person

Michael J. Nelson

Personal Info

Known For

Writing

Gender

Male

Birthday

1964-10-11

Place of Birth

St. Charles, Illinois

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.

Also Known For

poster

65

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

Apr 19, 1996

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80

RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins

Aug 17, 2021

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88

RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate

Aug 16, 2012

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97

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead

Oct 24, 2013

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88

RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space

Aug 20, 2009

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60

Max the Hero

Oct 20, 2007

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90

RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors

Aug 17, 2017

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80

RiffTrax Live: RAD

Aug 17, 2023

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100

Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers

Aug 15, 2013

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94

RiffTrax Live: Godzilla

Aug 14, 2014

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55

RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing

Aug 18, 2022

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64

RiffTrax Live: Octaman

Apr 18, 2019

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NA

The Year of Laughing Dangerously

poster

100

GrimTrax

Jan 19, 2024

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90

RiffTrax Live: Point Break

Aug 08, 2024

poster

90

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3

Nov 07, 2000

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NA

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1

Jul 01, 1998

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80

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2

Oct 01, 1999

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75

Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Dec 05, 2013

poster

80

RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection

Oct 01, 2015

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82

RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers

May 05, 2016

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NA

This Is MST3K

Nov 14, 1992

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88

Rifftrax Live: The Room

May 06, 2015

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80

Poopie!

Nov 23, 1995

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90

Three Stooges: Greatest Routines

Dec 01, 1964

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NA

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey

Sep 03, 2013

poster

82

RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror

Oct 25, 2012

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63

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado

Jul 10, 2014

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78

RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party

Jun 15, 2017

poster

90

Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls

Oct 27, 2016

poster

61

Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop

Apr 13, 2017

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76

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2

Sep 15, 2015

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NA

The Last Dance: RAW

Oct 31, 1999

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85

RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny

Aug 10, 2018

poster

47

RiffTrax Live: Mothra

Aug 18, 2016

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70

RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus

Dec 04, 2014

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100

RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders

Jul 06, 2019

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87

RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny

Dec 03, 2015

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85

RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill

Oct 28, 2010

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80

RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion

Oct 18, 2019

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82

RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!

Dec 16, 2009

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70

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013

May 30, 2013

poster

77

Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015

Mar 06, 2015

poster

90

RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion

Jun 28, 2016

poster

77

Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016

Apr 04, 2016

poster

90

Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness

Aug 19, 2010

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NA

MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special

Mar 22, 1995

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NA

Poopie Parade of Values

Nov 23, 1995

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NA

The Rifftrax Yule Log

Nov 18, 2018

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NA

RiffTrax: Super Zeroes

Jan 24, 2025

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NA

RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes

Jan 07, 2022

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100

RiffTrax Live: Timecop

Aug 14, 2025

poster

NA

Santa's Village of Madness

Dec 21, 2012

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NA

1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review

Sep 02, 1997

poster

100

Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer

Aug 17, 2011

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NA

The Three Stooges in Color

Apr 26, 2005

poster

NA

GrimTrax Returns

Jan 16, 2026

poster

NA

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments

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NA

Hunks of Junk

Feb 06, 2026

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

70

Total Riff Off

Apr 01, 2014

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76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

NA

The Adventures of Edward the Less

Jan 01, 2001

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989

poster

NA

Rifftrax

Jan 01, 2006

poster

NA

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments

poster

76

Mystery Science Theater 3000

Nov 25, 1989