While performing stand-up in New York City, Helms heard about an opportunity to try out for The Daily Show through a casting company he had previously worked with. He impressed the casting team and was granted a role in the show.
Between April 2002 through the middle of 2006, he delivered “field reports” and presented programs like “Digital Watch,” “Ad Nauseam,” and “Mark Your Calendar.”
He made a big contribution to the “This Week in God” segment as well. TV Guide claims that two of his standout episodes, “Battle of the Bulge” and “Mass. Hysteria,” in which he tackled controversial topics, were regarded as his signature pieces.
Helms left The Daily Show in 2006, but he made intermittent guest appearances over the following two years. He returned for the “Obama Quest” show, which followed Senator Barack Obama on his trip to Iraq, on July 21, 2008.
The instructive movies for the “Prescott Group” on The Colbert Report, a sibling program, were also narrated by Helms. NBC announced in July 2006 that Helms had joined the cast of the mockumentary-style sitcom The Office.
Beginning with the third season, his depiction of Andy Bernard—a Cornell grad who loves cappella music—transformed from a guest appearance into a series regular. Helms’ similarity to the character he played was noted by Paul Lieberstein, a writer and actor on the show.
What is Ed Helms doing now?
Helms, best known for his role as Cornell grad Andy Bernard on the enduring sitcom “The Office,” recently developed and co-created the Peacock comedy series “Rutherford Falls” with Mike Schur and Sierra Teller Ornelas, two other “Office” veterans.