# Dan Cortese
**Dan Cortese** (born 1967) is an American actor and television host who first came to prominence as the creator and host of the Emmy-winning MTV series *MTV Sports* in the early 1990s and later played recurring sitcom roles, most notably Perry Rollins on *Veronica's Closet* and Vic Meladeo on *What I Like About You*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844) • [2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10852) His full name is Daniel James Cortese.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/41250/dan-cortese)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, United States[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/41250/dan-cortese) |
| Breakthrough | Host of *MTV Sports* from 1992, won the job as an MTV production assistant with no professional on-camera experience[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-06-ca-163-story.html) |
| Emmy | *MTV Sports* received a 1993 Emmy Award as Best Sports Edited Anthology Series[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1993/06/06/route-66/d07fb2a0-e189-43a1-8db0-620aefc61370/) |
| Signature sitcom roles | Perry Rollins on *Veronica's Closet* (1997–2000); Jimmy Cox on *Rock Me, Baby* (2003–2004); Vic Meladeo on *What I Like About You* (2003–2006)[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10852) |
| Best-known guest role | Tony, Elaine's "mimbo" boyfriend, in the *Seinfeld* episode "The Stall" (1994)[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dan-cortese/) |
| Film debut | The Taco Bell entertainer in *Demolition Man* (1993)[7](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/dan-cortese/umc.cpc.2l8lb9p5amp3ngty69edpna8k) |
| Memoir | *Step Off! My journey from 'mimbo' to manhood*, released in the summer of 2020[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844) |
## Early life and MTV Sports
Cortese was born in Sewickley, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[7](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/dan-cortese/umc.cpc.2l8lb9p5amp3ngty69edpna8k) He attended the [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill), majored in broadcasting communications, and graduated in 1990.[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1993/06/06/route-66/d07fb2a0-e189-43a1-8db0-620aefc61370/) He played football for the Tar Heels as a backup quarterback and appeared in the Aloha Bowl.[8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dan-cortese/bio/3000029490/) After college he drove to Los Angeles, ran out of money within about a week, and took a full-time job as a production assistant at MTV's West Coast office.[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1993/06/06/route-66/d07fb2a0-e189-43a1-8db0-620aefc61370/)
**The host tryout.** In early 1992 Cortese jokingly told a talent executive that he was the best candidate to host the music channel's new sports program, took a single test, and won the job despite having no professional on-camera experience.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-06-ca-163-story.html) • [5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1993/06/06/route-66/d07fb2a0-e189-43a1-8db0-620aefc61370/) The pilot of *MTV Sports* premiered on January 25, 1992; within a month the show was airing in 72 countries and ranked among MTV's top-rated shows worldwide.[9](https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/step-off/9781119653479/c15.xhtml) The weekly program received a 1993 Emmy Award as Best Sports Edited Anthology Series.[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1993/06/06/route-66/d07fb2a0-e189-43a1-8db0-620aefc61370/) In the role of host, Cortese reported on extreme sports around the world; by his own account, he came close to [BASE jumping](https://www.edgepedia.org/base-jumping) from a bridge in [West Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-virginia), drove on ice in Sweden, and took part in the running of the bulls in Spain.[10](https://music.amazon.com/es-cl/podcasts/73ab18dc-c0ff-4713-9f58-2859661dea84/episodes/31e146ff-9f22-47b0-8adb-2d94f7475b96/gen-x-guide-to-the-universe-mtv-sports-with-dan-cortese) Sources give his hosting span as 1992 to 1996[7](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/dan-cortese/umc.cpc.2l8lb9p5amp3ngty69edpna8k) or 1992 to 1997.[11](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6766686/dan-cortese/)
His visibility carried into advertising. In October 1992 [Burger King](https://www.edgepedia.org/burger-king) launched "BK TeeVee," a $150-million national TV campaign fronted by Cortese, who had appeared in the chain's commercials as the "I Love This Place" guy.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-06-ca-163-story.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844)
## Acting career
Cortese's feature film debut came as the [Taco Bell](https://www.edgepedia.org/taco-bell) entertainer in the [Sylvester Stallone](https://www.edgepedia.org/sylvester-stallone) and [Wesley Snipes](https://www.edgepedia.org/wesley-snipes) science fiction action film *Demolition Man* (1993).[7](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/dan-cortese/umc.cpc.2l8lb9p5amp3ngty69edpna8k) That same year he starred in NBC's short-lived prime-time remake of *Route 66*, followed by the brief CBS drama *Traps* opposite Academy Award winner George C. Scott in 1994.[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-06-ca-163-story.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844)
**The Seinfeld "mimbo."** In 1994 he played Tony, Elaine Benes' good-looking, cool but superficial boyfriend, in the *Seinfeld* episode "The Stall." [George Costanza](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-costanza) openly admired him, and [Jerry Seinfeld](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-seinfeld)'s coinage "mimbo" became attached to the character and, later, to Cortese himself.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dan-cortese/) In a 2021 podcast interview, Cortese said he suggested a few lines that "MTV" kids might say to [Larry David](https://www.edgepedia.org/larry-david), one of which became an iconic *Seinfeld* catchphrase.[12](https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/this-podcast-is/seinfeld-podcast-dan-cortese-hqpf-QNLMwP/)
After two short-lived series, he landed recurring roles on established shows: as Jess Hanson, brother to Jake (Grant Show), on the Fox primetime soap *Melrose Place*, and as an investment banker on NBC's *The Single Guy*.[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dan-cortese/) His first regular role on a hit show since MTV was Perry Rollins, a former model turned publicist at [Kirstie Alley](https://www.edgepedia.org/kirstie-alley)'s lingerie company, on NBC's *Veronica's Closet* (1997–2000).[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dan-cortese/) • [2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10852) He later starred in the UPN comedy *Rock Me, Baby* as Jimmy Cox (2003–2004) and played Vic Meladeo, a firefighter who marries [Jennie Garth](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennie-garth)'s character Val during a drunken Atlantic City escapade, on the WB's *What I Like About You* from 2003 to 2006.[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10852) • [13](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dan-cortese/3000029490/) He also directed one episode of *What I Like About You* in 2006.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844)
Guest appearances followed on shows including *8 Simple Rules* (Coach Scott), *CSI: Miami* (Sal Coleman), *Joey* (Chuck), *Castle* (Howard Weisberg), *Surviving Suburbia* (Onno, 10 episodes), and *Hot in Cleveland* opposite [Betty White](https://www.edgepedia.org/betty-white).[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10852) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844) His later credits include a 2021 guest spot on *Leverage: Redemption* and an appearance as himself in the 2023 miniseries *The Curse*.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/41250/dan-cortese)
## Hosting and later work
Cortese returned to hosting between acting roles. He fronted NBC's *My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad*, ABC's *Crash Course*, and *Guinness World Records: Unleashed*, on which he served as host for 19 episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/41250/dan-cortese) In 2013 he hosted truTV's *Guinness World Records Gone Wild*, whose debut episode drew 1.4 million viewers.[14](https://www.popentertainmentarchives.com/post/dan-cortese-goes-for-the-record)
In the summer of 2020 he published his memoir, *Step Off! My journey from 'mimbo' to manhood*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844)
## Personal life
Sources disagree on his marriage. IMDb lists a marriage to Carolina Londono on September 12, 2014, with four children, and says he resides in [Malibu, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/malibu-california).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844) TVmaze and NNDB instead record a marriage to actress Dee Dee Hemby on May 21, 1994, with two children, son Roman (born 2001) and daughter India Isabella (born 2004); NNDB adds that Hemby filed for divorce in 2011.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/41250/dan-cortese) • [15](https://www.nndb.com/people/211/000026133/) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide)'s fast facts also name Dee Dee Hemby as the mother of his two children.[8](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dan-cortese/bio/3000029490/)
## References
1. [Dan Cortese, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004844)
2. [Dan Cortese, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10852)
3. [Dan Cortese, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/41250/dan-cortese)
4. [Actor Dan Cortese Takes Quick Route to Stardom, Los Angeles Times (June 6, 1993)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-06-ca-163-story.html)
5. ['Route 66', The Washington Post (June 6, 1993)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1993/06/06/route-66/d07fb2a0-e189-43a1-8db0-620aefc61370/)
6. [Dan Cortese, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dan-cortese/)
7. [Dan Cortese Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/dan-cortese/umc.cpc.2l8lb9p5amp3ngty69edpna8k)
8. [Dan Cortese Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dan-cortese/bio/3000029490/)
9. [Step Off!, chapter 15, O'Reilly Media](https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/step-off/9781119653479/c15.xhtml)
10. [MTV Sports with Dan Cortese, Gen X Guide To The Universe podcast](https://music.amazon.com/es-cl/podcasts/73ab18dc-c0ff-4713-9f58-2859661dea84/episodes/31e146ff-9f22-47b0-8adb-2d94f7475b96/gen-x-guide-to-the-universe-mtv-sports-with-dan-cortese)
11. [Dan Cortese, On TV Tonight](https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/cast/6766686/dan-cortese/)
12. [Seinfeld Podcast: Dan Cortese, "Tony", This Podcast Is Making Me Thirsty](https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/this-podcast-is/seinfeld-podcast-dan-cortese-hqpf-QNLMwP/)
13. [Dan Cortese, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/dan-cortese/3000029490/)
14. [Dan Cortese Goes for the Record, PopEntertainment](https://www.popentertainmentarchives.com/post/dan-cortese-goes-for-the-record)
15. [Dan Cortese, NNDB](https://www.nndb.com/people/211/000026133/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Co to C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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