Steve Rannazzisi is an American actor and stand-up comedian popularly known for his debut feature on the Punk’d show, a show where celebrities are pranked into very awkward situations. On one of the episodes, things got out of hand to the point that Steve was almost knocked out by American actress Michelle Rodriguez.
Before his break into Hollywood, he told tales of how he survived the 9/11 attacks which prompted his move to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. Read on to learn more about his career journey and personal life.
Steve Rannazzisi Biography
Stephen Rannazzisi (popularly known as Steve Rannazzisi) was born on the 4th of July, 1977 in the remarkable city of Smithtown, New York, United States. He is an actor and a stand-up comedian of Italian and Irish descent, popularly known for his role in the FXX comedy series “The League”, where he starred as a fantasy football league player Kevin MacArthur.
Steve practically grew up on Long Island and as such attended the Catholic St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, New York. He left St. Anthony just after one year as a result of what he called a mutual decision. Nevertheless, in 1996, he went on to graduate from Smithtown High School. For his tertiary education, Steve received a degree in communications from the State University of New York at Oneonta and also studied Theatre and Film at SUNY Purchase.
Upon graduation, Steve started off by working in a firm in New York City. Later, he was able to secure a job working at the world-renowned Comedy Store on Sunset Blvd. It was in the Comedy Store that the actor and show producer Ashton Kutcher saw his performance. With great luck coupled with his talent, Rannazzisi became part of Kutcher’s show “Punk’d” and became one of the audacious cast members toying with celebrities in the show, CC: Stand Up notes.
After his appearances on the Punk’d show, he landed a role on the comedy series “The League” in 2009 where he played Kevin MacArthur, a fantasy football league player. In an interview granted with Time Out, he described his experience on the set of The League as great.
He has recently hinted at the possibility of fans seeing his return to the series for the Seventh and final running of the show. He is also slated to guest star on the new season of “New Girl”.
9/11 and Educational Controversy
Rannazzisi had claimed for over 14 years that he was a staff working on the 54th floor at Merrill Lynch, which was located within the South Tower of the World Trade Center. His narrative throughout his career has been one driven by pity and compassion stemming from the story that he narrowly escaped death during the 9/11 terrorist attack. This event he claimed was the reason he ventured into stand-up comedy and acting.
However, in September 2015, this claim was later debunked by Steve himself when he was invited by The New York Times to clarify the claim. This was after investigations showed that Steve was never a staff of Merrill Lynch which interestingly had no office in the World Trade Centre at the time of the attack. It was also discovered that Steve never attended the State University of New York at Purchase either. When asked he simply said he didn’t know why he lied. We can only assume he did so to gain popularity and advance his career.
Steve Rannazzisi’s Family, Wife, and Kids
Steve Rannazzisi is definitely a married man as can be seen from the picture above. He and his wife, Tracy, got married in 2006 in a private ceremony with close friends and family members. They have been blessed with three adorable children, two boys, and a girl. However, more information about his kids has been kept private including their names. From how cute the couple looks, we bet their kids are every bit as cute as their charming parents are.
Steve Rannazzisi Net Worth and House
Steve is no doubt a success story as his hard work over the years has definitely paid off big time through his steady income rise both from acting as well as endorsements. He has since broken into the million-dollar sphere as his yearly income is estimated at $352,941, while his estimated net worth is currently recorded at a whopping $3,000,000.
With considerable wealth comes the ability to own luxury assets. One of Steve’s assets is a home he and his wife, Tracy, bought. The Altadena home was formerly listed at $675k barely two years ago before it was acquired by the celebrity. However, Steve and his wife ended up purchasing the home for $1.8 million. The home is an architectural masterpiece with a Mediterranean-inspired design. It boasts wood flooring, an arched front door, an open floor plan for the living and dining complex, and soaring ceilings as well. The property is indeed a sight for sore eyes.