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
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie
Apr 19, 1996
RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins
Aug 17, 2021
RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate
Aug 16, 2012
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead
Oct 24, 2013
RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space
Aug 20, 2009
Max the Hero
Oct 20, 2007
RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors
Aug 17, 2017
RiffTrax Live: RAD
Aug 17, 2023
Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers
Aug 15, 2013
RiffTrax Live: Godzilla
Aug 14, 2014
RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing
Aug 18, 2022
RiffTrax Live: Octaman
Apr 18, 2019
The Year of Laughing Dangerously
GrimTrax
Jan 19, 2024
RiffTrax Live: Point Break
Aug 08, 2024
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3
Nov 07, 2000
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1
Jul 01, 1998
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2
Oct 01, 1999
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Dec 05, 2013
RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection
Oct 01, 2015
RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers
May 05, 2016
This Is MST3K
Nov 14, 1992
Rifftrax Live: The Room
May 06, 2015
Poopie!
Nov 23, 1995
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
Dec 01, 1964
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey
Sep 03, 2013
RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror
Oct 25, 2012
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado
Jul 10, 2014
RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party
Jun 15, 2017
Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls
Oct 27, 2016
Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop
Apr 13, 2017
RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2
Sep 15, 2015
The Last Dance: RAW
Oct 31, 1999
RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny
Aug 10, 2018
RiffTrax Live: Mothra
Aug 18, 2016
RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus
Dec 04, 2014
RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders
Jul 06, 2019
RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny
Dec 03, 2015
RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill
Oct 28, 2010
RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion
Oct 18, 2019
RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!
Dec 16, 2009
RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013
May 30, 2013
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015
Mar 06, 2015
RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion
Jun 28, 2016
Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016
Apr 04, 2016
Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness
Aug 19, 2010
MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special
Mar 22, 1995
Poopie Parade of Values
Nov 23, 1995
The Rifftrax Yule Log
Nov 18, 2018
RiffTrax: Super Zeroes
Jan 24, 2025
RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes
Jan 07, 2022
RiffTrax Live: Timecop
Aug 14, 2025
Santa's Village of Madness
Dec 21, 2012
1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review
Sep 02, 1997
Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer
Aug 17, 2011
The Three Stooges in Color
Apr 26, 2005
GrimTrax Returns
Jan 16, 2026
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments
Hunks of Junk
Feb 06, 2026
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Total Riff Off
Apr 01, 2014
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
The Adventures of Edward the Less
Jan 01, 2001
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Nov 25, 1989
Rifftrax
Jan 01, 2006
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments