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I am Thomas Middleditch. You may know me as Richard Hendricks from HBO's SILICON VALLEY or "the fishbowl guy" from WOLF OF WALL STREET. AMA.
I'm an actor / writer / comedian.
You can follow me on Twitter at @middleditch.
Victoria's helping me get started. AMA.
ThomasMiddleditch219 karma
Imagine many strands of cooked spaghetti, firm not soft, tied together end to end. MANY strands.
ElLuthe147 karma
How many times a week does somebody come to you and start to sing "she wants to be in the middle" ?
Im11YearsOld108 karma
Why the bitch is this on the front page? My dick is off for sir Michael Chik if this gets one more d-vote.
SteezyGypsy106 karma
Where did you get the sweater that you always wore on Jake and Amir??
ThomasMiddleditch100 karma
OK, I'm going to go now. Thanks all for taking part in this, hope you had fun. Or maybe not fun, maybe just a time. I hope there was time that begun and ended, and now you can move on into another time. This time hopefully has someone you like in it, with something you like to do. There, I think that summed it up quite nicely. PARTY ON.
JakeIsOnReddit83 karma
A couple of years back on an episode of You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes, you mentioned that you had sort of a strained relationship with Kumail at the moment. You said you didn't want to talk about it since you didn't have complete perspective on it. Now, you guys are on a TV show together and seem to get along. I was wondering, if you felt more comfortable talking about it now, what exactly happened, and how did you guys reconcile? I understamd if that's too personal. I love the show, and think you're absolutely hilarious. Thanks for doing this AMA!
ThomasMiddleditch141 karma
When you know someone for a long time, especially someone who is close to you, there are times where you don't see eye to eye. I'm really thankful for this show, it's brought Kumail and I closer together, and honestly, back to being best friends where we belong. Same with TJ. When you spend 15 hours a day with someone, you better figure out how to be pals again. This show has saved two very important relationships in my life.
ThomasMiddleditch96 karma
Lissun, u can even think about it, ok, cuz its like against the law an' shit.
ThomasMiddleditch159 karma
Zach and I have been on dates. We see movies together. I need you to understand this.
sheetzz49 karma
Are you ever going to do a film with Schwartz in the future? You two are my favorite comedy actors and the more you do together the better!
sccrstud9248 karma
Do you have any plans to get back on the CBB podcast again? The "calling china" segments are some of the funniest things I had heard in a long long time.
ThomasMiddleditch46 karma
Was on there again just recently. When Scott asks, I shall heed his call.
hodorexmachina44 karma
Hello, and thanks for your time! My dad - whom I suspect to be the brogrammer of his office - is always appreciative of the scientific accuracy in Silicon Valley. (He does laugh condescendingly every time the Weissman Score is mentioned.) How much of the science do you understand? Also, out of all of your fellow cast-members, who is the most similar to the character they portray?
ThomasMiddleditch96 karma
I know a little, only because I'm interested in it. But I do NOT know how to program. No one does. Mike Judge did in the 80s, Kumail studied it for a bit then forgot it. Basically, we're actors. BUT, we're actors who play video games, go to Comicon, and attend Renn Faires in garb, so...
cptfalconcrunch43 karma
Hello there Mr. Middleditch! I'm catching up on Silicon Valley Season 1 currently, and I really love the show, just wondering, how many gigabytes does their company own? I personally got to know you through Jake and Amir, although I'm sure you're tired of hearing about it now. I heard a while ago you talked about having fun working with the role of Doobs because you could be crazy, and it was glorious. Are you happy to have moved on with the role? If there ever is a Jake and Amir Television show, are you interested in participating? Hope all is well, Cheers!
ThomasMiddleditch69 karma
Silicon Valley currently owns 6 gigabytes, which is A LOT. Remember, each gigabyte is a thousand megabytes -- remember when they were big news? As for Doobs, I loved playing that character. If it comes up again and makes sense, I'd be into it. Love Jake and Amir, and we'll get into doing comedy again for sure.
tegorange43 karma
How did you become such a cool boy and an inspiration to millions? Every time I see you I feel so euphoric
Jackpot9633 karma
What specs do you run on PC? Do you plan on buying a fully operational simulation cockpit for Flight Simulator? Thanks!
ThomasMiddleditch37 karma
When I get the space, a sim pit is definitely a possibility.
Specs I don't know off by heart but it's a Maingear Shift. I've swapped some parts out though.
elib20631 karma
what was your take on that salon article a couple weeks back that credited Kumail as an actor on the Big Bang Theory?
Pretty ironic, eh?
ThomasMiddleditch116 karma
In an article where they were defaming us for sexism they followed up be being racist in the most blissfully unaware way. It's a great example of the type of journalism that Salon is interested in. Gotta find something to get mad at.
kayjay2527 karma
What the fuck were you thinking cleaning out that bowl on new issue day?
ON NEW ISSUE DAY!!!!!!!!!
juiceygooesy1225 karma
First off, thanks for doing this, I'm a big fan. My question is, since your fame as come relatively quickly in this past few years, what has been the biggest change in your every day life?
ThomasMiddleditch91 karma
I get asked for selfies a lot. We live in a world of selfies. Life is selfie.
oshaghennessy24 karma
You came to perform at the college of charleston and I made all of my friends go to your show even though they had never heard of you. It was one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. I'm the annoying kid that you called doobs and then proceeded to make fun of my name for the remainder of your act. I ask for your forgiveness and do you plan on doing another stand up tour in the future?
ThomasMiddleditch43 karma
You've scarred me for life and I'm giving up on the entertainment industry. If anyone needs me I'll be in the Yukon.
sexualnapalm24 karma
Can we expect you and Schwartz to ever take your two man show on the road?
Principal_Interval23 karma
Dear Thomas, I am proud to see that as of 12 episodes ago, you have finally made it as a Hollywood actress in the brilliant student film, Silicon Valley.
It is one of the funniest shows I have ever seen that also keeps me genuinely interested in the plot.
Consider answering just one of the following three queries
1) Who is the quickest improvisor you have ever worked with (famous or not)?
OR
2) Do you have a favorite comedy sketch? (like a Monty Python or something)
OR
3) In the show, how many gigabytes does your company own?
Namaste, and good night, sweet prince.
ThomasMiddleditch28 karma
1) There's a group out of Chicago I perform with called The Improvised Shakespeare Company. They are gentlemen and scholars.
2) Kids In The Hall were my jam as a young man.
3) So many tons of them.
MasterEjzz21 karma
What is your opinion on the hate the TJ Miller received after the Crunchies?
ThomasMiddleditch61 karma
People love to get mad at things. TJ was being TJ. They hired him, not the other way around. He, and really no comedian should, censor themselves. So they brought a giraffe into a forest and got mad that the giraffe tried to eat the tree leaves. People are sensitive and love to express that via negativity to someone else.
DKDNZ21 karma
Hey Thomas, big fan of Silicon Valley here :)
Have you ever had a crazy fan experience or something like that?
Thanks a lot for doing this AMA.
ThomasMiddleditch62 karma
Nothing crazy crazy. Mainly creepy. Sometimes I'll look over and there's just someone with their phone taking a picture. That's weird, you guys, just come over and say hi. You don't have to be Kraglore The Kreep.
DrFishyNOO20 karma
How fast could You jerk off the entire appropriatly gendered audience at tech crunch?
admiralakbar51714 karma
Hi Mr. Middleditch!
Thank you for doing this AmA! I was wondering what your experiences were like working on the set of Wolf of Wall Street? How was working with Scorsese and all the other wonderful cast people?
Thank you so much!!
ThomasMiddleditch29 karma
I thought Scorsese was great. Small, enthusiastic, positive. Leo was a knockout. Seriously, he's exceedingly charming. Other than that, I got yelled at for six hours (because that was the scene).
ThomasMiddleditch27 karma
I'm a King's fan. In the game, I'll play as the Kings or the Leafs. On EASHL (which wasn't in the last NHL game, shockingly enough) I'll drop in with whatever game, but I usually turn off my headset because there's too much racism and homophobia in random games. Sad.
Never checked it out.
ThomasMiddleditch24 karma
No major projects now. I want to make a really nice wooden longsword though.
ThomasMiddleditch61 karma
Love is abstract and relative. There is no one love for everyone. Love for me is different than it is for you. And what's more, to that, it changes. Love for me will be different in ten years, as it will be for you. Love is really only chemicals in your brain. It can be manipulated by environment, interaction, and even drugs. Mankind alone is not the only being capable of it. But what is it to a dog, elephant, or dolphin? The same thing? How can it be when it is so intangible? Does it make it less valid? Who is the arbiter of validity?
Love is your own and uniquely belonging to your experience, yet shared inextricably with the one you love.
ThomasMiddleditch23 karma
I get it. It's been a long time. There's nothing wrong with wrapping something up when it's still positive as opposed to tired. It was a great series, those guys worked very hard on it.
pbreig11 karma
Hi Thomas. Huge fan. I have two questions.
How much time on an average do you spend on your hair every day? Or is it just naturally this beautifully curly?
Also, did you finally get to see a komodo dragon?
ThomasMiddleditch20 karma
You think my hair is beautiful? You are just a real charmer... I wake up and then I look in the mirror and then I put on a hat.
I have never seen any time of dragon. Komodo or otherwise.
RedFrogMario11 karma
Hey Thomas!
I'm currently a student at iO Chicago. I know you were there for a bit. Can you tell any fun stories from your time there? Also, you kill it on every podcast I hear you on. I don't know how to end this. Good bye.
ThomasMiddleditch17 karma
I love Chicago. Great place to learn improv. One time, at an Improvised Shakespeare Company show, the logic was that the secret to the show, the thing we were all searching for, was inside this piece of gum that was on the edge of a woman in the audience's glass. Like, she had chewed it there and stuck it there. It fell down and made a noise, then we all pounced. So the only way to get the secret out was to chew the gum. I chewed it. Then Joey Bland asked "what was the secret?" and I said "you have to chew it to find out." We all ended up chewing that woman's old gum, then wrapped up the show, then stuck the gum over the arch. It was great. Gum stayed there for a while, I'm sure it's gone now though.
darklink3710 karma
How often do people come to you and call you Doobs? Does it still bother you? I remember you mentioning it you the Jake and Amir podcast.
ThomasMiddleditch16 karma
I don't really mind it that much. There's a difference between recognition and support as opposed to spam and trolling. I was dealing with the latter for a bit but things have evened out for the time being. Part of the game, I suppose. Bummer though.
MasterEjzz10 karma
Do you have any experience with software development, like your character Richard in Silicon Valley? Do you understand what you say on the show?
mamimamo10 karma
One of the things I love about Silicon Valley is that despite it being absolutely hilarious, all of the cast members are so committed to their characters. The acting is just superb. I'm curious if you'd ever consider taking a dramatic role?
bs2234310 karma
First of all, thank you so much for doing this. I loved your work in Jake and Amir, where I first saw you, and in Silicon Valley, where you are killing it. Also that scene in Wolf of Wall Street containing you is one of my favorites. I also recently saw you in Atlanta when you did the stand up show with Kumail, it was phenomenal.
My question is, which episode/scene in Silicon Valley has been the most fun for you to do?
ThomasMiddleditch19 karma
There's one coming up in this season where TJ and I talk to Zach about putting tampons up his butt. Look for it.
Fodux9 karma
How geeky/techie are you in real life? How familiar were you with the tech world and programming before Silicon Valley?
tofrandi8 karma
Actually I know you more from CollegeHumor and Key and Peele! I think you are like the male version of Anna Kendrick :P Anyway, your favorite actor you've worked with and why?
ThomasMiddleditch22 karma
She complimented my suit once. I was very flustered.
I think Will Ferrell is up there. He was so kind, so enthusiastic about comedy... he included my in conversation when I was a very small potato. Just a real tiny tot. And he was just a genuine dude.
r3l0ad1ng8 karma
If you could do one thing to Silicon Valley show, what would it be ? It's awesome by default but I hope you'd have thought something that would make the show even more awesome.
ThomasMiddleditch85 karma
We get to the end of the internet and find a portal to the Game Of Thrones world. We zap in, and I become the Father Of Dragons and marry Daenerys so we can all move on from her boring free-the-slaves plotline.
ReraldDimple8 karma
How did you first get involved with Jake and Amir?
Also want to say I love listening to you on If I Were You, you're always a fantastic guest!
ThomasMiddleditch15 karma
Thanks dude. Got involved through College Humor. All good people over there.
Fozzy247 karma
What was your favorite scene from Wolf Of Wall Street, and what was it like acting alongside Leonardo Dicaprio? Thanks a ton!
ThomasMiddleditch17 karma
Leo was great, but my personal scene was really between Jonah and myself. He was great, too. Scorsese likes to make sure he gets coverage, so we did it different ways a whole bunch of times.
I loved Leo on Quaaludes. A real physical comedian!
jtang88887 karma
Hey Thomas! I'm a huge fan of doobs and Silicon Valley, so I'm curious- what do you mostly get recognized from, jake and Amir or Silicon Valley?
Also, do you have a CD rom drive?
ThomasMiddleditch15 karma
Silicon Valley takes the cake. And my CD-ROM drive hasn't stopped spinning since the 90s, dude. Get with it.
Slaytounge7 karma
I feel like you kind of popped up out of nowhere, does it sometimes feel like that to you too? Obviously you worked very hard to get here, but now does it feel like you've "made it"? You're on a pretty big HBO show, how has that changed your life?
ThomasMiddleditch12 karma
I can see how that would appear. I've been at it for fifteen years now. SV has definitely changed a lot of things. That's what happens to many actors. They hustle at it for a while until something pops. For me it's been performing live comedy, writing, big parts in small films and small parts in big films, commercials, internet sketches... and then SV comes along. But believe me it's not like it was my first audition.
BadGameBoy6 karma
Hey Thomas, I loved your episode of You Made it Weird with Pete Holms where you dissected your "bro breakup". How did you feel about that experience and do you two still stay in touch?
ThomasMiddleditch9 karma
Sure we do. We're both busy boys though so we don't hang out as much as we like.
sm336 karma
I saw you do improv at UCB before I ever saw you on TV/in the movies, and I'm extremely happy that you still make time to do shows as often as you do (loved Snowpants last night!). What keeps you coming back to the stage?
ThomasMiddleditch12 karma
I love it. There are thousands of just-ok shows that are all good and fine and I like doing them... but then there are the truly great ones. Those are shows where everything comes together. You can't get it through TV or film, but only through live performance. I'll be in the pursuit of those for as long as I'm able.
TheFunkiestKong6 karma
Was it difficult playing doobs again in the finale after all the harassment you got on social media? Can't wait for your episode of Comedy Bang Bang!
ThomasMiddleditch23 karma
Admittedly, I was reluctant. Then I remembered that for every troll there are thousands of people that are just straight up fans. I loved playing Doobs.
rickbrody956 karma
Hey, Thomas!
I'm a huge fan of yours, I first watched you in Jake and Amir, and now I'm following Silicon Valley which I started watching solely because you starred in it.
Two questions: Of all the things you've done, what was the hardest scene to finish because you couldn't stop laughing?
How do you find time to enjoy your hobbies with your busy life?
Keep being hilarious, can't wait to see more Silicon Valley!
ThomasMiddleditch16 karma
Oh wow. It's hard to remember the time I broke the most. I break all the time, is the thing. I remember, back in Chicago, TJ and I used to shoot these short films with our director friend Jordan Vogt-Roberts (who's doing the new King Kong movie) and one night we bought a pig. Like a dead pig, but a whole pig. And we dressed it up like a baby and pretended that we had to babysit it. It was one of the weirdest, most macabre night I've ever been through. I was both disgusted and delighted the entire time.
Less free time nowadays...
Dihard115 karma
Do you do open jams at improv places such as Nerdist School? Are you planning on doing Beta Test? Nerdmelt is a great place to perform and see shows.
ThomasMiddleditch6 karma
I'm going to try and do Beta Test tomorrow night, although I have no idea what I'm going to do or say. It kept me up last night.
throwingaway023195 karma
Just wanted to say that I loved your standup routine with Kumail at MIT last year!!! Huge SV fan as well as a lot of shorts you've done with CH, Pete Holmes, and others!
How do you balance so many things? You're a great actor, improviser, and standup. How do you decide which projects are worth your time and which ones to let go?
ThomasMiddleditch8 karma
I just want to do stuff I'm proud of. If I think I'll enjoy it and the end result will be good, I'll get after it. Sometimes I'm wrong, but there ya go.
aiko8bit5 karma
Hi Thomas, I love Silicon Valley and I'm a subscriber to your twitch stream. My boyfriend is a shy, somewhat awkward tech worker that wears hoodies and occasionally gets panic attacks just like Richard. Hell, you two even look alike. His name is Tom as well. Are you method acting his life?
ThomasMiddleditch16 karma
I've been in contact with him for years. Tom and I are best friends.
lliamkc5 karma
Off screen, do you have a love for computing and technology? If not, did you have to learn it all before the show? (Love the show by the way)
ThomasMiddleditch9 karma
Yes I do. Very much. It's why, if I don't understand what I'm talking about, I can grasp it in some way.
ThomasMiddleditch26 karma
In terms of sheer difficulty, the shows with a lot of tech jargon are pretty tough. I'm dumb, you see, and I have to pretend I'm smart. That's hard for a dumb person to do.
Gunnahzz4 karma
hey Thomas!
you as Nightcrawler in the Ex-men sketch was hilarious,
how hard was it to not break while working with Pete Holmes?
ThomasMiddleditch11 karma
Pete and I like to laugh. It's hard not to laugh around Pete, he'll bring it out of you if it's the last thing he does.
edce3 karma
Hey Thomas! I watched the entire first season of Silicon Valley on a flight. Suffice to say it was the shortest plane trip of my life. My questions to you are: Were you surprised you got the role (not that you don't deserve it)? Also, what was it like filming the scene where T.J. Miller tears into the kid that sold you fake Adderall? And finally, can you please join Jake and Amir on their Australia tour (or at the very least, the Perth show) so I can meet you in person and give you the applause you truly deserve?
ThomasMiddleditch5 karma
I'd love to go to Oz. I lived in Noosa Heads for a few months when I was 18.
I was very happy to get the part of Richard. It's honestly a dream come true.
Butthole_Don3 karma
Hey man, I saw you and Zack Woods at UCB Sunset last night and immediately went home and watched season one of Silicon Valley in its entirety. Yall are hilarious.
What's it like getting to work with your friends? And how much of the show is Retroscripted?
ThomasMiddleditch8 karma
It's the best.
I would say if anything, we improvise on top of the script. We get great scripts, and we just try to add a little character color or a little moment. If it's good and can't be used we might find another spot for it, but we like to keep it in-the-moment.
arifterdarkly3 karma
hello sir, big fan right here!
your character on Silicon Valley seems darker, brooding, this season. do you agree - and if you do, was that something you requested?
also, i enjoyed the hell out of you and Jordan painting the streets red with your sniper skills that one time on twitch. (not that i didn't like the Viking saga.) will you guys play ARMA III together - and if so, will you tell me what server you're on? like you i have yet to find a nice regiment.
ThomasMiddleditch4 karma
If I can get all my chores done tonight, I'll play a little more with Jordan. I'd love to get on ARMA. It would be cool to jump in a large co-op mission.
wippyj3 karma
You look like my friend cole? Can I call you cole? Or be my friend? Maybe both even.
johnnyjoe823 karma
I was intrigued by what you said about GURPS in the Rolling Stone. What's the funniest scenario you've been involved with?
ThomasMiddleditch17 karma
In GURPS? Well, I GM'd a game where everyone had to pick a signee of the Declaration of Independence. They had to research that person, then present them to the group. Then they had to make that person with 120 points as accurately as they could. The game kicked off just after everyone signed the DoI. Then... one man turned into a werewolf. They had to go find Washington, and he trained them into being psychic monster hunters.
threepwood322 karma
I saw you in a rap battle at Upright Citizens Brigade about three years ago, and you made it to the semifinals but didn't win. Question: have your battle rap skills improved since then?
benduder2 karma
Any plans to do some live shows in the UK? I would love to see you improv but am hesitant to pay £1000 to fly out to LA... unless you reeeaaallly convince me
ackwelll2 karma
YES! Hello, my good sir.
When will your next Twitch stream be?
And what games are you currently playing?
Any games in the future that you're especially looking forward to playing?
ThomasMiddleditch5 karma
I wanted to get Elite Dangerous working but something between that game and Xsplit doesn't work. I dunno, what am I looking forward to? In all honesty? DCS 2.0
I can only say that I'll Twitch when I can. Schedule is just too crazy otherwise.
nugget021 karma
Do people ever call you Thomas M.D.? (You know, like a doctor.) And if not should they?
ThomasMiddleditch2 karma
No, and yes. I have PHDs in funk, rhythm, and taking care of business.
veracity8213 karma
Just how long are Amir's father's legs?
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