Amazon’s ‘The NFL Pile On’: Why Does Taran Killam Look so Familiar?
Amazon has added a new program to its football lineup, enlisting actor and comedian Taran Killam to host the NFL’s first official comedy show. Killam is a renowned actor, comedian, and producer with a decades-long career. If you’re wondering why he looks so familiar, read on to find out.
‘The NFL Pile On’ is a strategic move for Amazon Prime Video
A week before Amazon debuted its Thursday Night Football, the tech giant decided to expand its NFL programming by ordering the league’s first comedy show, The NFL Pile On. The series will air weekly and offer a comedic deep dive into some moments from the previous week’s games.
Hosted by Taran Killam, the show will be produced with NFL Films and will air every Wednesday. Killam won’t be the only star of the show as comedian Sarah Tiana will join him. The pair will also host special guests every week.
The NFL Pile On will showcase the unexpected and funny moments across the NFL, from mic’d-up players during the warmups to postgame press conference one-liners. According to The Hollywood Reporter (per Amazon), everything is fair game on The NFL Pile On, from studio shows to faux pas and social media.
Carnival Cruise Lines signed a major advertising deal with Amazon as the show’s exclusive advertiser and presenting sponsor. The show is a strategic move on Amazon’s part, designed to drive tune-in for Thursday Night Football.
Amazon has always shared rights to Thursday Night Football with TV holders in other seasons. This season marks the first time the tech giant has exclusive rights and has even hired former NBC NFL announcer Al Michaels who will team up with analyst Kirk Herbstreit to lead the coverage.
A glimpse at Taran Killam’s career, including his new Amazon job
Taran Killam said of the opportunity, “I am so excited and grateful to help launch a show about two things I love: football and comedy.” He added, “The fact that we are supported by the NFL and Prime Video means we can provide exclusive all-access content to Prime members and NFL fans alike.”
Killam is a diehard fan of the Los Angeles Rams and usually wears the team’s jersey at home games. Before his role on The NFL Pile On, Killam appeared in Naked Gun 33+1/3: The Final Insult in 1994. He then appeared on the Amanda Bynes sketch comedy vehicle The Amanda Show.
From 2001 to 2002, Killam was part of the cast of MADtv for the sketch show’s seventh season. He also appeared on Wild ‘n Out for its third and fourth seasons. He then appeared in several TV shows, including Boston Public, Stuck in The Suburbs, Judging Amy, and Do Over.
In 2010, he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, becoming famous for his spot-on impressions of several celebrities, including Brad Pitt and Donald Trump. In 2016, he and castmate Jay Pharaoh left SNL. While he claimed at the time that his exit was due to contract renewal issues, he clarified years later that he left because SNL became an “exhausting environment.”
What is Taran Killam’s net worth?
Taran Killam’s work extends to outside TV. He also did Broadway appearing in Hamilton in 2017 as King George III. According to IMDb, Killam has 82 acting credits. He also made some cameos in his wife, Cobie Smulders’ hit series How I Met Your Mother.
The pair met in 2005 when Smulders shot a pilot with Paul Campbell. After several years of dating, Killam popped the big question in January 2009, and the pair tied the knot four years later on Sept. 8, 2012. Smulders and Killam share two daughters.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Killam is worth $10 million.
