Paul Dinello Movies and TV Shows: The Complete Career Guide

While casual television viewers may recognize Paul Dinello as the perpetually exasperated building manager Tad on The Colbert Report or the vain art teacher Mr. Geoffrey Jellineck on Strangers with Candy, his creative influence extends far deeper behind the camera as one of late-night television’s most prolific writers and directors.

A Second City touring company veteran who formed an indelible bond with Stephen Colbert and Amy Sedaris in the late 1980s, Dinello has built a multifaceted career that spans cult sketch comedy, Sundance film direction, bestselling satire, and Emmy-winning political comedy.

Below is the definitive guide to Paul Dinello’s movies and television shows.

1. Strangers with Candy (TV Series, 1999–2000 & Film, 2005)

Role: Co-Creator, Principal Writer, Director (Film), Geoffrey Jellineck
Dinello’s magnum opus remains Strangers with Candy. In addition to crafting the show’s razor-sharp, anti-moralistic storytelling alongside Sedaris and Colbert, Dinello portrayed Mr. Geoffrey Jellineck, Flatpoint High School’s deeply closeted, melodramatic art teacher. When the series made the leap to the big screen in 2005, Dinello took the director’s chair, guiding an ensemble that featured Matthew Broderick, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Allison Janney, and Sarah Jessica Parker. The film premiered in dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival.

2. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 2015–Present)

Role: Senior Producer, Staff Writer, Recurring On-Air Guest
When Stephen Colbert was named David Letterman’s successor on CBS’s flagship late-night franchise, Dinello was among the first key creative lieutenants brought to the Ed Sullivan Theater. Serving as a senior producer and core writer, Dinello has shaped monologues, produced high-profile remote segments, and made recurring on-screen appearances in comedy bits addressing political absurdities and broadcast milestones.

3. The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 2005–2014)

Role: Supervising Producer, Core Writer, Tad the Building Manager
Across nine historic seasons and 1,447 episodes, Dinello was an indispensable architect of The Colbert Report. Beyond supervising the writing team that earned multiple Emmy Awards and a Peabody, Dinello appeared frequently as Tad, the terrified studio building manager forced into hazardous stunts and surreal physical abuse by Colbert’s pompous pundit alter-ego. Dinello also co-wrote Colbert’s historic 2006 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner speech.

4. Gym Teacher: The Movie (Nickelodeon / Viacom, 2008)

Role: Director
Demonstrating his broad directorial range, Dinello helmed the 2008 family comedy feature Gym Teacher: The Movie. Starring Christopher Meloni as an obsessive former Olympic athlete turned middle-school gym coach seeking redemption in the National Physical Fitness Competition, the film also featured Amy Sedaris, David Alan Grier, and Cheech Marin. Dinello injected a playful, kinetic energy into the sports parody, making it a cult favorite on broadcast television.

5. Exit 57 (Comedy Central, 1995–1996)

Role: Co-Creator, Writer, Ensemble Actor
Before Strangers with Candy, Dinello, Sedaris, and Colbert teamed up with Mitch Rouse and Jodi Lennon for Exit 57, produced by HBO Downtown Productions. The groundbreaking sketch series earned five CableACE Award nominations, introducing Dinello’s signature deadpan sensibility and dark comedic timing to national audiences.

6. At Home with Amy Sedaris (truTV, 2017–2020)

Role: Consulting Producer, Writer, Guest Star
Reuniting with lifelong creative partner Amy Sedaris, Dinello contributed writing and production guidance to her surreal, critically celebrated hospitality and crafting show. Dinello also made on-camera cameos, maintaining the playful shorthand that has united the duo since their Second City days in 1988.

7. Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Role: Mr. Rooney (Supporting Appearance)
In Michel Gondry’s whimsical comedy about video-store clerks who “swede” Hollywood classics, Dinello made a memorable supporting appearance as Mr. Rooney, fitting seamlessly into Gondry’s handmade, lo-fi aesthetic.

Filmography Summary Table

To explore Paul Dinello’s personal reflections on his directing and writing journey, read the restored PD.net Exclusive Interview and the Official Biography.