150. Michael Ian Black: How to Do Comedy with Your 10 Best Friends

Mon Nov 04 2024

In the 90s, Michael Ian Black’s college sketch group The State got a show on MTV, spawned another iconic group, Stella, and led to the classic movie Wet Hot American Summer. Now Michael sits down with Mike to talk about how all 11 members of The State have remained friends through the ups and downs of show business. Michael shares his advice on how to keep a comedy group together as well as a marriage, as he and his wife just celebrated 26 years. Plus, jokes and stories about truth or dare, the pros and cons of leaving New York City, and behind the scenes of Michael’s love scene with Bradley Cooper.

Transcript

Michael Ian Black (0:00)

The State was doing a show at south by Southwest. We'd seen a sketch group before us, or maybe even a couple, and they had done a gag about getting naked or something, but they didn't get naked. And so we were like. We had the conversation of, like, why would you, like, go 80% of the way there?

Mike Birbiglia (0:18)

Yeah, yeah.

Michael Ian Black (0:19)

And not go.

Mike Birbiglia (0:20)

Not get naked.

Michael Ian Black (0:20)

So we wrote a sketch for south by Southwest where we all got fully naked on stage.

Mike Birbiglia (0:25)

Wow.

Michael Ian Black (0:25)

But that was our mentality. It was like, no, if you're going to say you're going to do it, do it, and then go a little further.

Mike Birbiglia (0:37)

That is the voice of the great Michael Ian Black. I have been waiting for so long to have Michael Ian Black on this podcast. He is one of my favorite comedians and actors and sketch comedians and writers of all time. I have been a fan of his since the 1990s when I was in college. He was on an iconic MTV sketch show called the State, which we talk about a lot today. After that, he was in a group called Stella with Michael Showalter and David Wayne. If you're not familiar with Stella and the State, you have to go on YouTube and just look up some of these things. These guys were really pioneers in this space of. They would make short films, like, every week, and then they would premiere the short film at their show at the live show at the Time Cafe. And it was really like. It's something that people today do very commonly on Instagram and TikTok. But at the time, no one was really doing this. I was really, truly fascinated by it. And so we talk about that today. It's an exciting week for my tour because we just announced a fourth. Yes, a fourth show at the Beacon Theater in New York City. The historic Beacon Theater. March 19th is what we added. So it's March 19th through 22nd. All of that. Get tickets on birdbigs.com Sign up for the mailing list. We have added the final tour cities of this tour. This is, again, to clarify, this is the Please Stop the Ride tour, which has a finale in New York City under the name the Good Life. The final cities are Iowa City at the Englert Theater. Pickering, Ontario, at the Pickering Casino Resort. Baltimore, Maryland, at the Baltimore Center Stage, which is a gorgeous little theater in Baltimore. Ira Glass was telling me that he grew up going to see plays there. Northampton, Massachusetts. I'm at the Academy of Music, one of the coolest little city towns in America. Northampton, Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts. And then finally, I'll be in Burlington, Vermont, at the Flynn. I Love the Flynn. February 23rd. And stay tuned for a Los Angeles announcement. There will be a few shows in Los Angeles and those will be the final shows. And then the Good Life at the Beacon Theater, New York City. All of those shows are on sale now@burbigs.com again, to be clear about what the show itself is, over the last two years, if you've seen me live, whether it's in Boston or Chicago or Seattle or coming to see me at the Beacon in March, it has been a show in progress. The jokes I talk about on the podcast are part of that process. So anything if you saw Christmas Parmesan, if you saw Please Stop the Ride, and if you're gonna see the Good Life, it is all a work in progress. Every show is different from the last. I'm always adding jokes, taking away jokes, shaping the contour of the show and of the stories with my director, Seth Barish, who is also directing the Good Life. So I hope to see at one of those shows. I love this episode with Michael Ian Black. We talk about collaboration, particularly with a sketch comedy group that had a lot of drama in it. They're still friends. They did a reunion tour about a year ago. But he has a fascinating story about that. We also talk about him performing a very intense love scene with Bradley Cooper in Wet Hot American Summer. And we just talk a little bit philosophically about relationships, relationships in marriage, romantic relationships, group dynamics, group relationships, old college friends. It's a great conversation with the great Michael Ian Black working it. So when I moved to New York, you were doing Stella.

Summary

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out: Episode 150 Summary

Title: Michael Ian Black: How to Do Comedy with Your 10 Best Friends
Release Date: November 4, 2024
Guest: Michael Ian Black
Host: Mike Birbiglia

In the 150th episode of Working It Out, comedian and actor Michael Ian Black joins host Mike Birbiglia to delve deep into the dynamics of creating comedy within a tight-knit group of friends. The conversation spans the early days of Black’s career, the challenges and triumphs of collaborative work, personal relationships, and the balance between authenticity and performance in both comedy and personal life.

Early Career and The State

Michael Ian Black begins by reminiscing about his time with the sketch comedy group The State during his college years.

Michael Ian Black [00:00]: "We wrote a sketch for South by Southwest where we all got fully naked on stage... if you're going to say you're going to do it, do it, and then go a little further."

Mike Birbiglia echoes his admiration for Black’s commitment to bold comedic choices, highlighting his long-standing appreciation for Black’s work dating back to the 1990s.

Mike Birbiglia [00:37]: "That is the voice of the great Michael Ian Black. I have been waiting for so long to have Michael Ian Black on this podcast."

Collaboration and Group Dynamics

The discussion shifts to the collaborative nature of The State and later, the comedy trio Stella, consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, and David Wiley. Black candidly shares the internal struggles and competitive environment that eventually led to the group's dissolution.

Michael Ian Black [11:01]: "When we were doing the State in college, we all felt like, oh man, like we really got something here... but we were really hard on each other and not very kind."

Birbiglia probes into feelings of jealousy within the group, revealing a pervasive sense of competition among all members.

Mike Birbiglia [13:01]: "Were you jealous of anyone in the group?"
Michael Ian Black [13:05]: "Everybody in the group."

Black underscores how this collective desperation fueled both their creative successes and their eventual downfall.

Success, Arrogance, and Setbacks

Reflecting on their rise to fame, Black discusses the unexpected challenges that accompanied their success, including a failed network deal that prevented The State from competing against Saturday Night Live.

Michael Ian Black [15:31]: "Don't fuck up your whole life."

He humorously laments their overconfidence, leading to decisions that ultimately hindered the group's potential.

Michael Ian Black [17:22]: "We were just putting on a show... always putting on a show because it was fun."

Personal Relationships and Enduring Marriage

Transitioning to personal life, Black shares insights into his enduring marriage of 26 years, emphasizing acceptance and the daily choice to love as foundational to a lasting relationship.

Michael Ian Black [22:13]: "Acceptance, like accepting the whole of somebody and forgiveness can be nestled within that."

He contrasts his early struggles with authenticity in public persona versus private self, highlighting the journey toward integrating his true self both on stage and at home.

Michael Ian Black [35:30]: "I just felt like the person I was in public was not the person I am in private. And I was uncomfortable with that."

Balancing Comedy and Personal Life

The conversation explores the intersection of Black’s career in comedy and the impact it has had on his personal relationships. He discusses the necessity of physical and emotional separation to maintain a healthy marriage while pursuing a demanding artistic career.

Michael Ian Black [24:03]: "Being away for a fair amount, particularly when the kids were young, that was really hard for her... Having that separation has been really good for us."

Authenticity in Performance

Black reflects on his past roles, such as his intense love scene with Bradley Cooper in Wet Hot American Summer, illustrating his commitment to authenticity in comedy and performance.

Michael Ian Black [26:00]: "We just played it as straight as we could."

He humorously recounts the challenges of maintaining professionalism without the presence of an intimacy coordinator, emphasizing the raw authenticity they aimed for in their performances.

Shifting to Life in Savannah

Michael Ian Black discusses his move to Savannah, Georgia, highlighting the vibrant artistic community and the benefits of living outside major entertainment hubs like New York City.

Michael Ian Black [44:13]: "Savannah is pretty liberal... It's one of those cities that's still kind of affordable, so people can move there and pursue the thing that they want to pursue."

Advice and Reflections

Towards the end of the episode, Black shares wisdom gleaned from his experiences, focusing on empathy, acceptance, and the conscious choice to love in both personal and professional spheres.

Michael Ian Black [22:36]: "Acceptance, like accepting the whole of somebody and forgiveness can be nestled within that."

He also touches on the pitfalls of public personas and the importance of aligning one's public image with their true self to foster genuine connections and personal satisfaction.

Key Takeaways

Commitment to Bold Choices: Black’s approach to comedy stresses the importance of going all the way with a premise to achieve authentic humor.
Complex Group Dynamics: Success within a close-knit comedic group can lead to internal competition and eventual fragmentation.
Balancing Personal and Professional Life: Maintaining a healthy marriage while pursuing a demanding career requires deliberate choices and boundaries.
Authenticity Over Persona: Aligning one’s public persona with their true self fosters more meaningful personal and professional relationships.
Empathy and Acceptance: Central to enduring relationships, both personal and collaborative, is the practice of empathy and acceptance.

Notable Quotes:

Michael Ian Black [00:20]: "No, if you're going to say you're going to do it, do it, and then go a little further."
Michael Ian Black [22:13]: "Acceptance, like accepting the whole of somebody and forgiveness can be nestled within that."
Mike Birbiglia [29:35]: "Do the thing. Commit to what it is."

Conclusion

Episode 150 of Working It Out offers an intimate and insightful exploration of Michael Ian Black’s journey through collaborative comedy, personal growth, and the enduring power of genuine relationships. Listeners gain valuable perspectives on the interplay between creative ambition and personal well-being, making it a compelling episode for aspiring comedians and anyone interested in the dynamics of creative collaborations.