Kynan Dias is an actor and award-winning screenwriter, born in Honolulu and raised in Las Vegas. Inspired at an early age by great American playwrights such as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Edward Albee, Kynan taught himself to write feature-length screenplays as a 14-year-old high school student. He earned a B.A. in film from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he pursued acting, screenwriting, and directing. Later, Kynan earned his MFA in screenwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he developed a love for writing TV sitcoms that were further nurtured during his time studying improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade.
As a writer, Kynan’s films tend to live within the thin space between the humorous and the tragic, in sarcastic dramas and in comedies that hurt. As an actor, he is often hired to cry in comedies. With Lester Ryan Clark, Kynan co-hosts a series of film history podcasts on the TruStory.FM network that are meticulously researched yet lean heavily on improvised comedy.
Teaching at UNLV FILM since 2008, Kynan has developed a wide variety of courses in film production, directing, acting, screenwriting, and film studies, being especially proud of building classes such as Women in Comedy and Queer Cinema. His research interests include animation history, studio system economics, queer coding in classic film, and foregrounding previously unsung collaborators within major film authors’ historiographies.
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:The power bill of this place COMPELS you!Captain Howdy did a thing!Poltergeists, demons and dybbuks! (oh, my!)Possession is nine tenths of the law!Captain Howdy is home! (on the range)To boo or not to booAll aboard
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:The real villain of Babe…is capitalism.The Great Gatsby, AKA “Rich White People Being Sad.”SPOILERS: They don’t get to tend the rabbits.We just BARELY avoid the Shakespeare Trap!The podcast that started the Communi
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Dr. Taney and the Amazing Technicolor Glasses!Kynan admits that he’s wrong about Hook…but not about Hoggle. …but which one of us is the deuteragonist? Clean, upstanding Muppets with jobsThe Yellow Wallpaper is th
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Taney Talking TimeWill the real Slim Taney please stand up?A dirty over-the-shoulder This neighborhood has a real stray doctor problem We fall into the Cats Trap and explore the Un-Catty Valley!How many Lose-Your-Shi
On this very special BONUS EPISODE of The Exorcist Minute:It was The Mrs. Doubtfire Minute THE WHOLE TIME!!!Just kidding! We’ve compiled a list of sketches, skits and skitches parodying The Exorcist, and we talk about our favorites on the show! And the fo
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:”Please. Calle me Chris.”We’ve been talking about Sally Field the whole ti-THE WHOLE TIME!!! I’m just the robot brother.Teeny-Tiny-Taney-SizedWe don’t wanna call Jack Kirby a liar….we wouldn’t like him when he’s an
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Warning – this is a REALLY silly minute!You maniacs! You spoiled it! Damn you all to hell!Dr. Taney’s magic glassesIs New Math still new?!Is New Coke still Pepsi?Lions and gators and toads – MOTHER, PLEASE!!!Dr. Klei
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:In this hospital, the MACHINES sound like they’re sick! And Dr. Peacock said, “I didn’t kill Mr. Body – he’s my SON!” How is this possible???My first cousin twice removed…or my second cousin once removed? Kynan bar
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Finding Pneumo!C – SQUIDS run. Run, SQUIDS, run!The Macy’s Thanksgiving Brain Parade!we just can’t stop GUSHING in this minute!Bloody Rags (sorry)You were RIGHT about the doctors!We talk about Rocky, and Kynan almost
On this Episode of The Exorcist Minute:Regan goes in for an oil changeYou know what this minute needs? More BROWN!Rejected title – What An Excellent Day For Fluids!How is it allowed to be Runny and sticky AND smelly?Are you team Jay Leno, or team Jamie Le