Michael Ian Black Biography

Fast Facts

• Studied at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, but left just prior to graduation to pursue his entertainment career full time
• Co-founded the comedy troupe The State in 1988 and eventually landed his first national television appearance with the group's self-titled MTV series in 1993
• Quote: "[on interviewing celebrities] "Everybody is always looking for a road map․ People just want to know how to move ahead in their own lives and ․․․ [take] lessons from what other people have gone through․""
• Quote: "I definitely script things out․ Often, my jokes are terrible․ I often cannot distinguish between what is funny, so I need audiences to help me figure that stuff out․ Stand-up is a lot of trial-and-error․"
• Best known as the screenwriter of "Run, Fatboy, Run" and for playing Phil Stubbs in "Ed․"
• A well-known player of the Stella comedy group, which he co-founded in 1997 with Michael Showalter and David Wain
• Chose to go by the stage name of Black instead of his surname Schwartz, in order to avoid confusion with the Michael Schwartzes already popular in show business
• Host of an interview series for Audible․com called "How To Be Amazing․"
• Released his first children's book, "Chicken Cheeks," in 2009