If only the Men In Black could wipe Michael Ian Black from my memory banks
with the workload slowly receding slightly faster than my hairline, i decided to put off the paid writing that needed to get done in favor of catching up a bit with old friend TV. unfortunately, we ended up watching the execrable premier of "Stella" on Comedy Central. if i had any misconceptions about the fact that a comedy show could leave me in a worse mood when it was over than when it started, this travesty cleared them up but fast. the previews were bad, but the show took it to a whole other plane. i can not suggest strongly enough that you avoid this show at all costs. i'd love to expound on what exactly about the show was so abhorrent, but it's already eaten too large of a hole in my evening.
while i'm aware that my opinions are sometimes out of step with wider sensibilities (see "Curb Your Enthusiasm"), if this show becomes some sort of massive hit or critical darling there will be some serious soul-searching on the agenda.
Comments
i haven't watched stella yet but i assume it is full of whiny jews much like curb your enthusiasm for it to make such an impression on you. i'm sure i'm going to love it!
Posted by: dan | June 29, 2005 12:45 AM
I thought it was lame too.
Posted by: mas | June 29, 2005 07:50 AM
I watched it for about 15 seconds before realizing that it was a somewhat traditional sitcom format, which seemed like it wouldn't work for them.
David Wane, the dude with the glasses, did make White Hot American Summer, which is pretty damn funny. And Michael Ian Black was Johnny Bluejeans, god love him. But most of the talent from the State can be found on Reno 911.
Posted by: jake | June 29, 2005 09:43 AM
I was hanging out with a friend of the other Michael's (without knowing it) and he brought up "Stella" and I was like, 'That looks like a piece of shit!' And he's like, 'That sucks you think it looks bad, that's my friend and he's funny, I sure hope it's a hit for them.' And I'm like, 'Uh, sorry, maybe it's just the previews that suck?' Looks like I was right...
Posted by: Claire | June 29, 2005 02:03 PM
Haven't seen it yet, but I think I read somewhere that Comedy Central originally wanted to make "Stella" only an occasional special, not an actual series, but because of Dave Chappelle's issues, they had a big hole to fill in the lineup and quick-ordered a whole season of "Stella." Rush-job tv shows, especially rush-job comedy shows, are rarely good.
Posted by: matt | June 30, 2005 11:43 AM
i couldn't believe how awful it was. we could only handle about 5 minutes. i was a big fan of stella at the fez, but the state trio acted just as mcees for that for the most part.
Posted by: shr | June 30, 2005 02:05 PM
I never liked The State, and the commercials for Stella made me want to puke. I happened to watch about 4 minutes of it the other night, and it was just as unfunny as I expected. That is, as unfunny as a "comedy" show could possibly be.
Here's my opinion of those State/Stella people: they think that if they wear a goofy or exaggeratedly-faux-serious expression on their face and talk in a goofy or exaggeratedly-faux-serious voice about something very absurd, that makes them funny. They try too hard, and it comes off as pathetic.
Also, no offense to Jake, but I found Wet Hot American Summer to be one of the most painfully unfunny movies I've ever seen. I couldn't even watch the whole thing. That was one of a few movies that Anne and I rented when we were roommates that we couldn't watch all the way through. The others being Dude, Where's My Car? and Pups, this stupid teen-bankrobber movie with the girl from The O.C., which Dan and Marc inexplicably loved.
Posted by: jim | June 30, 2005 07:26 PM
Here's my opinion of those State/Stella people: they think that if they wear a goofy or exaggeratedly-faux-serious expression on their face and talk in a goofy or exaggeratedly-faux-serious voice about something very absurd, that makes them funny. They try too hard, and it comes off as pathetic.
jim,
i'm sick of you deriding johnny depp in the upcoming willy wonka movie.
Posted by: dan | July 1, 2005 12:21 AM
Jim, no offense taken, you big jerk!
Perhaps I was a little overzealous in my praise for a movie that I couldn't even name correctly. But fantasy baseball stud Paul Rudd was terrific in it.
Posted by: jake | July 1, 2005 12:15 PM
jake,
you must mean last place fantasy owner stud paul rudd. he is quite studly as a person but not a stud owner. just for the record.
Posted by: dan | July 1, 2005 01:52 PM
Jake, a lot of other people seem to think that movie is funny, so I am probably the freak.
Rudd is a hottie. And, his name does at least rhyme with stud.
Posted by: jim | July 1, 2005 06:33 PM
It's the worst show I've ever seen.
Posted by: Adam | July 20, 2005 12:42 AM