Anecdotes

Both sets of his grandparents came from Salonika in northern Greece.

He based his character in The Birdcage (1996) (a flamboyantly, almost over-exaggeratedly feminine homosexual house servant) on his grandmother, in particular his character's speech.

Based the voice of Moe the bartender (Les Simpson (1989)) on actor Al Pacino.

He is close friends with actor Matthew Perry.

Based the voice of quack Dr. Nick Rivera (in Les Simpson (1989)) on actor Desi Arnaz.

He has estimated that he has done "literally 100, 150 different characters' voices" on The Simpsons (1989) (TV).

Attended college with Oliver Platt; attended acting school with Sharon Stone.

Based the voice of Comic Book Guy (in Les Simpson (1989)) on his college roommate.

Based the voice of Lou the Cop (in Les Simpson (1989)) on actor Sylvester Stallone.

Based the voice of Chief Wiggum (in Les Simpson (1989)) on actor Edward G. Robinson.

His family is of Sephardic Jewish background.

Has a son named Hal Azaria (b. June 6, 2009) with girlfriend Katie Wright.

Was a camper at the real life Camp Towanda, where the movie Wet Hot American Summer (2001) was filmed.

Was a bartender in New York at the Arcadia.

Based the voice of Apu (in Les Simpson (1989)) on the "standard" 7-11 employee and on Peter Sellers's character Hrundi V. Bakshi in La Party (1968).

Paid exactly $10 million to purchase a seven-bedroom, ten-bath, 8434-square-foot house in Los Angeles's Bel-Air area. He also owns a 1108-square-foot house in the Hollywood Dell area of Los Angeles's Hollywood Hills and a 3320-square-foot house in Beverly Hills. (2009)

Attended Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, from 1981-1985, but did not receive his B.A. until he completed two courses in L.A. in 1987. Tufts awarded him its Light on the Hill Award in 1999.

A favorite of playwright Jenelle Riley; characters in her shows are frequently hybrids of his name with his Les Simpson (1989) characters (e.g. Hank Wiggum). The lead character in her award-winning film The Perfect Candidate (2004) is named Frank Grimes, after "Homer's Enemy".

Spent over $300,000 of his own money to make his short film Nobody's Perfect (2004).

Performing "Sexual Perversity In Chicago" alongside Matthew Perry, Minnie Driver, and Kelly Reilly in London's Comedy Theatre. (juillet 2003)

Is playing a gay version of Sir Lancelot in the Broadway production of "Spamalot", the musical version of Monty Python : Sacré Graal ! (1975), which opened on Broadway in January of 2005. (février 2005)

Alumnus of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1980.

He and his ex-wife Helen Hunt have both guest-starred on the TV show Friends (1994), though not in the same episode. Paget Brewster, who plays his wife on Huff (2004), also had a recurring role on Friends (1994).

Life long New York Mets Fan.

Has been selected to play Sir Lancelot in the Broadway production of "Spamalot", the musical version of Monty Python : Sacré Graal ! (1975), scheduled to open on Broadway in February, 2005. (juillet 2004)

He is a lifelong Democrat.

Appeared in two films in 1999 with the word "Mystery" in the title: Mystery, Alaska (1999) and Mystery Men (1999).