Born in the vibrant city of Chicago, James Underdown spent his formative years in Wheaton, Illinois, residing mere blocks away from the Belushi family, with whom he shared a unique bond. In fact, James attended grade school through high school alongside Bill Belushi, the youngest sibling in the renowned Belushi family.
After completing his primary and secondary education at Wheaton Central High School, James went on to attend the College of DuPage and DePauw University, where he was an active member of each institution's football teams. Following his academic pursuits, James relocated to Los Angeles in the early 1980s, where he began working as an extra in film and television productions.
Fast-forwarding to the late 1980s, James graduated from the prestigious Players Workshop of the Second City, marking the beginning of a five-year career as a stand-up comedian. During this period, he adopted the stage name Jim U-Boat, Poet Laureate of Calumet City, Illinois. James eventually returned to Los Angeles in the 1990s, where he secured a position at the Center for Inquiry, a role he has held and continues to excel in as the organization's executive director to this day.
