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.â€
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!â€
Mike continues to work in all media and has just completed a commentary track to the hugely successful re-release of the classic Reefer Madness as well as Night of the Living Dead, Carnival of Souls and The Little Shop of Horrors. He speaks all over the country and is a frequent guest on radio and television, having recently appeared on the Starz and Encore networks and the widely syndicated Hugh Hewitt Radio Show.
MSNBC online recently named him one of the 10 sexiest movie men (along with Antonio Banderas and Tom Selleck!), saying, "The attraction of Nelson is that of The Protector: He will deflect the evil power of the bad movie with his Carol Channing impressions, making Patrick Swayze films safe again for you and me."