▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁ ▁At ▁ 2 1 , ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁professional ▁s occer ▁contract . ▁ ▁Career ▁He ▁started ▁in ▁show ▁business ▁as ▁a ▁stand - up ▁com ed ian ▁and ▁impro vis er ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁He ▁also ▁began ▁to ▁act ▁in ▁small ▁produ ctions . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York , ▁where ▁he ▁appeared ▁in ▁commer ci als ▁for ▁Mc Donald ' s , ▁AT & T , ▁and ▁Le vi ' s , ▁eventually ▁becoming ▁the ▁sp okes man ▁for ▁Publish er ' s ▁Clear ing ▁House . ▁He ▁also ▁performed ▁in ▁many ▁Off - Off ▁Broadway ▁plays . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁he ▁was ▁h ired ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁master ▁of ▁cer emon ies ▁at ▁Ch ipp end ales . ▁Nick ▁de ▁No ia , ▁the ▁cre ator ▁of ▁the ▁show , ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁while ▁Ster ry ▁was ▁working ▁for ▁him . ▁This ▁would ▁become ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁his ▁second ▁mem oir , ▁Master ▁of ▁Cer emon ies : ▁A ▁True ▁Story ▁of ▁Love , ▁Mur der , ▁Rol ler ▁Sk ates ▁& ▁Ch ipp end ales . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁film ▁Mem oir s ▁of ▁an ▁In visible ▁Man . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁a ▁pilot ▁for ▁Edd ie ▁Mur phy ' s ▁ ▁production ▁company . ▁ ▁It ▁star red ▁Margaret ▁Cho , ▁and ▁was ▁not