Matthew James Gourley (born May 23, 1973) is an American actor, comedian, and podcaster best known for his work on the Superego, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcasts, and Drunk History, as well as a stint as a spokesperson in US Volkswagen commercials. On Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend he is known for his banter (often poking fun at Conan O'Brien) with CONAF co-host Sona Movsesian and his comedic riffs and bits with host Conan O'Brien, which often include references to Presidents, retired game show hosts, film, and 20th-century-era TV shows.
Early life Matthew James Gourley was born and raised in Whittier, California, by his mother Welford. His father is Jim Gourley.https://www.instagram.com/mattgourley/reel/2ahUKEwjK64Gs3MWWAxXxHhAIHavpAXQQFnoECBoQAQ He was named after Marshal Matt Dillon, a character from the radio and television show Gunsmoke.
Career
Theater and improv Gourley graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a bachelor's degree in technical theater and an MFA in performance.
Gourley has acted in, directed, and worked on the technical side of productions in the Los Angeles area since the early 1990s, including as Curly in Of Mice and Men, Antipholus in The Comedy of Errors, Dogberry's henchman in Much Ado About Nothing, Orville in The Doctor In Spite of Himself, Hal in Loot, Brindsley in Black Comedy, the director of Tooth and Nail at the Little Fish Theatre, and as a set/lighting designer on The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). Gourley did video work and set design for multiple productions of Fellowship!.
Gourley began performing with ComedySportz in Los Angeles during elementary school. He met Jeremy Carter at a ComedySportz tournament in San Jose in the mid-90s. He spent years as an actor and improviser at various Disney theme parks along with Carter and Mark McConville, among others. Gourley has also performed at Second City, ImprovOlympic, and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
Teaching Gourley has taught theater and improvisation at Riverside City College, Long Beach City College, and College of the Canyons. He has also led workshops on Shakespearean improv at the Fracas! Improv Festival.
Television Gourley and Carter were founding contributors to Channel 101, producing and starring in the "retro futuristic action spectacular" Ultraforce. Ultraforce lasted three episodes and also featured Derek Mears, Jeff B. Davis, and Chris Tallman.
Gourley appeared in the late 90s on Kwik Witz, an Improvisational comedy program on NBC. At this time, he was one of the "mileage mules" employed by Steve Belkin, one of Kwik Witz' producers who later became a travel entrepreneur.
In 2013, Gourley sold a pilot titled Wunderland that he wrote with his then-girlfriend and now-wife, Amanda Lund, to Fox. The series was a workplace comedy loosely based upon the time Gourley and Lund spent working as actors at Disney theme parks, though it did not end up getting produced. This pilot can be heard recorded on the Dead Pilot's Society Podcast's 3rd episode. Gourley has appeared on Community, HarmonQuest, Ghost Ghirls, and Drunk History, as well as doing voice work for Adventure Time.
Commercials Gourley's best known commercial work is his position as a spokesperson for Volkswagen in 2014 and 2015. He has also appeared in ads for McDonald's, Carlton Draught, Lowe's, Hewlett-Packard, Hyundai, Xbox, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Budweiser.
Podcasts In 2006, Gourley and Carter launched Superego, an improvisational podcast they conceived of on Christmas Eve 2005 based on the conceit of clinical case studies. Superego has since added Mark McConville, Jeff Crocker, and Paul F. Tompkins as regular cast members.
In September 2013, Gourley started hosting a podcast along with Matt Mira titled James Bonding on the Nerdist network, later acquired by the Earwolf podcast network. The podcast discusses the James Bond films one by one with guests. In November 2014, Gourley helped launch the new Wolfpop podcast network, a sister to Earwolf, along with Paul Scheer and Adam Sachs. As part of this launch, Gourley himself began a new podcast, titled I Was There Too, which focuses on the actors and stories behind the most classic scenes from film and television. Gourley also co-hosted The Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project on Earwolf with Andy Daly.
Gourley co-hosted Pistol Shrimps Radio with his Superego colleague Mark McConville. The podcast consisted of unedited commentary of the games of The Pistol Shrimps, a women's rec league basketball team in Los Angeles.
In addition to hosting his own shows, Gourley has guested on numerous podcasts over the years, including Never Not Funny, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Thrilling Adventure Hour, and Spontaneanation. In addition to editing Superego, Gourley has also edited Judge John Hodgman and The Sound of Young America.
In 2018, he started hosting In Voorhees We Trust With Gourley and Rust with Paul Rust, a podcast series reviewing every Friday The 13th film in the franchise. The self-proclaimed "easy-listening cozy-cast," now simply titled With Gourley and Rust, has had several seasons analyzing and discussing horror films.
Gourley has served as a producer and co-host on Conan O'Brien's podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend since it debuted in November 2018.
In January 2023, Gourley debuted the first episode of Mallwalkin''' with co-host Mark McConville. Each episode the co-hosts walk a local mall and comment on retail offerings while recording impromptu interviews with business owners and avoiding audio recording policy violations.
Gourley is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He composed the theme for I Was There Too with James Bladon. He has released a solo album titled Garanimal Farm, recorded tracks with his band named Townland, and released an album with The Journeymen titled Mount Us More.
Personal life In 1997, Gourley won a contest to see who could best imitate the sound of a flushing toilet.
Gourley lives in Pasadena with his wife, Amanda Lund, with whom he has two daughters.
Filmography
Television Year Title Episode(s) Role1996Kwik Witz Himself2003UltraforceAllKel2003Buckle Up!TV ShortMustang2003The Fastest Samurai in the WestTV series shortBad Ass Cowboy2003Time Belt"Oh. Shit. Zombies.""Can I Tell You a Story?""Hitler!""Got Any Micro-Transistors?"Jesus Christ2004"Finally"Soldier2004World Cup Comedy1x10Himself2004–2005Laser Fart1x3, 1x6Robot Dick2006Lingo5x57Himself2012Attack of the Show!August 11, 2012Himself2012Margot Rourke and the Boys ClubShortNarrator2012The Incendiary Adventures of a Scientist Gone Mad!ShortReplacement2013–2015Drunk History1x01, 1x08, 3x04, 3x13Narrator/Ian Fleming2013TakePart Live1x70Himself2013Ghost Ghirls"School Spirit"Ghost Dad2013Boardwalk Empire's Richard Harrow: Murderer for HireVideo short 2013The Funtime GangTV movieDet. Jeff Seabury2014Nerdterns"Key of Awesome in the Lipton Book of World Records"Julian P. Harumph2015Community"Wedding Videography"Briggs Hatton2015Comedy Bang! Bang!"Randall Park Wears Brown Dress Shoes With Blue Socks"Professor Ellis"Robert Kirkman Wears a Tan Blazer and Red Suit Pants"Martin Thomas Newton2015, 2020Talking Tom and Friends2 episodesGilbert (voice)2015Adventure Time"Orgalorg"Ma Elder (voice)2016Another Period"Harvard"Albert Einstein2016HarmonQuest"Earthscar Village"Chadge2017Blindspot"Borrow or Rob"Thad Munson2017Better Things"Blackout"BBC News Announcer2019Bajillion Dollar Propertie$"Royale Pains"Chavdar2019HarmonQuest"Goblopolis Lost"Chadge2020Kidding3 episodes Bobby Belongo2020The George Lucas Talk Show"Season VII: The Arli$$ Awaken$"Himself2021Close Enough"Men Rock!/Secret Horse"Additional voices2022Birdgirl"Fli on Your Own Supply"Office worker (voice)2026Big City Greens"The Farmies"Male Mass Produce Rep (voice)
Film Year Title Role2018You Are The CaptainDante Elmers
Podcasts Podcast Episode Date RoleSuperegoAll2006–presentDr. Matt Gourley, PyT/VariousComedy Bang! Bang!#382010/01/29Grandma Jonesy#2892014/05/26H.R. Giger#3082014/09/01Himself/H.R. Giger#3262014/12/15Ian Fleming#3482015/04/27Jim Chambers/Professor Stillwater#3702015/08/17Himself/Danielle Steel#3822015/10/19H.R. Giger#4052016/03/03Irvin Kershner#4122016/04/04Professor Stillwater#5552018/07/16Cal Buckley/Professor Stillwater#6232019/10/14Himself/Ted Kemper/Jed Kemper#6632020/07/05P.A.I.G.E.#7022021/4/18H.R. Giger#7462022/2/27P.A.I.G.E.#7872022/12/4Teen GigerThe Wolf Den#152011/05/15Himself#662014/11/05HimselfPop My Culture#522011/09/01Himself (with Superego)The Apple Sisters#17–182011/09/26–10/03This American WifeExtrasode 12012/08/20Advice columnistThrilling Adventure HourVarious2012–2015VariousThe Dead Authors PodcastChapter 52012/01/17Carl SaganChapter 192012/12/24Authors of the Gospel (John)Chapter 132012/12/31Brothers GrimmChapter 382014/10/09Ian FlemingChapter 472015/06/23Carl SaganAddendum ii2015/07/17Christopher MarloweAddendum iii2014/07/24Aleister CrowleyWalking the Room#1252012/10/16Himself (with Superego)The Andy Daly Podcast Pilot ProjectAll2013–2018Co-host/variousJames BondingAll2013–presentCo-hostQuit ItStar Charting2013/03/13HimselfEarwolf Presents#252013/12/16HimselfI Was There TooAll2014–2018HostHollywood Handbook#382014/06/24HimselfThe Nerdist Podcast#5482014/07/18HimselfNever Not Funny15J2014/10/12Himself16I2014/04/12HimselfWho Charted?#2102014/12/10HimselfHow Did This Get Made?#992014/12/12Himself (crossover with James Bonding)#1262015/12/25HimselfThe Canon#192015/03/23HimselfSpontaneanation#1, #10, #15,#16, #22, #27,#28, #34, #37,#58, #60, #62,#68, #86, #99.5#107, #125, #137,#145, #146, #155,#165.5, #171, #175,#1832015–2018ImproviserBlack List Table Reads#301–3042015/06/11–2015/07/02Get Up On This#2002015/07/14HimselfWelcome to Vinci2015/07/26HimselfPistol Shrimps RadioAll2015–2020Co-hostSuperego: Forgotten ClassicsAll2015Cast memberHello from the Magic Tavern100C2017Chamblin BunnycuddleWith Special Guest Lauren Lapkus#882016/07/22Dennis Palp#1212017/06/30MotherWith Gourley and RustAll2018–presentCo-hostConan O'Brien Needs a FriendAll2018–presentProducer and Co-hostBonanas for BonanzaAll2020–presentMutt TaylorKeys to the KingdomAll2023Co-host and Co-creator
Other appearances:Star Wars MinuteComedy Film NerdsEarwolf ChallengeAccept the MysteryCrackedPodcast: The RideJordan Jesse GoFeral AudioBefore You Were FunnySuccotashFeliz NavipodThe Biggest MistakeFilm JunkDoug Loves MoviesThe Big OnesNewcomersHow Did This Get Made?'' Harmontown
References
External links