Paul Gilmartin

Paul Gilmartin was born on January 9, 1963, in South Holland, Illinois. He attended St. Joseph’s school in Homewood and later became an alumnus of Indiana University at Bloomington, where he majored in theater and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Gilmartin also studied at Chicago’s renowned Second City. Prior to his career in stand-up comedy, which began in 1987, he regularly performed in various plays across Chicago.

In 1995, Gilmartin began his tenure as a co-host for TBS’s ‘Dinner and a Movie,’ a position he held for over 16 years until the show’s finale in 2011. During this time, he was recognized for his sardonic wit and improvisational skills, contributing to the show’s success in significantly improving TBS ratings. The program was noted for combining movies, improvisational comedy, and culinary education. His television appearances also include his own half-hour special, ‘Comedy Central Presents Paul Gilmartin,’ as well as ‘Politically Incorrect,’ ‘The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,’ and contributions to ‘The Adam Carolla Show’ and ‘The Bob and Tom Show.’

Gilmartin launched ‘The Mental Illness Happy Hour’ podcast in 2011. This weekly long-format interview show addresses mental health topics such as depression, addiction, and anxiety, featuring interviews with comedians, artists, and medical professionals. The podcast quickly gained popularity, achieving over one million downloads in its first year and becoming a highly-ranked self-help podcast on iTunes. Diagnosed with clinical depression in his mid-30s and later addressing drug and alcohol addiction, Gilmartin’s personal experiences inform his empathetic approach to the show’s sensitive subject matter. He has been sober since 2003 and also engages in woodworking, creating pieces in a Danish Modern style.