hiː ɐtˈɛndᵻd ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv kˈænzəs ɪn lˈɔːɹəns, ˈɜːnɪŋ ɐ bˈiː.ˈeɪ. ɪn ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ænd ˈɑːɹt hˈɪstɚɹi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn ænd ɐn ˈɛm.ˈeɪ. ɪn ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ lˈɪɾɚɹᵻtʃɚɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti wˈʌn.
He attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence, earning a B.A. in English and Art History in 1989 and an M.A. in English Literature in 1991.