He worked as a busboy to subsidize his studies at the New York Friars Club, where he was influenced by the comic legends Red Skelton, Milton Berle, Henny Youngman and Lucille Ball.

[2] He began his career in front of the camera with major roles in film and TV including Never on Tuesday (with Peter Berg), Born on the Fourth of July (with Tom Cruise), For the Boys (with Bette Midler) and Iron Man 3 (with Robert Downey Jr.).

[3] He has directed and produced the feature film Adventures of a Teenage Dragon Slayer starring Lea Thompson (Back to the Future) and Wendie Malick (Racing Stripes).

He was also involved in a sister-project executive produced by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Battleship) titled Head’s Up Tackling.

[1][3][7] Lauer's next project was Sahaya Going Beyond about a ragtag but heroic group working together to fight HIV in India, narrated by Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons.

[6][10] In 2016, an Indiegogo campaign was launched to help raise $35,000 to fund a gay themed romantic comedy movie entitled "Please Don't Eat the Pansies".