Pauly Shore
The MTV VJ turned 90s film star who embodied a specific, slacker-surfer brand of comedy for a generation.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American Comedian and actor·Birthday: February 1·Generation X
Biography
Pauly Shore erupted from the comedy club into living rooms as a hyper, slang-spouting MTV VJ, becoming the network's face of youthful irreverence in the early 90s. His persona—the 'Weasel'—a laid-back, valley-speak surfer dude, was perfectly pitched for the moment. It propelled him to leading roles in a string of studio comedies like 'Encino Man' and 'Son in Law,' which, while often panned by critics, found a devoted audience. His career arc is a distinct piece of 90s pop culture history, representing a bridge between stand-up, cable TV, and the teen movie boom. After the studio vehicle phase waned, Shore maintained a loyal following through stand-up tours, podcasting, and independent films, often reflecting with self-aware humor on his unique place in Hollywood.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Pauly was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pauly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Pauly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred in and carried a series of mainstream Hollywood comedy films in the 1990s, including 'Encino Man' and 'Bio-Dome.'
- Became one of MTV's most recognizable VJs, helping define the channel's on-air personality in the late 80s and early 90s.
- Voiced the character Bobby Zimuruski in Disney's 'A Goofy Movie' and its sequel.
- Has maintained a decades-long career in stand-up comedy, touring consistently.
Did You Know?
He is the son of Mitzi Shore, the founder of the legendary Comedy Store club in Los Angeles.
Shore began performing stand-up comedy at the age of 17.
He hosted his own MTV show, 'The Pauly Shore Show,' and a spring break special called 'Pauly in Paradise.'
In 2003, he starred in a reality series on MTV titled 'Minding the Store.'
“I'm not a character; I'm just me, the Weasel.”
