Garrett, a towering figure at 6 feet 9 inches, hails from Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles, where his father worked as a hearing aid specialist in geriatrics and his mother was a devoted housewife. After a brief stint of six weeks at UCLA, Garrett made the bold decision to pursue a career in stand-up comedy, performing at various Los Angeles comedy clubs, including the iconic Ice House in Pasadena and the Improv in Hollywood.
In 1984, Garrett's hard work paid off when he became the first-ever $100,000 grand champion winner in the comedy category of Star Search, a prestigious talent show. This milestone led to his debut appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, making him one of the youngest comedians to ever perform on the show at the tender age of 23.
However, Garrett's appearance on The Tonight Show was not without controversy, as he told a joke that the talent booker had warned him against, leading to his ban from the show. Despite this setback, Garrett's career continued to flourish, with him landing headlining gigs at numerous national venues, as well as opening spots for legendary performers such as Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, and The Temptations.
Garrett's impressive resume includes headlining at Bally's Park Place, co-headlining with The Temptations at Trump Plaza, and working alongside iconic performers such as Frank Sinatra, David Copperfield, Smokey Robinson, Sammy Davis Jr., The Beach Boys, and Julio Iglesias. In 1989, the Las Vegas Review Journal crowned him the Best Comedian working on the strip.
In addition to his impressive stand-up career, Garrett has also made a name for himself in television, striking gold with the hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Apart from his supporting role in sitcoms, Garrett has also lent his voice to various projects and appeared in a few films. In 1998, Garrett proposed to his then-girlfriend, Jill Diven, on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond, a romantic gesture that will be etched in their memories forever.
Today, Garrett resides in Hollywood, California, with his two loving Labradors Retrievers, Gus and Mabel, living a life filled with laughter, love, and a healthy dose of comedy.
