| Sal Iacono | |
|---|---|
Iacono at Citi Field in New York City during the NLCS Game 2 on Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets on October 18, 2015 | |
| Pseudonym | Cousin Sal |
| Birth name | Salvatore Iacono |
| Born | July 5, 1971 (age 49) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | SUNY Oswego (1993) Touro Law Center (J.D., 1996) |
| Spouse | Melissa Iacono |
| Children | 3 |
| Relative(s) | Jimmy Kimmel (cousin) Jonathan Kimmel (cousin) Micki Marseglia (cousin) |
Sal Iacono (born July 5, 1971),[1] also known as Cousin Sal, is an American attorney, comedian, writer, and game show host. He is known for his roles on The Man Show and the late night television show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He is Jimmy Kimmel's cousin, hence his nickname Cousin Sal.
Your new favorite home for podcasts, videos, picks, contests, live events and countless arguments over fruit was founded after he left one of the most successful media companies in the world to create his own in the midst of the 2020 global pandemic, proving once and for all that no one likes to gamble more than Cousin Sal. Sal Iacono (born July 5, 1971), also known as Cousin Sal, is an American attorney, comedian, writer, and game show host. He is known for his roles on The Man Show and the late night television show Jimmy Kimmel Live! He is Jimmy Kimmel's cousin, hence his nickname Cousin Sal.
Early life[edit]
Iacono was born in Brooklyn to Fran Iacono and Vincent Iacono. He graduated from Elwood-John Glenn High School in 1989 and attended SUNY Oswego, earning a degree in Public Justice in 1993.[2]
He went on to study law at Touro Law Center[citation needed] in Huntington, New York on Long Island, receiving his Juris Doctor in 1996.[citation needed] In 1997, Iacono moved from Long Island to Hollywood to pursue a career in television.[citation needed]
Career[edit]
Television writing and hosting[edit]
Iacono's first foray into television writing was on the Fox Sports program Sports Geniuses,[1] a sports-themed game show starring Matt Vasgersian on which Sal also appeared nightly in a trivia challenge. From there, he joined the writing staff of Comedy Central's The Man Show starring Adam Carolla and Iacono's cousin Jimmy Kimmel.[3] In 2002, Iacono joined Kimmel during his weekly prognostication sketches on Fox NFL Sunday. Iacono wrote for the puppet show Crank Yankers.[4]
When Win Ben Stein's Money co-host Nancy Pimental left the show in 2002, Iacono replaced her, becoming Ben Stein's co-host and comic tormentor.[5] Iacono was the co-host through the rest of the run of the series and was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Game Show Host category.
Jimmy Kimmel Live![edit]
Iacono has been a permanent member of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! writing staff since 2003.[1] He also appears frequently on the show in comedy sketches. These comedy bits are often shot using a hidden camera, and 'Cousin Sal' either helps Jimmy prank their aunt Chippy or he pretends to be a store employee or delivery person who is incredibly inept or annoying. Cousin Sal's victims are invariably dumbfounded or become extremely infuriated, much to the delight of the viewing audience.[6]
WWE[edit]
On Jimmy Kimmel Live! on May 16, 2008, Iacono had a birthday cake delivered to Kimmel on air by his favorite wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper. He and Piper were confronted by Santino Marella, who had the cake thrown on him and was attacked by Iacono. The following Monday, Marella (dressed as Piper) brought Iacono to the ring on Monday Night Raw to 'apologize' to 'Cousin Sal'. The real Piper entered the ring and Marella got his own apology cake thrown on him and on his way back to the locker room, he challenged Iacono to a wrestling match, which Piper accepted on Iacono's behalf. The match took place at the Friday Night SmackDown! tapings in Los Angeles on June 3, 2008. Sal was accompanied to the ring by Kimmel and Piper, and won the match.[7]
Podcasts[edit]
Iacono is a regular guest on The Bill Simmons Podcast. 'Cousin Sal' picks the lines for the next weeks NFL games, defends the Dallas Cowboys, and talks about sports and sports betting with Bill. Sal also joined the Adam Carolla Podcast on Mondays during the 2010 NFL season to discuss the previous Sunday's NFL action. In May 2017, Iacono became host of the 'Against All Odds' gambling podcast, part of Simmons's Ringer Podcast Network.[8]
In July 2020 Iacono debuted a new podcast called Extra Points with his friend Dave Dameshek as part of a newly formed sports gambling media company of the same name founded by Iacono.[9]
Writing[edit]
Along with his appearances on Bill Simmons's podcast, Sal was also a regular columnist on Grantland.com, which was a sports and pop culture website formerly run by Simmons.[10]
His book, You Can't Lose Them All was released in early 2021.[11]
Fox Sports[edit]
Sal is an analyst on Fox sports gambling show Fox Bet Live.[12] Its series premier was on September 10, 2018.[13]
In 2002, Sal was a guest prognosticator with his cousin Jimmy Kimmel on FOX NFL Sunday. In addition, starting in 2019 for FOX NFL Thursday, Sal will be the prognosticator.[14] Kimmel has also made a guest appearance on it.
Personal life[edit]
Iacono currently resides near Los Angeles with his wife, Melissa, and three sons, Archie, Jack, and Harrison (aka Harriso).[15]
References[edit]
- ^ abcSal Iacono profile at IMDb
- ^'Cousin Sal From Jimmy Kimmel Live!', MySpace.com; accessed May 16, 2014.
- ^'The Man Show' (1999)
- ^Crank Yankers Television show - Crank Yankers TV Show
- ^Win Ben Stein's Money in Jump The Shark
- ^ABC.com: Jimmy Kimmel Live! - Video IndexArchived 2008-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/archive/06062008/cousinsalvssantino
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2010-11-18. Retrieved 2010-11-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^Chuba, Kirsten (July 27, 2020). ''Cousin Sal' Iacono Launches Sports Gambling Media Company Extra Points'. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2020-08-25. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
- ^'Cousin Sal Iacono profile'. Grantland.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
- ^Iacono, Sal (12 January 2021). You Can't Lose Them All: Tales of a Degenerate Gambler and His Ridiculous Friends. ISBN9781538735343.
- ^'Sal Iacono'. Fox Sports PressPass. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
- ^Pedersen, Erik (2018-08-29). 'Fox Sports Takes Action On 'Lock It In', Daily Sports-Gambling Show With 'Cousin Sal' Iacono'. Deadline. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
- ^'Cousin Sal Joins Thursday Night Football Pregame Show'. Barrett Sports Media. 2019-09-26. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
- ^Jimmy Kimmel Live! biopageArchived 2008-03-26 at the Wayback Machine
External links[edit]
- Sal Iacono at IMDb
For better or worse, Jimmy Kimmel’s Cousin Sal has been synonymous with sports betting for the last decade, thanks to his recurring spots on Bill Simmons’ podcasts (from ESPN to Grantland to The Ringer). Now, Sal Iacono is attempting to go from an extra wheel to the big fish in the pond.
On Monday, Iacono announced the launch of Extra Points, his own sports media company that will be focused on (what else?) gambling. Taking a page out of The Ringer’s book, it appears that Extra Points will be a podcast-centric venture, with a self-titled, thrice weekly show featuring Iacono and Dave Dameshek as its flagship program.
Here’s more, from The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, The Ringer’s Against All Odds podcast will be moving to Extra Points.
After years of guest appearances as the go-to gambling aficionado, Sal Iacono, AKA “Cousin Sal,” has started his own venture with Extra Points, a media company focusing on sports, sports betting and comedy.
Cousin Sal Kids
Presented by Mush Media, the company launched Monday with its flagship podcast Extra Points, hosted by Iacono and The NFL Network’s Dave Dameshek, which will release episodes weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays across all major platforms. Iacono and his childhood friends “The Degenerate Trifecta” will also move their Against All Odds show from The Ringer to Extra Points, along with new comedy podcast Laugh Lines that will premiere Wednesday with a rotating lineup of comedians.
Iacono also released a trailer for the new podcast.
Cousin Sal On Twitter
Iacono and Kimmel are executive producers on ESPN’s forthcoming 30 for 30 on the 1986 Mets, and Iacono remains a panelist on FS1’s Fox Bet Live, the rechristened Lock It In.
The sports gambling scene is becoming increasingly populated by a variety of outlets, catering to both the hardcore and casual gambler. Given the existing audience that both Iacono and Dameshek have, through The Ringer, the NFL, and their other work in sports media, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Extra Points hit the ground running and somewhat maintain that pace given the connections that those involved have, in the worlds of both sports and entertainment. But will they be able to take this venture to the next level? Only time will tell, and full seasons of both the NFL and college football this fall will only help.
Cousin Sal Best Bet
[THR]
Cousin Sal Twitter
The post Cousin Sal has started his own sports media company focused on gambling appeared first on Awful Announcing.