Andrew Santino
Andrew James Santino (born October 16, 1983) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster based in Chicago, Illinois. Raised in the city with an early inclination toward entertainment and humor, Santino developed his craft through stand-up before transitioning to on-screen roles and audio content. His career highlights include starring roles in television series such as Dave on FX alongside Lil Dicky and I'm Dying Up Here on Showtime, as well as appearances in films like The Disaster Artist (2017) and Ricky Stanicky (2024). Santino hosts the interview podcast Whiskey Ginger , featuring discussions with comedians and entertainers, and co-hosts the improvisational comedy podcast Bad Friends with Bobby Lee, which has garnered a substantial following for its unscripted banter. Known for his sharp observational style and quick improvisation, he continues to tour with stand-up specials and maintains an active presence in comedy circuits.
Andrew Santino was born on October 16, 1983, in Chicago , Illinois . He spent his early years in the city's River North neighborhood, an area characterized by its urban density and cultural mix. Santino was raised primarily by his mother, Elizabeth Margulies, in Section 8 subsidized housing, reflecting a modest socioeconomic background amid Chicago's working-class environment. His father, Anthony Santino, a railroad engineer, was less involved in his daily upbringing following the parents' separation.
Santino's heritage combines Italian ancestry from his paternal side and Irish roots from his maternal lineage, contributing to a bicultural household dynamic. He has one sister , Ali Macofsky, with whom he shares a close but non-biological sibling relationship , often highlighted in his personal anecdotes and podcast discussions. This family structure, marked by single-parent rearing and blended influences, fostered an early aptitude for humor; as a child , Santino displayed a natural talent for eliciting laughs from peers and family, which he later credited as an initial outlet for navigating his circumstances. The Irish Catholic elements in his background, including associated guilt narratives, have been referenced in his comedic material as shaping his worldview . Chicago's vibrant, multicultural setting during his formative years provided additional stimuli, exposing him to diverse social interactions that informed his observational style.
Santino graduated from Naperville North High School in Naperville, Illinois , in 2002. He then attended Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona , though no public records confirm completion of a degree.
From a young age, Santino demonstrated a knack for humor, entertaining family and peers, which fueled his early ambition to pursue a career in entertainment. While at Arizona State University , he took initial steps toward this goal by performing stand-up comedy , marking the beginning of his professional interests in the field.
Santino began exploring comedy through sketch and improv during his college years at the University of Connecticut, where he performed in campus productions. After graduating around 2005, he relocated to Los Angeles and transitioned to stand-up, initially performing at open mics and the Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard. His early sets were challenging, with Santino later recalling his first open mic as particularly poor, consistent with common experiences for novice comedians.
To support himself while honing his craft, Santino contributed as a writer and actor on the ninth and final season of MTV's Punk'd in 2007, hosted by Ashton Kutcher , marking his initial professional entry into television comedy production. This hidden-camera prank series provided exposure to comedic timing and performance under pressure, though stand-up remained his primary focus.
