History of Dane Cook in Timeline
Dane Cook is an American stand-up comedian and film actor known for his observational, often vulgar, and sometimes dark comedic style. He has released six comedy albums, including "Harmful If Swallowed," "Retaliation," "Vicious Circle," "Rough Around the Edges: Live from Madison Square Garden," and "Isolated Incident." His success in comedy has also led to roles in films.
March 18, 1972: Birth of Dane Cook
Dane Jeffrey Cook was born on March 18, 1972.
1978: Steve Martin's "A Wild and Crazy Guy" Success
In late 1978, Steve Martin's comedy album "A Wild and Crazy Guy" achieved significant chart success.
1990: Andrew Dice Clay's Madison Square Garden Success
Andrew Dice Clay made history in 1990 by becoming the first comic to sell out Madison Square Garden.
1990: Start of Stand-Up Career
Dane Cook began performing stand-up comedy in 1990.
October 30, 1992: Negative Experience at Boston Garden Performance
On October 30, 1992, Dane Cook and a comedy group experienced a difficult performance at the Boston Garden, facing a unreceptive audience.
1994: Move to New York City
Dane Cook made a significant move to New York City in 1994 to pursue his comedy career.
1995: Television Debut in "Maybe This Time"
Dane Cook made his television debut in 1995 with a role as Kyle, a quarterback, in the ABC comedy series "Maybe This Time." The show starred Marie Osmond, Betty White, and Ashley Johnson.
1998: Appearance on "Comedy Central's Premium Blend"
Dane Cook's career gained momentum in 1998 with an appearance on "Comedy Central's Premium Blend."
1999: Appearance in "Mystery Men"
Dane Cook appeared in the superhero comedy film "Mystery Men" in 1999.
1999: Early Film Roles
Dane Cook began his film career with minor roles in the late 1990s. Notably, he appeared in "Mystery Men" as "The Waffler" and acted alongside Dennis Rodman in the 1999 film "Simon Sez."
2000: Comedy Central Presents Special
Dane Cook had a half-hour special on "Comedy Central Presents" in 2000, marking a notable step in his career.
2001: Release of Louis C.K.'s "Live in Houston" Album
Louis C.K. released his comedy album "Live in Houston" in 2001.
2003: Release of "Harmful If Swallowed"
Dane Cook released his debut comedy album, "Harmful If Swallowed," in 2003.
2003: Signing with Comedy Central Records
Dane Cook's debut album, "Harmful If Swallowed," was released under Comedy Central Records in 2003.
April 15, 2005: HBO Special "Vicious Circle"
Dane Cook's first HBO Special, "Vicious Circle," was filmed at the TD Garden and aired on April 15, 2005.
October 2005: Kiss with Charlize Theron on "The Tonight Show"
In October 2005, during an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," actress Charlize Theron playfully allowed Dane Cook to kiss her backside.
December 3, 2005: Hosting "Saturday Night Live"
Dane Cook hosted "Saturday Night Live" for the first time on December 3, 2005.
2005: Success of "Retaliation" and MTV VMA Appearance
Dane Cook's album "Retaliation" achieved double-platinum status in 2005, and he performed at the MTV Video Music Awards.
2005: Release of "Retaliation" Album and Joke Similarities
Dane Cook released his comedy album "Retaliation" in 2005, which sparked controversy due to similarities between some of his bits and material from comedian Louis C.K.'s 2001 album "Live in Houston."
2005: Appearance in "Waiting..."
Dane Cook had a role in the comedy film "Waiting..." in 2005.
2005: Release of "Retaliation"
Dane Cook released his second comedy album, "Retaliation," in 2005.
2006: Success of "Retaliation" and "Vicious Circle"
Dane Cook achieved significant success with his comedy in 2006. His album "Retaliation" reached high on the charts, and he performed his HBO special, "Vicious Circle."
2006: Headlining the "Insomniac Tour" and Hosting Teen Choice Awards
Dane Cook headlined Dave Attell's "Insomniac Tour" and co-hosted the Teen Choice Awards in 2006.
2006: Lead Role in "Employee of the Month"
Dane Cook landed his first leading film role in 2006 as Zack Bradley in the comedy "Employee of the Month." The film, which also featured Jessica Simpson and Dax Shepard, achieved moderate success, earning $30 million against a $12 million budget.
2006: Release of "Vicious Circle"
Dane Cook released his third comedy album, "Vicious Circle," in 2006.
2006: Death of Dane Cook's Mother
Dane Cook's mother, Donna Jean Cook, passed away in 2006.
2006: Dane Cook Described as "Alarmingly Popular"
In 2006, Dane Cook was described as "alarmingly popular," reflecting his significant fanbase at the time.
April 10, 2007: Breaking Laugh Factory's Endurance Record
Dane Cook broke the Laugh Factory's endurance record on April 10, 2007, with a performance lasting three hours and 50 minutes.
June 2007: Release of "Mr. Brooks"
In June 2007, Dane Cook took on his first dramatic acting role as the cunning photographer "Mr. Smith" in the film "Mr. Brooks," starring alongside Kevin Costner. The film performed well, opening at number four at the box office and ultimately grossing $48 million.
September 2007: Releases of "Good Luck Chuck" and "Dan In Real Life"
Dane Cook starred in two films released in September 2007. In "Good Luck Chuck," he played dentist Charlie Logan alongside Jessica Alba and Dan Fogler, which became the second-highest-grossing film and the top comedy during its opening weekend in the U.S. He also appeared as Mitch Burns in "Dan In Real Life," starring Steve Carell, which opened strong at the box office.
November 12, 2007: Sold-Out Shows at Madison Square Garden
Dane Cook achieved a significant milestone on November 12, 2007, by becoming the second comic to sell out Madison Square Garden.
November 13, 2007: Release of "Rough Around the Edges"
Dane Cook released his album "Rough Around the Edges," filmed live at Madison Square Garden, on November 13, 2007.
December 3, 2007: Dave Chappelle Breaks Endurance Record
Dave Chappelle surpassed previous records by performing at the Laugh Factory for six hours and twelve minutes on December 3, 2007.
2007: Death of Dane Cook's Father
Dane Cook's father, George F. Cook, passed away in 2007.
2007: Release of "Rough Around the Edges"
Dane Cook released his fourth comedy album, "Rough Around the Edges: Live from Madison Square Garden," in 2007.
2007: Release of "Good Luck Chuck" and "Dan in Real Life"
Dane Cook appeared in several films in 2007, including "Good Luck Chuck" and "Dan in Real Life."
January 1, 2008: Dane Cook Reclaims Endurance Record
Dane Cook broke Dave Chappelle's endurance record at the Laugh Factory on January 1, 2008, with a performance lasting seven hours.
May 23, 2008: Reunion Shows at Caesars Palace
Dane Cook, Robert Kelly, and Al Del Bene reunited for comedy shows at Caesars Palace starting on May 23, 2008.
May 25, 2008: End of Caesars Palace Shows
Dane Cook's run of reunion shows with Robert Kelly and Al Del Bene at Caesars Palace concluded on this date in 2008.
June 4, 2008: Performance for Troops in Iraq
Dane Cook, along with Robert Kelly and Al Del Bene, concluded their tour for the troops in Iraq on June 4, 2008.
July 6, 2008: Box Office Success of "Dan In Real Life"
As of July 6, 2008, the film "Dan In Real Life," in which Dane Cook co-starred as Mitch Burns alongside Steve Carell, grossed $62,745,217 at the box office.
2008: Release of "My Best Friend's Girl"
Dane Cook starred in the romantic comedy "My Best Friend's Girl" in 2008.
2008: Embezzlement by Half-Brother
In 2008, Dane Cook discovered that his half-brother, Darryl McCauley, who was also his business manager, and McCauley's wife, Erika, had embezzled at least $12 million from him.
2008: Release of "My Best Friend's Girl"
Dane Cook starred as Tank Turner, an air purifier call-center supervisor, in the romantic comedy "My Best Friend's Girl," released in 2008, alongside Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs, and Alec Baldwin. The film performed well commercially, debuting at number three at the box office.
April 25, 2009: Start of "Isolated Incident" Tour
Dane Cook kicked off his "Isolated Incident" tour at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut on April 25, 2009.
May 17, 2009: Comedy Central Special "Isolated Incident"
Dane Cook's comedy special "Isolated Incident" aired on Comedy Central on May 17, 2009.
November 2009: Release of "Isolated Incident" DVD
Dane Cook released the DVD version of "Isolated Incident" in November 2009.
2009: Comedy Central Special "Isolated Incident"
Dane Cook had a Comedy Central special titled "Isolated Incident" in 2009.
2009: Release of "Isolated Incident"
Dane Cook released his fifth comedy album, "Isolated Incident," in 2009.
November 18, 2010: Broadway Debut in "Fat Pig" (Postponed)
It was announced on November 18, 2010, that Dane Cook and Josh Hamilton would be starring in Neil LaBute's Broadway production of "Fat Pig" in 2011. However, the production was later postponed due to financial constraints.
2010: Reconciliation with Joe Rogan on Podcast
Comedian Joe Rogan publicly addressed his past accusations against Dane Cook regarding joke stealing on his podcast in 2010. Rogan acknowledged Cook's character and expressed his respect for him, seemingly putting the controversy behind them. Cook, in return, expressed his gratitude for Rogan's words and acknowledged his integrity.
2010: Conviction of Half-Brother and Wife
Darryl and Erika McCauley were formally charged with embezzlement and larceny in 2010, to which they pleaded guilty. Darryl received a six-year prison sentence followed by 16 years of probation, while Erika received a three-year prison sentence and 13 years of probation. The court ordered them to pay restitution to Dane Cook.
2010: "Captain America" Audition
In 2010, Dane Cook revealed that he had auditioned for the role of Captain America in "Captain America: The First Avenger." However, he was not shortlisted by director Joe Johnston for the part.
2011: Guest Appearance on "Louie"
Dane Cook appeared as himself in an episode of the FX comedy-drama series "Louie" in 2011. The episode, written by Louis C.K., revolved around a fictional encounter between the two comedians, addressing the controversy surrounding the joke-stealing accusations.
2011: Guest Vocals on Steel Panther's "In the Future"
Dane Cook provided guest vocals on the song "In the Future" by the glam metal band Steel Panther. The track was featured on their third studio album, "Balls Out," released in 2011.
2011: Planned Broadway Debut in "Fat Pig"
Dane Cook was set to make his Broadway debut in 2011 in Neil LaBute's production of "Fat Pig."
May 2012: Casting in NBC Comedy "Next Caller"
In May 2012, Dane Cook was announced as the star of a new NBC comedy series titled "Next Caller."
October 12, 2012: Cancellation of "Next Caller"
Dane Cook's new NBC comedy series "Next Caller" was canceled on October 12, 2012, before its scheduled airing. Although four out of six episodes had been filmed, the show was ultimately dropped by the network.
2012: Louis C.K. Defends Cook in Interview
Louis C.K. defended Dane Cook in a 2012 interview regarding the joke-stealing accusations. C.K. stated his belief that Cook did not intentionally plagiarize his material and attributed the similarities to unintentional influence and sloppiness, emphasizing Cook's good character.
2012: Performance in "The Producers" at the Hollywood Bowl
Dane Cook portrayed Franz Liebkind in a production of the musical "The Producers" at the Hollywood Bowl in 2012.
2012: Controversy over Aurora Shooting Joke
Dane Cook faced criticism and controversy in 2012 over a joke he made about the Aurora, Colorado shooting.
2013: "Under Oath" Tour
Dane Cook embarked on his "Under Oath" stand-up comedy tour in 2013.
2013: Voice Role in "Planes"
Dane Cook lent his voice to the character Dusty Crophopper in the 2013 animated film "Planes," a spin-off of Pixar's successful "Cars" franchise.
2013: Voice Role in "Planes"
Dane Cook provided the lead voice role of Dusty Crophopper in the animated sports comedy film "Planes" in 2013.
2014: Voice Role in "Planes: Fire & Rescue"
Dane Cook reprised his role as Dusty Crophopper in the sequel "Planes: Fire & Rescue" in 2014.
2014: Reprising Role in "Planes: Fire & Rescue"
Dane Cook returned as the voice of Dusty Crophopper in the 2014 sequel to "Planes," titled "Planes: Fire & Rescue."
2014: Showtime Special "Troublemaker"
Dane Cook's comedy special "Troublemaker" aired on Showtime in 2014.
2015: Release of "400 Days"
Dane Cook starred in and executive produced the science fiction thriller "400 Days," directed by Matt Osterman, which was released in 2015. The film also features Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, and Ben Feldman.
September 2016: Oddball Comedy Festival Performances
In September 2016, Dane Cook co-headlined the Oddball Comedy Festival in Dallas, Texas with Sebastian Maniscalco. He also performed at the Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival in Irvine, California.
2017: Relationship with Kelsi Taylor
Dane Cook began dating fitness instructor Kelsi Taylor in 2017.
May 2018: Performance at Hard Rock Rocksino
Dane Cook performed at Hard Rock Rocksino in Northfield Park, Ohio in May 2018.
2018: "Tell It Like It Is" Tour Announcement
Dane Cook announced his "Tell It Like It Is" stand-up comedy tour in 2018, marking his return to full-scale touring since 2013.
February 2019: "Tell It Like It Is" Tour Begins
Dane Cook kicked off his "Tell It Like It Is" stand-up comedy tour in February 2019 in Huntington, New York. This marked his first full-scale tour since his "Under Oath" tour in 2013.
July 13, 2022: Engagement to Kelsi Taylor
Dane Cook got engaged to his girlfriend, Kelsi Taylor, a fitness instructor, on July 13, 2022.
September 23, 2023: Marriage to Kelsi Taylor
Dane Cook and Kelsi Taylor married in an intimate ceremony on September 23, 2023, at a private estate in O'ahu, Hawaii.