Jamie Hyneman

About Jamie Hyneman

James Earl Hyneman (born September 25, 1956), known as Jamie Hyneman, is an American visual effects expert, best known for being the co-host of the television series MythBusters. He is also the founder of M5 Industries, a special effects workshop where MythBusters is filmed. He is also known in the BattleBots circles for his robot entry, Blendo, which, for a time, was deemed too dangerous for entry into the competition.

Born in Marshall, Michigan, but raised in Columbus, Indiana, Hyneman earned a degree in Russian language and literature. A variety of careers fill his resumé, including scuba diver, wilderness survival expert, boat captain, linguist, pet shop owner, animal wrangler, machinist, concrete inspector, and chef. He apparently has a mild case of acrophobia (fear of heights), as mentioned in the "Hammer Drop" myth segment. Hyneman identifies strongly with skeptics and atheists.

A distinctive part of his appearance is his dark beret and white lab shirt. This, along with his walrus-style moustache and deep voice, are occasional subjects for light-hearted jokes by co-host Adam Savage and other team members. A sign hanging in his workshop reads "Clean Up or Die", visible in several episodes, expresses his desire to keep things clean and tidy around the shop. He is known for his calm, logical, no-nonsense demeanor, in contrast to Adam's unhinged, and sometimes juvenile behavior. Hyneman is often exasperated by Adam's antics and he sometimes squabbles with him on how to go about busting myths. The two often have completely different ideas for carrying out experiments and building devices. Jamie's ideas tend to be more simplified, and he has been heard saying "keep it as simple as possible" and "more grunt, less elegance." This has led to competitions between the two presenters when faced with testing some myths, such as testing the Goldfish Memory myth.