another one of the talented writers over at ‘The Colbert Report’. Lesser is from Ohio, growing up as an only child in Pickerington and Bexley and graduating from Bexley High School. He was educated at Brown University in Providence, RI, where he founded “The Beasts of Funny” comedy group and wrote for the Brown Jug humor magazine. He received his BA in Art (film) in 2002. Since college, he’s directed multiple short films, and worked for TV Land as a production assistant before landing a gig as a freelance promo writer for various Viacom stations. And he hasn’t forgotten where he comes from. His date to the Emmy awards this year? His mother.

Frank on Frank – From FrankLesser.com:

Frank Lesser is a director, and Frank Lesser is a writer. However, Frank Lesser did not write “Guys and Dolls,” or any other musicals– you are thinking of Frank Loesser, who is dead (which Frank Lesser is not). Frank Lesser is a German software programmer, but that’s a different Frank Lesser (seriously, Google, be a little more discriminating).

If you are looking for Frank Lesser on Google, do not mistake him for the German. Also, do not think he has anything to do with “Anne Frank’s lesser-known writings.” This is a joke Google is playing on Frank, which Frank secretly believes is in poor taste.

From the Bio Page, FrankLesser.com

Being Mugged – Apparently, being mugged sucks

So, you were recently mugged. What’s that like?
I was having an awful week, so the mugging was nice because it made everything else seem so much better in comparison. Incidentally, if my muggers are reading this, come on, just ask your victims for their money. There’s no need to get violent, especially if your victim is weak and from Ohio. Also, if you’re reading this, you’re much more internet-savvy than I expected. Next time, instead of you beating me up and taking my phone, let’s go out for tea and talk about vlogs.

From Frank Lesser, Multimedia Satirist, Gothamist.com, November 15, 2005

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah – On bringing his parents to the Emmy awards

Lesser and eight other nominated writers — plus their host and fearless leader, Stephen Colbert — will attend the 58^th annual Emmy Awards tonight in Los Angeles along with many more from the staff of the Comedy Central satire. Lesser will be accompanied by his mother. “I just said I was going,” said Lois Gruhin Lesser, who lives in Bexley. His dad, Brian, gets to go, too. “He’s not my date, though, because that would be creepy,” Lesser said.

From Homegrown comedy writer suited for first Emmy show, ‘Columbus Dispatch’, August 27, 2006

The most disgusting video I have ever seen – Lesser on his short film “Who Ordered Room Service?”

The New York filmmaker Mr. Lesser, 25, said he and Mr. Parker [sic--I think he means Mr. Woliner] created the faux Bryan Adams ad as a sort of experiment to see whether people would be fooled and how big it could get. “We don’t actually want to hurt anyone’s feelings or get anyone upset,” Mr. Lesser said in an interview. “I’m sort of hoping Bryan Adams will see humor in this if it is ever brought to his attention.”

From Who Ordered Room Service?, MuseumOfHoaxes.com, February 26, 2005

Putting that degree to work – On his short films

I try to put together fake things as if they’re real. With LieGirls.com, we felt it was important to have a real working fake phone sex line, not just a fake phone sex ad, so I wrote up a bunch of absurd pro-Bush scripts and had actresses purr and moan them. With Flora Bush, I wanted to actually produce a 4-song EP, since that’s what a real aspiring pop star would do. And when Jason and I put together our fake viral marketing campaign [for "Who Ordered Room Service?"], we made sure there was a real behind-the-scenes interview with the musician who was supposed to be behind-the-scenes of the whole thing. My basic philosophy is that, even if people aren’t that into the final product, they should at least be impressed by the effort.

From Frank Lesser, Multimedia Satirist, Gothamist.com, November 15, 2005

Short Films:

• Dannybot
• Flora Bush
• Lie Girls
• Who Ordered Room Service?

Writings:

• Letter from an historically black clown college
• Curriculum Fradium – YankeePotRoast.org: “Objective: To obtain and secure a book deal, like Jayson Blair (liar and author of Burning Down My Masters’ House), and have my life story made into a feature film, like Stephen Glass (liar and subject of Shattered Glass). “

Web Projects:

• Pleasure Boat Captains For Truth: A reaction to the Kerry attack group Swift Boat Captains –
  “When George W. Bush talks about his past, he uses the words “reckless” and “irresponsible.” He claims that in 1986, after half a lifetime of hard drink and easy women, he finally sobered up– and he wants us to believe he’ll never revert to his hard-partying ways.

  But the captains who piloted his pleasure craft during those “wild” years, as well as his fellow pleasure craft revelers, see him in a very different light.”