Andy Kindler

Andy Kindler was a recognizable face on television throughout the 1990s and 2000s, most notably for his recurring role on the popular sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS 1996-2005). But among comics, he was much better known for his impassioned critiques of his chosen profession. In 1991 he wrote a biting piece for National Lampoon called "The Hack's Handbook." The piece lambasted his fellow comedians for being "too predictable" in their acts, and thrust Kindler into the national spotlight seemingly overnight. In 1995, Kindler parlayed his newly-anointed role as the comedy world's foremost critic by giving a yearly "State of the Industry" address at Montreal's Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. Kindler gave his first address in 1995; the talk soon grew to become a widely anticipated yearly event among comedy insiders.