Trivia: One of the few members of the New York-based MTV comedy troupe "The State" to hail from the Midwest, Chicagoan comedian Thomas Lennon is also an accomplished screenwriter.Born in Oak Park, IL, on August 9, 1970, Lennon attended New York University as an undergraduate in the late '80s, at a point when Todd Holoubek -- a member of the campus sketch comedy team "Sterile Yak" -- abandoned that earlier group in favor of forming an alternative improvisational ensemble, christened "The New Group." Comprised largely of freshmen, the team blended film, video, and live performance in its live audience shows. Lennon joined the ensemble, as did fellow coeds Kevin Allison, Michael Ian Black, Ben Garant, Michael Patrick Jann, Kerri Kenney, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Michael Showalter, and David Wain. Following a series of original shows (which began with "I'm Rubber, You're Glue"), The New Group landed its first gig as the opening act for Dennis Miller during one of the comedian's appearances at NYU, circa 1990. He paid them 1,000 dollars total. In the early '90s, Lennon made several short films, including The Waiters, which ran on the Bravo network; meanwhile, after MTV formally rejected the ensemble's pitch for a weekly series, Wain worked with the others to shoot demos for the MTV series You Wrote It, You Watch It, which catalyzed the network's interest. At that point, The New Group changed its name to "The State: Full Frontal Comedy." They landed an official series on MTV in 1993, boosted by an appearance on The Jon Stewart Show, in which they completely demolished the comedian's set. Over the course of the first two years, ratings skyrocketed, carrying the series through several seasons. It wrapped in 1997.During the series' run, Lennon wrote much of the material, including the popular "Monkey Torture" sketch. After the show ended, he joined cast members Kerri Kenney and Michael Ian Black to create the Comedy Central variety show spoof Viva Variety, based on an old sketch from The State. Lennon transitioned to features by voicing the documentarian character in the hit comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous, the feature-film debut of State director Michael Patrick Jann. Lennon also appeared in the feature films Memento, Out Cold, and Boat Trip, as well as TV commercials for various candy items and video-game platforms. Returning to the television series format, Lennon sustained a recurring role in the short-lived ABC medical drama MDs. He then reunited with Kenney and other State members to create the reality cop show spoof Reno 911!, starring himself as pretty-boy Lieutenant Jim Dangle. Directed by Jann, the show became a hit on Comedy Central in 2003.Lennon maintained a busy schedule in 2004, with supporting roles in the A-list romantic comedies A Guy Thing, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Le Divorce. That same year, he also did screenwriting work (alongside many others) on Todd Phillips's Starsky & Hutch (2004), and the terribly received action comedy Taxi, starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. While Reno 911! continued through 2005, Lennon contributed to the scripts of such mainstream releases as Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005), The Pacifier (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), and Let's Go to Prison!2007 saw the young comedian and scenarist involved in his most ambitious project to date. He posed a triple threat as cast member, executive producer, and screenwriter of that year's Balls of Fury, directed by fellow "Stater" Ben Garant, one of the major forces behind Reno 911! He was cast in Hancock and the comedy I Love You, Man. In 2009 he co-wrote Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. He had a small but crucial role in 2011's Cedar Rapids, and appeared in the comedies Bad Teacher and What's Your Number?Lennon lives with his wife, Jenny Robertson, in Los Angeles.

Trivia: The only female member of the sketch comedy troupe the State, comedian Kerri Kenney is also a writer, voice actor, and musician. She was born in Connecticut to Larry Kenney, who was the voice of many TV characters (including Sonny the Coco Puffs bird and Lion-O on Thundercats) as well as a regular on the Don Imus radio show. While studying at N.Y.U., she started a joke band called Cake Like with actress Nina Hellman and fashion designer Jody Seifert. The project turned into a real band with Kenney as the lead singer, bassist, and lyricist. After the debut release Delicious on John Zorn's Avant label, Cake Like released Bruiser Queen and Goodbye, So What? on Neil Young's Vapor label.Meanwhile, Kenney was writing and starring on The State, which aired for three seasons on MTV. After the TV series was canceled, she continued to work with her fellow cast members on various comedy projects. Viva Variety was a spoof on European variety shows that aired for two seasons on Comedy Central. Kenney played glamorous hostess the former Mrs. Laupin, along with co-host Mr. Laupin (Tom Lennon) and sidekick Johnny Bluejeans (Michael Ian Black). On the big screen, she appeared in several independent comedy projects with Troma vet Will Keenan, including Love God, Terror Firmer, and Waiting. Taking after her father, she also provided voices for the animated television series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Disney's The Weekenders, Clerks, Kim Possible, and Invader ZIM. In 2001, she made it to prime-time network television as domestic Pam on the CBS sitcom The Ellen Show. After Ellen was canceled, she reunited with State friends Tom Lennon and Ben Garant to come up with a reality cop show spoof. As co-creator, writer, producer, and cast member, Kenney helped make Reno 911! one of the most highly rated shows on Comedy Central in 2003. The same year she got a chance to work with her dad on the VH1 special SuperSecret TV Formulas.

Trivia: A Renaissance performer who is perfectly at home (and who has proven herself adept) in a broad array of genres and formats, Niecy Nash dreamed of an acting career from early girlhood. She trained as a theater major at California State University, Dominguez Hills, then obtained her first paid acting assignment by virtue of an L.A.-area casting director who enlisted her in Herbert Ross' 1995 comedy drama Boys on the Side. That assignment resulted in a memorable scene opposite Whoopi Goldberg, and Nash followed it up four years later with a small role in Robert Altman's comedy Cookie's Fortune (1999). The actress made her most enduring impact on television, however, with guest spots on NYPD Blue and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, vocal work as Tollie Mae on the offbeat animated sitcom Kid Notorious, and -- perhaps most endearingly -- a regular assignment as Deputy Raineesha Williams on the raunchy, rollicking police-themed sitcom Reno 911! In 2007, Nash starred as the character of Jacuzzi opposite Cedric the Entertainer and Lucy Liu in the comic thriller Code Name: The Cleaner. Nash also hosted the Style Network's home-makeover series Clean House, and emceed both Emmy and Oscar pre-shows.

Trivia: Started his career in college appearing in student theater productions, including the lead role in Sweeney Todd. Is an alumnus of Minneapolis' Brave New Workshop, whose past members include Al Franken, Peter MacNicol and Mo Collins. Landed his first major TV role with Comedy Central's Cops parody Reno 911! While still appearing as a police officer on Reno 911! on TV, he played a prison guard in the 2004 movie Meet the Fockers. In addition to his film and television work, has lent his voice to various video game, including Iron Man 2, Mafia II and Crash: Mind Over Mutant.

Trivia: Known to many as the mustachioed Deputy Travis Junior on the farcical Reno 911!, Robert Ben Garant first made an impression with audiences on the sketch-comedy show The State, which ran on MTV from 1993 to 1995. The show's bizarre and outlandish sensibilities gave viewers a taste of what was to come with Garant, who would take a break from film and television during the late '90s, only to return in 2003 to help create, write, and act in Reno 911!, which was a hit on Comedy Central. Garant then re-teamed with his writing partner Thomas Lennon to pen the scripts for Herbie: Fully Loaded, The Pacifier, and Night at the Museum. In 2007, Garant and the rest of the cast of Reno 911! brought their show to the big screen, with Reno 911!: Miami, and that same year, Garant put on both the writer's and director's hat with the over-the-top ping-pong comedy Balls of Fury. In 2009 he wrote the script for Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

Trivia: As a fresh-faced college kid, Joe Lo Truglio probably never guessed that joining the sketch comedy troupe The State would eventually lead to a successful career in TV and movies. But when the New York-based group got its own show on MTV in 1993, Lo Truglio and the group's 10 other members gained a foothold in the media that they would all build on for years to come. Drawing on influences like Monty Python and Kids in the Hall, The State's bizarre brand of comedy struck a chord with audiences, and even after the show ended its run in 1995, many members of the group would find new projects together and with up-and-coming names in comedy. Lo Truglio went on to appear in a wide variety of projects, like The Station Agent, Hitch, The Sarah Silverman Program, Pineapple Express, and Superbad. He also collaborated with his castmates from The State for a number of comedic projects, like 2001's summer camp satire Wet Hot American Summer and for the popular Cops spoof Reno 911!

Trivia: Best known for playing Deputy James Garcia on the mockumentary series RENO 911! Started out as a stand-up comedian and has done extensive voice-over work for animated shows. Voiced the Taco Bell Chihuahua ("Yo quiero Taco Bell") in the fast-food chain's 1997-2001 ad campaign. Is an avid skydiver.

Trivia: Best known for her role as Deputy Clementine Johnson on the series Reno 911! between 2003 and 2009, actress and comedian Wendi McLendon-Covey has also garnered fans as a member of the popular Groundlings improv troupe. Following her run on Reno 911!, McLendon-Covey began making more appearances on the big screen, in films like 2010's Public Relations and 2011's Bridesmaids -- the later of which found the emergnig actress scoring her biggest mainstream hit to date. Meanwhile, the former Reno 911! star could once again be seen on the small screen thanks to a recurring role on the hit sitcom The Rules of Engagement.

Trivia: Created and performed a one-woman stage show based on the behind-the-scenes life of Judy Garland called Judy Speaks. Appeared as a correspondent on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and was a regular on the short-lived Comedy Central satire Crossballs. Lead singer for country/indie pop band Cottonhead. Provided her voice for the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Portrayed bumbling Dep. Kimball on Reno 911 in 2007. Was a member of the Broadway cast of Hairspray in 2008. Appears in the 2011 George Clooney film The Descendants.