Michael J. Nelson
Rate Person

Michael J. Nelson

Writing

Biography

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."

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!"

Nelson speaks all over the country, is a frequent guest on radio and television, and along with fellow former MST3K writers/performers Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy operate a podcast called RiffTrax, which, in a similar vein to MST3K, targets more mainstream films.

Films Featuring Michael J. Nelson

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

19966.6

RiffTrax Live: Hobgoblins

20218.0

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Living Dead

20139.7

RiffTrax Live: "Manos" the Hands of Fate

20128.7

RiffTrax Live: Plan 9 from Outer Space

20098.6

Max the Hero

Max the Hero

20076.0

RiffTrax Live: Doctor Who – The Five Doctors

20179.0

RiffTrax Live: RAD

20238.0

Rifftrax Live: Starship Troopers

201310.0

RiffTrax Live: Godzilla

20149.4

RiffTrax Live: The Return of Swamp Thing

20225.5

RiffTrax Live: Octaman

20196.4

The Year of Laughing Dangerously

GrimTrax

202410.0

RiffTrax Live: Point Break

20249.0

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 3

20009.0

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 2

19998.5

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Shorts, Volume 1

1998

Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

20137.5

RiffTrax Live: Miami Connection

20158.0

RiffTrax Live: Time Chasers

20168.2

This Is MST3K

19927.0

Rifftrax Live: The Room

20158.8

Poopie!

Poopie!

19959.0

Three Stooges: Greatest Routines

Three Stooges: Greatest Routines

19649.0

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Motion Picture Odyssey

20137.0

RiffTrax Live: Birdemic - Shock and Terror

20128.2

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado

20146.3

RiffTrax Live: Summer Shorts Beach Party

20177.8

Rifftrax Live: Carnival of Souls

20169.0

Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop

20176.1

RiffTrax Live: Sharknado 2

20157.6

The Last Dance: RAW

1999

RiffTrax Live: Space Mutiny

20188.5

RiffTrax Live: Mothra

20164.7

RiffTrax Live: Santa Claus

20147.0

RiffTrax Live: Star Raiders

201910.0

RiffTrax Live: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny

20158.7

RiffTrax Live: House on Haunted Hill

20108.5

RiffTrax Live: Giant Spider Invasion

20198.0

RiffTrax Live: Christmas Shorts-stravaganza!

20098.2

RiffTrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2013

20137.0

Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2015

20157.7

RiffTrax Live: MST3K Reunion

20169.0

Rifftrax Live: Night of the Shorts - SF Sketchfest 2016

20167.7

Rifftrax Live: Reefer Madness

20109.0

MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special

19958.0

Poopie Parade of Values

Poopie Parade of Values

1995

The Rifftrax Yule Log

2018

RiffTrax: Super Zeroes

2025

RiffTrax Live: Amityville - The Evil Escapes

2022

RiffTrax Live: Timecop

202510.0

Santa's Village of Madness

Santa's Village of Madness

2012

1st Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review

1997

Rifftrax Live: Jack the Giant Killer

201110.0

The Three Stooges in Color

The Three Stooges in Color

20058.0

GrimTrax Returns

2026

Hunks of Junk

2026

RiffTrax: Pressure Point

RiffTrax: Pressure Point

The Film Crew: The Giant of Marathon

2007

The Film Crew: Killers from Space

2007

The Film Crew: Wild Women of Wongo

2007

The Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The RiffTrax Experiments — Sting of Death

2026

2nd Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review

19987.0