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BIO
Mark Jonathan Davis is a writer, comedian, singer, director, and producer. He was born in New York, raised in Arizona, and has lived and worked in Los Angeles since 1990. He has over 40 years of experience working as an actor, entertainer, writer, and director in film, television, music, advertising/marketing, and politics.
Davis began his professional career in radio in the 1980's, working as morning show producer and air personality at legendary stations like KZZP in Phoenix and Pirate Radio in Los Angeles.
In 1990, he moved to L.A. to manage the Premiere Radio Comedy Networks, where he wrote and produced hit parody songs including "The Star Wars Cantina," "Jeannie's Diner," and "Rice Rice Baby." Davis recently released two compilation albums of his parodies, "The Parody Songs That Destroyed Earth" and "Parody Songs For A Better Tomorrow."
In 1992, Davis joined the KROQ-FM Kevin & Bean morning show in L.A. as producer, creative director, and on-air sidekick. He performed comedy songs, conducted celebrity interviews, managed live broadcasts, and created memorable on-air characters such as Paul The 55-Year-Old Intern, Shakespeare Man, Lt. Sulu, and Bob Hope. An album of his funniest Bob Hope call-in bits, "This Is Bob," was released in 2006. He also produced the station's annual Christmas cassettes, recording tracks with Johnny Cash, Phil Collins, Barry White, Ed McMahon, Cindy Crawford, Squeeze, Crowded House, Chris Isaak, and Tony Bennett.
In the early 1990s, Davis segued into television and worked as a network announcer, jingle singer, lyricist, and commercial producer. He wrote, sang, and produced numerous award-winning TV promos for NBC, CBS, MTV, TVLand, and Nick At Nite. He also created parody songs for the Disney Channel's "House Of Mouse" animated series, and performed as a voice actor in Warner Brothers Animation's "Superman" and "Batman Beyond" cartoons and movies.
In 1997, Davis was hired as a freelance copywriter and concept designer for Walt Disney Imagineering. For Disneyland's California Adventure theme park, he created names, slogans, and branding for numerous rides, restaurants, and retail stores, as well as advertising campaigns. He also provided voices for several attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Davis has also worked as a stuntman in a Chris Isaak music video, written jokes for President Bill Clinton, had several #1 hit songs on The Dr. Demento Show, appeared as himself on NBC's "NewsRadio," performed a Stupid Human Trick on The Late Show with David Letterman, and met President Barack Obama at a White House Holiday Party.
In the early 1990s, Davis segued into television and worked as a network announcer, jingle singer, lyricist, and commercial producer. He wrote, sang, and produced numerous award-winning TV promos for NBC, CBS, MTV, TVLand, and Nick At Nite. He also created parody songs for the Disney Channel's "House Of Mouse" animated series, and performed as a voice actor in Warner Brothers Animation's "Superman" and "Batman Beyond" cartoons and movies.
In 1997, Davis was hired as a freelance copywriter and concept designer for Walt Disney Imagineering. For Disneyland's California Adventure theme park, he created names, slogans, and branding for numerous rides, restaurants, and retail stores, as well as advertising campaigns. He also provided voices for several attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Davis has also worked as a stuntman in a Chris Isaak music video, written jokes for President Bill Clinton, had several #1 hit songs on The Dr. Demento Show, appeared as himself on NBC's "NewsRadio," performed a Stupid Human Trick on The Late Show with David Letterman, and met President Barack Obama at a White House Holiday Party.
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Since 2000, Davis has been recording and touring as Las Vegas lounge singer character Richard Cheese, who croons jazz/big-band versions of popular rock and rap songs. His Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine live swing band has sold millions of CDs, LPs, and album downloads, and performed sellout concerts around the U.S. and Europe.
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As Cheese, Davis has performed in the films "Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar," "Army Of The Dead," "The LEGO Batman Movie," "Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice," and "Dawn Of The Dead," and he's appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, HBO's "The Leftovers," The Jonathan Ross Show, Last Call With Carson Daly, Hangin' With Dr. Z, CNN with Anderson Cooper, and MTV's Say What Karaoke. His albums and live concerts have received critical praise from Variety, Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Esquire, The New Yorker, The Las Vegas Mercury, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. The latest Richard Cheese release, 2024's "Blue No Matter Who," is his 28th album.
Davis also produced Johnny Aloha: Lavapalooza, an album of Hawaiian-style tiki music versions of rock and rap hits; Mozzapella, an a cappella cover act; and "Sulu's Greatest HITS," a "Star Trek" comedy album based on his Lt. Sulu KROQ character.
In 2019, Davis self-published "Fonts In Paradise: Signs Of Mid-Century Hawaii," a hardcover book of photographs celebrating vintage Honolulu architecture. He is also developing books and multimedia projects about politics, astronomy, and art history, which will be released by his new entertainment production venture World Art Supply.
His next venture is an autobiography about his showbiz career, "GRATEFUL: 25 YEARS OF MUSIC, MOVIES, AND MADNESS WITH RICHARD CHEESE & LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE." The book is scheduled to be published in 2025.
In his spare time, Davis enjoys swimming, visiting museums, watching Turner Classic Movies, playing Scrabble, and eating pizza.
Davis also produced Johnny Aloha: Lavapalooza, an album of Hawaiian-style tiki music versions of rock and rap hits; Mozzapella, an a cappella cover act; and "Sulu's Greatest HITS," a "Star Trek" comedy album based on his Lt. Sulu KROQ character.
In 2019, Davis self-published "Fonts In Paradise: Signs Of Mid-Century Hawaii," a hardcover book of photographs celebrating vintage Honolulu architecture. He is also developing books and multimedia projects about politics, astronomy, and art history, which will be released by his new entertainment production venture World Art Supply.
His next venture is an autobiography about his showbiz career, "GRATEFUL: 25 YEARS OF MUSIC, MOVIES, AND MADNESS WITH RICHARD CHEESE & LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE." The book is scheduled to be published in 2025.
In his spare time, Davis enjoys swimming, visiting museums, watching Turner Classic Movies, playing Scrabble, and eating pizza.
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You can watch music videos on the official Mark Jonathan Davis YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/markjonathandavis You can download his albums at: markjonathandavis.bandcamp.com and music.richardcheese.com |
Click the links to read more about Mark Jonathan Davis and his work in Music, Radio, Television, Movies, Books, and Writing/Branding.
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FOLLOW MARK JONATHAN DAVIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
@MJDinStereo
@RichardCheese
@JohnnyAloha
@FontsInParadise
