ABOUT MICHAEL
‘ When I got to the point I could
keep 1500 passengers from the buffet, I knew I had an act.’
Michael Burger is as busy as ever. Stand up on cruise ships around the world, hosting The Price is Right Live in cities around the country, and as host/warm up working with Betty White and the cast of one of TV hottest sitcoms to come along in years, Hot in Cleveland for TVLAND. Burger was introduced to the daytime audience as co-host of ABC’s Mike and Maty. CBS put Michael to work in late night with the dating show Personals. He also hosted Straight to the Heart for MGM/UA in syndication. CBS called again for Storm the Castle and UPN with Fremantle’s MAN O’ MAN that marked his hosting duties back into primetime.
The New Family Challenge, game show was the next but the dream job of hosting live television followed as Michael co hosted Home and Family with Cristina Ferrare. A live 2 hour broadcast that was as much fun as it was unpredictable. The crown jewel of game shows was next as Michael got tapped to host the classic game show Match Game.
Iron Chef USA, kept Michael cookin’ as well. As the play-by-play host and announcer, Burger brought his skills into the Kitchen Arena. Shot in Las Vegas in the MGM Grand arena, the world’s greatest chefs competed, thousands cheered on, and Burger did what he does best, all without a script. Speaking of Las Vegas a big payoff of fun was the opportunity to host Wheel of Fortune Live in Las Vegas at the MGM. Again, his wit and spontaneity were the perfect fit to this live version of this long popular game show. “This was Wheel of Fortune without a net. Guests picked at random from the showroom audience to play ‘Wheel’ on stage live. No audition. No rehearsal. No kidding. The combination of Las Vegas, alcohol, and tourists always make for a great show says Burger.
Even public television has found a spot for Michael. PBS often calls to have him to host their live pledge drives. On the acting front American Dreams (NBC) put Michael Burgers talents to use. A reoccurring role as Charlie O’Donnell, the American Bandstand announcer segued Michael back to primetime. 8 Simple Rules (ABC), Less than Perfect (ABC) have landed Michael for guest starring roles as well. The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (WB) even used Michael in an unbelievable segment where he had to pull off hosting a show that didn’t exist for an audience that didn’t know the difference. A sold out stage run of Love Letters with Cristina Ferarre has kept Michael just as busy acting as hosting.
Bypassing the classroom, Burger’s professional showbiz career began at sea. An agent caught his stand-up act at a local comedy club and booked him on a Royal Caribbean three-day cruise to Mexico “Cruise ships were my Catskills, my roadwork. While other comics were honing their skills in smoke filled rooms, I was doing a tight 30 at the Captains cocktail party and chasing it with a midnight buffet,” said Burger.
During one of the ocean voyages, a television producer caught his performance and hired him on the spot as the warm up comic for the program Dance Fever. From that humble beginning, Burger quickly became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after warm-up comics. Throw in a Cable Ace award nomination and sold out stand up performances around the country and you get the idea that he loves what he does and so do the people that watch
In the works is Burger’s first book. “What I Did Before I Got Here”, and two reality/game shows in development one network and one for first-run syndication.