Dan Piraro Biography

Dan Piraro was born and raised in the dead center of the United States. An avid artist since childhood and an art school dropout, he had a successful career as a commercial illustrator before becoming a cartoonist. "Bizarro" was first syndicated in 1985 and since then has built a steady and loyal following in the United States and Canada, as well as in parts of Europe, Asia and South America.

In addition to 11 collections of "Bizarro"cartoons, Piraro has published two books of prose, including "Bizarro Among the Savages" and "Bizarro and Other Strange Manifestations of the Art of Dan Piraro." In the former, he recounts his surreal book tour across the country, which was entirely funded by his readers and during which he stayed in the homes of oddball fans. In "Bizarro and Other Strange Manifestations of the Art of Dan Piraro," he offers hilarious and thought-provoking insights into his life and the world at large via his cartoons, never-before-seen sketches, photographs and paintings.

"Bizarro"won three consecutive Reuben Awards in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, from the National Cartoonists Society for Best Cartoon Panel of the Year.

Dan Piraro regularly speaks to school children, community groups and colleges and works as an animal rights activist. For his animal rights-themed cartoons, he was awarded the 2002 Humane Society’s Genesis Award for Outstanding Cartoonist. In 2006, the HSUS honored Piraro with its highest award, the Genesis Award for Ongoing Commitment. He also creates comedy segments for The Next Big Thing, a syndicated program produced by WNYC, the public radio affiliate in New York City. In 2004, Piraro was nominated for the National Cartoonists Society's highest award, Outstanding Cartoonist of the Year.

Dan has recently created a one-man stand-up comedy show called "The Bizarro Bologna Show" and has performed it in a number of cities around the country, including Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland and New York. The Bologna Show's run in the 2002 New York International Fringe Festival was voted "Best Solo Show," and The New York Times called it "...a shrewd tour of a cartoonist's imagination" and "...wildly applauded."

Dan Piraro resides in New York City with his wife, Ashley.

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