GUS Alum Launches New Show on Comedy Central

Date: 

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Anthony Atamanuik ’90 might very well be on his way to becoming one of Glen Urquhart School’s most famous alumni. The GUS grad is the creator and star of the recently debuted The President Show on Comedy Central, and he’s been writing, performing, and producing comedy for over twenty years.

Anthony came to GUS in the seventh grade, which he claims was a difficult age to change schools. He previously attended a secondary school in Boston, and he was persuaded by former Glen Urquhart teacher Ruth Conway to look at GUS. “I was friends with Ruth’s son Ben, whom I had gone to Harborlight Montessori with. When I came to GUS, I had to repeat my seventh grade year, which was certainly a humiliating experience, but I felt instantly welcomed at GUS. This really was the beginning of my first true friendships, and where I met my three best friends, who are still my close friends today. One of them, David Bullivant, just came to the show premiere. I have to say that coming to GUS built my confidence and changed the course of my life.”

After graduating from GUS, which then had a ninth grade, Anthony attended Hamilton Wenham Regional High School, where he was actively involved in theater. “I first became interested in performing at GUS. The thing that is great about GUS, which I often think of, is the integrated learning, and how one subject connects to another and one discipline informs another. I also remember that everyone had to participate in the visual arts, in dance, and in theater. I still have video of my dance performance, and video of the eighth grade play The Hobbit, in which I played Gandalf. I also remember performing my first stand-up routine at a weekly school assembly.” Prophetically, in the 1990 GUS yearbook, which Anthony still has, he is referred to as “the official class stand-up comedian.”

Following high school, Anthony attended Emerson College, where he graduated with a BS in Film Theory. In 1997, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. While living in LA, Anthony worked for Jim Henson Interactive and the Mr. Show, among other projects. He moved to New York in 2000 and started training and performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. He also appeared on 30 Rock and Broad City.

The President Show is the first time Anthony has starred in or been at the creative heart of his own TV series, and he says he is enjoying the sense of camaraderie he has with his team.

“The people on this show remind me of my time and friends at GUS. We work collectively and truly support one another, something that is rare for a television show.” Anthony says that so far the show has been very well received and has good ratings. He encourages all GUS families to watch the show, possibly even upper school students, who might be interested in watching what he calls “true political satire.”  Stay tuned, The President Show is taped in the renowned Stephen Colbert studio and airs Thursdays at 11:30 p.m., following The Daily Show on Comedy Central.

Watch his recent interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.