Honestly, if you blinked during the first movie, you might’ve missed it. We all know Joe Lo Truglio as the lovable, slightly over-sharing Charles Boyle from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But before he was obsessing over artisanal bone broth and Nicolaj (it’s Nicolaj), he was making a series of bizarrely hilarious appearances in the world of collegiate a cappella.
Joe Lo Truglio Pitch Perfect history is actually a two-part saga.
Most people remember the sequel. In Pitch Perfect 2, he’s part of the "Tone Hangers," that group of middle-aged dudes who refuse to let go of their glory days. They show up at the underground riff-off hosted by David Cross. It’s a fever dream of a scene. You’ve got Joe Lo Truglio standing there alongside comedy heavyweights like Reggie Watts, John Hodgman, and Jason Jones. They are dressed like they’re about to go to a mid-life crisis themed brunch, and then they start belting out "Lady Marmalade."
It’s ridiculous. It’s awkward. It’s perfect.
The Secret Origins of Clef #1
But let's go back. Way back to 2012.
In the original Pitch Perfect, Joe Lo Truglio isn't even a named character in the way you’d expect. He’s credited as Clef #1. He pops up during the scene where the Treblemakers and the Bellas get into a scrap in the parking lot after a performance.
Bumper, played by the chaotic energy that is Adam DeVine, starts getting into it with a group of older a cappella alums. Joe is one of those guys. He’s the one who gets weirdly excited about the prospect of a physical altercation. Specifically, he’s the one who seems totally okay with getting beat up by Rebel Wilson’s Fat Amy.
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It’s such a tiny moment. Two minutes, tops. But it set the stage for the Tone Hangers to become a real thing in the sequel.
Why the Tone Hangers Actually Worked
You’d think a group of 40-something men singing 90s R&B would feel out of place in a movie about college girls. It didn't.
The Tone Hangers represented the "ghost of Christmas future" for these kids. They are the warning sign. If you take a cappella too seriously, you end up like Joe Lo Truglio’s character—singing "Scenario" by A Tribe Called Quest in a basement while wearing a sweater vest.
Actually, Joe’s performance in the riff-off is a masterclass in physical comedy. He doesn't just sing; he commits with his entire soul. His facial expressions are doing about 40% of the heavy lifting in that scene. If you watch closely during the "Doo-Wop (That Thing)" segment, he’s hitting these incredibly earnest high notes that feel both impressive and deeply uncomfortable.
The "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Connection
It’s funny to look back at Joe Lo Truglio Pitch Perfect clips now because he’s basically playing a proto-Boyle.
There’s that same "eager to please but slightly off-putting" vibe. In Pitch Perfect 2, his character (and the rest of the Tone Hangers) are trying so hard to be cool that they loop back around to being legends. It’s the same energy Charles Boyle brings to the 99th Precinct.
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Interestingly, Joe actually has a background in this kind of absurdist comedy. He was a founding member of The State, the MTV sketch comedy troupe from the 90s. Those guys specialized in taking a single, weird premise and riding it until the wheels fell off. Playing an aging a cappella singer who gets way too into "Before He Cheats" is right in his wheelhouse.
What Most Fans Missed
Did you know Joe actually sang his own parts?
A lot of the cameos in the Pitch Perfect franchise are just people lip-syncing to professional session singers. Not Joe. He, along with Hodgman and Watts, actually laid down tracks. They spent time in the "a cappella boot camp" that the main cast had to go through.
Think about that for a second. An Emmy-adjacent actor spent weeks learning how to beatbox and harmonize just for a five-minute gag about men in their late 40s who can't stop singing "Lollipop."
That is dedication.
The Tone Hangers Roster
For the sake of clarity, let's look at who made up this iconic, sad-yet-impressive group:
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- Joe Lo Truglio: The high-energy enthusiast.
- Reggie Watts: The actual musical genius who handled a lot of the beatboxing.
- John Hodgman: The dry, "I shouldn't be here but I love it" member.
- Jason Jones: The guy who looks most like he just wandered off a golf course.
They were meant to be a joke, but they ended up being one of the most quoted parts of the second movie. Whenever someone mentions the riff-off, they aren't talking about the Bellas. They’re talking about the Green Bay Packers (who also had a cameo) or Joe Lo Truglio hitting a high note that could crack a windshield.
The Legacy of Clef #1
So, why does this matter?
In the grand scheme of Hollywood, a cameo is just a cameo. But for fans of Joe Lo Truglio, these movies are a reminder of his range. He can go from being the heart of a sitcom to being a weird background character who sells CDs in a lobby, and he does both with 100% commitment.
The Pitch Perfect movies are full of these "wait, was that him?" moments. Ben Platt was in it before he was a massive Broadway star. Donald Faison showed up. But Joe’s presence feels different because he leans so hard into the cringe.
Next time you’re doing a rewatch, keep an eye out for the guy in the first movie who looks like he’s having the time of his life while a bunch of college students argue over trophy rights. That’s Joe. He’s been there since the beginning, humming along in the background.
To really appreciate the evolution of Joe Lo Truglio in this franchise, you have to watch the original parking lot fight and the sequel's riff-off back-to-back. It’s the only way to see the full transformation from "Random Guy #1" to "A Cappella Legend." You can find both of these scenes easily on YouTube or Peacock, and they honestly hold up better than some of the main plot points. Pay attention to his background acting during the other groups' performances—his "invested listener" face is a work of art.