As writer Todd Hanson briefly attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1986 and soon dropped out. He remained in Madison and began working a series of menial jobs. Eventually Hanson began drawing a semi-autobiographical cartoon entitled 'Badgers and Other Animals' which was published regularly in
The Daily Cardinal, a university student newspaper. Hanson was working as a dishwasher when he first started as a writer and cartoonist at
The Onion. He wrote an article in
The Onion that was optioned as a movie by
DreamWorks and co-wrote the
comedy film The Onion Movie (2008), which he has since disowned.
As actor Todd was an ensemble member in the Ark Improvisational Theater in Madison, Wisconsin from 1987–88. He voices the character Dan Halen on
Squidbillies. He made three guest appearances in the episodes of
Aqua Teen Hunger Force called Interfection, Hypno-Germ and Last Dance for Napkin Lad. He is also on the commentary for
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters in which he stated that he is a big fan of the show. The commentary also states that he came up with the
Chicken Bittle character which was rejected to be an Aqua Teen for several years. ==Personal life==