Karl Pilkington is an English podcaster and former radio producer who was discovered by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and made famous on their radio show (and subsequent podcast). Initially, Pilkington served a behind-the-scenes podcast on the show, but as the show went on, he began to make comments and eventually became a big hit among listeners. Soon, huge chunks of the show were being devoted to Karl’s weirdness, and Ricky and Stephen realized that they could turn him into a comedic goldmine. They did this by basing an entire TV series around sending Karl to experience different cultures around the world, and An Idiot Abroad became a quick success. Personally, I think Karl is absolutely hilarious, and I can’t wait to see the second series of An Idiot Abroad. I think Ricky Gervais put it best when he said that Karl is like a real-life Homer Simpson – I mean, just look at him! Karl turns 39 today.