Comedian Patton Oswalt translated his acerbic, defiantly absurdist sensibility into surprising mainstream success, enjoying a thriving television and film career without dulling his edge. Born January 27, 1969, in Portsmouth, VA, Oswalt initially pursued a career as a writer, and also worked as a paralegal before performing his first open-mic gig at the Washington, D.C., club Garvin's in the summer of 1988. He began his professional standup career the following year and in 1992 relocated to San Francisco, continuing to hone his craft in nightclubs. After collaborating with fellow comedian Blaine Capatch on Food for Thought, a series of short films for the cable network Comedy Central, Osw... ... More