Petersen was born in Carol Stream, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and attended Glenbard North High School.
He began acting during his freshman year of high school, after quitting the football team and subsequently missing soccer tryouts.
[4] Living in New York City at the time, Petersen made the transition into TV with a two-episode arc in the long-running soap opera As the World Turns.
[5] He followed this with a series of bit parts in shows such as The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Both podcasts share a similar format, in which the hosts countdown show related topics such as movies, TV, music, and special experiences.