Michael J. Nelson
Biography
Michael J. Nelson is the former host and writer of the Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning Mystery Science Theater 3000. Since that time, he has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, penned a regular column for TV Guide, and authored best-selling books for both HarperCollins and Abrams. His first book, Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, thrilled critics, including Richard Schickel of Time Magazine, who said of Mike, "He's more fun than a barrel of Val Kilmers... Smarter than a roomful of Patrick Swayzes... and almost as hilarious as Keanu Reeves." Mike's laugh-out-loud follow-up, Mind Over Matters, prompted Kirkus Reviews to enthuse, "From someplace called Minnesota comes a Nelson funnier than Ozzie, Ricky, Lord or Half," and even dared to compare him to another legendary writer, saying of his Serious Speech to Business People, "[It] could easily precede [Robert] Benchley's immortal Treasurer's Report." And Kirkus Reviews loved his novel, Death Rat!, saying, "Fast-paced, outrageous and funny, first-novelist Nelson's mockery of media mendacity is as biting as La Dolce Vita or Network--only funnier!" Nelson speaks all over the country, is a frequent guest on radio and television, and along with fellow former MST3K writers/performers Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy operate a podcast called RiffTrax, which, in a similar vein to MST3K, targets more mainstream films.
Known For(66 works)
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989Mystery Science Theater 3000
1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
1996Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
1996
RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party
2017RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party
2017
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments
RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
2015RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
2015
RiffTrax Live: RAD
2023RiffTrax Live: RAD
2023
RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders
2019RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders
2019
The Year of Laughing Dangerously
The Year of Laughing Dangerously
RiffTrax Live: Point Break
2024RiffTrax Live: Point Break
2024
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3
2000Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3
2000
RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny
2018RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny
2018
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015
2015Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015
2015
RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion
2016RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion
2016
RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate
2012RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate
2012
GrimTrax
2024GrimTrax
2024
RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus
2014RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus
2014
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016
2016Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016
2016
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2
1999Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2
1999
RiffTrax Live: Octaman
2019RiffTrax Live: Octaman
2019
The Last Dance: RAW
1999The Last Dance: RAW
1999
RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing
2022RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing
2022
RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
2009RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
2009
RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection
2015RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection
2015
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013
2013RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013
2013
Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness
2010Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness
2010
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
2013Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
2013
RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill
2010RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill
2010
RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes
2022RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes
2022
This Is MST3K
1992This Is MST3K
1992
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1
1998Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1
1998
RiffTrax: Super Zeroes
2025RiffTrax: Super Zeroes
2025
RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins
2021RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins
2021
RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!
2009RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!
2009
Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers
2013Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers
2013
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2
2015RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2
2015
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead
2013RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead
2013
Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop
2017Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop
2017
RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors
2017RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors
2017
RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror
2012RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror
2012
RiffTrax Live: Timecop
2025RiffTrax Live: Timecop
2025
GrimTrax Returns
2026GrimTrax Returns
2026
Rifftrax Live: The Room
2015Rifftrax Live: The Room
2015
The Rifftrax Yule Log
2018The Rifftrax Yule Log
2018
RiffTrax Live: Godzilla
2014RiffTrax Live: Godzilla
2014
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey
2013Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey
2013
RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion
2019RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion
2019
MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special
1995MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special
1995
Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls
2016Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls
2016
RiffTrax Live: Mothra
2016RiffTrax Live: Mothra
2016
The Film Crew: Killers from Space
2007The Film Crew: Killers from Space
2007
The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon
2007The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon
2007
The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo
2007The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo
2007
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado
2014RiffTrax Live: Sharknado
2014
RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers
2016RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers
2016
Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer
2011Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer
2011
Hunks of Junk
2026Hunks of Junk
2026
The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark
The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark