Emo Philips (born 1956) is an American actor, producer and stand-up comedian from Downers Grove, Illinois.

His stand-up routine is characterized by his eccentric appearance, falsetto voice and surreal humor.

The unusual mediaeval-style bob haircut he sported earlier in his career, the exaggerated swings of his voice between registers, as well his tendency to contort his body into awkward poses during delivery gives his audience the impression that he has escaped from an insane asylum. The content of his humor sometimes acts to confirm this impression, for example:

• "Some mornings it just doesn't seem worth it to gnaw through the leather straps."

As for his material itself, some of it tends towards strange one-liners reminiscent of Steven Wright. Examples:

• "A friend of mine gave me a Philip Glass record. I listened to it for five hours before I realized it had a scratch on it."

• "I was walking down the street, something caught my eye...and dragged it fifteen feet."

• "I don't have to tell you folks... about scuba diving... so... that'll save some time."

Unlike Wright, however, Philips' persona is one of a strange, nerdish misfit, unlucky at love, looked down upon by society and prone to unconventional and occasionally antisocial behavior. Some more examples:

• "I'm a great lover, I'll bet."

• "You know, a lot of girls go out with me just to further their careers...damn anthropologists."

• "I love to go down to the schoolyard and watch all the little children jump up and down and run around yelling and screaming...They don't know I'm only using blanks."

• "At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained the antidote."

• "I ran three miles today... finally I said 'lady, take your purse.'"

• "I was in a bar the other night, hopping from barstool to barstool, trying to get lucky---but there wasn't any gum under any of them."

Philips has also had acting roles on television shows such as Miami Vice and The "Weird Al" Yankovic Show (in which he looked directly into the camera, waved and yelled, "Hi Mom!....I'm sorry. Your cameraman looked just like my mother."); Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist; Home Movies and films such as UHF (1989) and Desperation Boulevard (1998), and was Associate Producer of the film Meet the Parents (2000).

He has released no less than two comedy albums.

External links

• EmoPhilips.com
• BBC article on Emo
• Emo at IMDb