Judah Friedlander
Who Judah Friedlander is
Judah Friedlander is a stand-up comedian and actor from Gaithersburg, Maryland, who first tried stand-up in 1989 as a 19-year-old New York University student and kept performing several nights a week in New York while playing the writer Frank Rossitano on NBC's 30 Rock from 2006 to 2013. His act is built on a deadpan 'World Champion' persona and slogan-bearing trucker hats, and his Netflix special America Is the Greatest Country in the United States (2017), which he also directed and edited, was filmed over several nights in New York. His film work includes American Splendor, which earned him a 2004 Independent Spirit Award nomination, and he wrote the books How to Beat Up Anybody and If the Raindrops United.
At a glance
- Born
- 1969
- Based in
- New York, NY
- Stand-up specials
- America Is the Greatest Country in the United States
- Podcasts
- How to Beat Up Anybody: An Instructional and Inspirational Karate Book by the World Champion and If the Raindrops United
- On screen
- 30 Rock, American Splendor, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp and 2 more
- Official site
- judahfriedlander.com ↗
On stage
No dated show on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now — their own site has their dates: judahfriedlander.com ↗.
Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →
Specials, shows and podcasts
Stand-up specials
- America Is the Greatest Country in the United States 2017, Netflix
On screen
- 30 Rock Frank Rossitano, NBC, 2006–2013
- American Splendor film, Toby Radloff, 2003; Independent Spirit Award nomination
- Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Ron von Kleinenstein, 2015
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Gordy, 2017
- Bordertown voice, 2016
Podcasts
- How to Beat Up Anybody: An Instructional and Inspirational Karate Book by the World Champion book, 2010
- If the Raindrops United book
Comedians like Judah Friedlander
Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.
- Jason Salmon also in 30 Rock
- Ben Bailey also in 30 Rock
- Hannibal Buress also in 30 Rock
- Janeane Garofalo also in Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp
- Margaret Cho also in 30 Rock
- Mark Viera also in 30 Rock
- Marlena Rodriguez also in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- Tracy Morgan also in 30 Rock
Career timeline
- 1969Born
- 2003American Splendor (film, Toby Radloff, 2003; Independent Spirit Award nomination) On screen
- 200630 Rock (Frank Rossitano, NBC, 2006–2013) On screen
- 2010How to Beat Up Anybody: An Instructional and Inspirational Karate Book by the World Champion (book, 2010) Book
- 2015Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (Ron von Kleinenstein, 2015) On screen
- 2016Bordertown (voice, 2016) On screen
- 2017America Is the Greatest Country in the United States (2017, Netflix) Special
- 2017Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Gordy, 2017) On screen
Questions about Judah Friedlander
Where is Judah Friedlander performing next?
No date is on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now; their own site has their dates: judahfriedlander.com ↗.
What stand-up specials have they released?
America Is the Greatest Country in the United States.
What podcast do they host?
How to Beat Up Anybody: An Instructional and Inspirational Karate Book by the World Champion and If the Raindrops United.
What TV shows and films are they in?
30 Rock, American Splendor, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Bordertown.
Where are they based?
New York, NY, as their record gives it.
When were they born?
In 1969.
Who are some comedians like them?
Jason Salmon (also in 30 Rock), Ben Bailey (also in 30 Rock), Hannibal Buress (also in 30 Rock), Janeane Garofalo (also in Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp) and Margaret Cho (also in 30 Rock).
The full SUCDb record
The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Judah Friedlander ↗ Born 16 March 1969 in Gaithersburg, Maryland; first stand-up in 1989 at 19 while at NYU; performing stand-up several nights a week in New York during 30 Rock…
- Judah Friedlander — official site ↗ Live comedy dates: The Lincoln Lodge, Chicago, 18–19 December; nightly shows in New York City (read 29 September 2026)
- Judah Friedlander — official site, Books ↗ Books: If the Raindrops United and How to Beat Up Anybody (read 29 September 2026)
- Eventbrite — The Lincoln Lodge presents Judah Friedlander Live In Chicago ↗ All-new stand-up at The Lincoln Lodge, Chicago, from Friday 18 December 2026 (read 29 September 2026)
- Netflix — Judah Friedlander: America Is the Greatest Country in the United States ↗ The special's title page: the self-proclaimed world champion performs over several nights in New York (read 29 September 2026)
Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 29 September 2026