Michael Konik was a contestant on NBC's 2007 Poker After Dark, a $20,000 buy-in competition in which he finished 5th.[3] He also competed in two of the televised World Series of Blackjack programs, advancing to the semi-finals. He has also either hosted or provided commentary for the following shows:[citation needed]
Konik was a contestant on Jeopardy!, where he finished 2nd, the USA Network game show Quicksilver, where he set the one-day all-time record, and was a "phone-a-friend" lifeline on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Konik was also a contestant two episodes of Greed. He competed in the December 9, 1999 episode, winning $5,000 as the Captain. On February 29, 2000, he was on another episode, but failed to win any money.[citation needed]
In 2006, Konik played himself in the Animal Planet comedy Ella & Me, based on his book Ella in Europe. His dog Ella, a lab-greyhound mix, co-starred.[citation needed]
Konik was a singer and bass player for the 1980s punk rock band The Clitboys. He has recorded the jazz albums Crescendo and There'll Be Some Changes Made, both released in 2003: Konik and his "Tasty Band" host the longest-running weekly jazz event in Hollywood, the "Tasty Tuesday Night Jazz Party," at Catalina Bar & Grill Jazz Club.[citation needed][dubious – discuss] Konik owns a recording company called FreeHam Records, which includes Linda Hopkins and the Filipina jazz star Charmaine Clamor.
Comedy
Konik was a member of the improvisational comedy troupe The Los Hombres and MINT (Musical Improv Network Television), which performed at Second City Los Angeles.[citation needed] Konik's most popular recurring character was a bread salesman who repeated the word "papadum" over and over throughout an entire scene.[citation needed]
