[1] His first job in entertainment was moonlighting as a freelance joke writer for an Ace Award-winning news-break spoof on Nick at Nite called Global Village News.

[3] He went on to contribute to Stern's national radio show [citation needed] and serve as producer/writer on his television and video projects, including Stern's New Year's Rotten Eve pay per view special[4] — the most watched entertainment pay per view event of all time.

[6] In 1995, he moved to Los Angeles to become head writer for MTV's dating show Singled Out with Chris Hardwick and Jenny McCarthy.

In 1997, he returned to late night and served as supervising producer for The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show.

[citation needed] In 1997, Cronin founded Mindless Entertainment with then-partner Gary Auerbach, who left the company in 2001.

In 2008, Endemol USA acquired a controlling interest in 51 Minds in a deal reported to be worth upward of $200 million.