It's no wonder that actor, writer and storyteller Eric Boardman has a knack for getting great sound bites from the public. He's had years of practice schmoozing with strangers and celebrities throughout his illustrious career.

Currently hosting What's your Hobby? for the Home and Garden Television cable network, Eric began his improv comedy career at Chicago's The Second City, where he worked with a cast that included former Cheers stars Shelley Long and George Wendt. After four years, Eric turned to producing humorous commercials. Awards piled up, and his ads for Time and The Gap sold magazines and moved a ton of jeans, but Eric was antsy.

He jumped to TV as a staff writer and a comedy regular on CBS' Tim Conway Show. After several gigs hosting local live shows, Eric appeared daily on 3:30, a program filmed in Los Angeles. The show's host called Eric's work the "best thing on local television." His weighty contributions included tours of the world's largest coat hanger factory and romps with an all-girl skateboard gang in Venice Beach.

On This is Hollywood, a celebrity interview and call-in show on the Mutual Radio Network, Eric replaced Larry King on Sunday nights and chatted with such luminaries as John Houseman, Shelley Winters, Marilyn Chambers and The Chipmunks. He gained official recognition for his work on More Dinosaurs, a special co-hosted with Gary Owens that won a Los Angeles Emmy for outstanding children's programming.

Well known for his man-on-the-street interviews for clients like Miller Beer, McDonald's, American Express, Diet Coke and Cadillac, Eric claims that "an interview is an affectionate seduction and guests trust me instantly"—a talent that is put to good use in Calling All Cooks on Food Network. "We're in the kitchens of America's best amateur chefs," he says, "celebrating family recipes, stories and friends."