Comedian David Cross channeled his rage and frustration with the state of post-9/11 America into some of the most potent and profane standup of the Bush era. Born April 4, 1964, in Atlanta, Cross briefly attended Massachusetts' Emerson College before dropping out to launch his standup career. After relocating to Los Angeles he was tapped as a writer for the Fox network's fledgling sketch comedy series The Ben Stiller Show, making a handful of cameo appearances onscreen before the program was unceremoniously canceled in 1993. Cross and Ben Stiller Show co-star Bob Odenkirk resurfaced on HBO in 1995 with their own sketch series, the groundbreaking Mr. Show with Bob and David. The program later spawned a feature film, Run Ronnie Run, which languished on the New Line Cinema shelf for years before finally earning a direct-to-DVD release, prompting writers/stars Cross and Odenkirk to disown the finished cut.