Craig Gass

While Christopher Walken, Al Pacino, Adam Sandler, and Lars Ulrich might not believe they have anything in common, they most certainly do. They're among the arsenal of impressions that's made Craig Gass one of comedy's most formidable and flexible talents since he first hit the stand-up circuit in 1993. The story of how Gass developed his ability to impersonate the famous and infamous is nearly as amazing as watching him shape-shift. He grew up in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., with a father, mother, and sister who are all completely deaf. As the sole hearing member of this happy if unconventional family, he learned to speak from copying the voices he heard on TV. His sense of humor and love of performance were evident at an early age. After catching the stand-up bug and cutting his teeth at comedy clubs in the New York area, he caught the attention of Howard Stern, who unleashed him on his listeners. The connections he made also led to gigs on such shows as Sex and the City, Family Guy.