Brian Thompson (born August 28, 1959) is an American character actor. Thompson has played parts ranging from the Zen Buddhist Birkenstock-wearing sheriff of Key West, to the raging psycho cult leader in the film Cobra, the universe-conquering super villain in Mortal Kombat II, and numerous science fiction, fantasy, and comedy films, including the part of Buffalo Bob where he "put Joe Dirt in the hole" in Joe Dirt.