Stella
DVD cover for season one of Stella.
Genre	Comedy
Created by	Michael Ian Black Michael Showalter David Wain
Starring	Michael Ian Black Michael Showalter David Wain
Opening theme	Instrumental theme by Craig Wedren
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of episodes	10
Production
Produced by	Jerry Kupfer
Executive producer(s)	Michael Ian Black Michael Showalter David Wain
Camera setup	Single camera
Running time	20-22 minutes (approx.)
Broadcast
Original channel	Comedy Central
Original run	June 29, 2005 – August 30, 2005
Links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Stella was a television series that originally ran June 28, 2005 - August 30, 2005 on the American television channel Comedy Central, created by and starring Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain, the three members of the sketch comedy troupe of the same name and former cast members of MTV's The State. Stella, as a comedy troupe, has existed since 1997. It has a large fan base and plays to sold out shows across the USA. The show aired on Tuesdays at 10:30 PM, EST. Image File history File links Stella_season_one_DVD.JPG‎ DVD cover for season one of Stella. ... Comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humour with an intent to provoke[[ laughter in general). ... Michael Ian Black (born Michael Schwartz on August 12, 1971) is an American actor, comedian and comedy writer. ... Michael Showalter (born June 17, 1970) is an American actor, writer, and director. ... David Wain (born August 1, 1969 in Shaker Heights, Ohio) is an American writer, director, actor and comedian. ... Lead singer for Shudder to Think, lead for newer pop-mash project, BABY. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Jerry Kupfer is an American television producer who has worked on shows such as 30 Rock and Strangers with Candy. ... A single camera setup is the name given to the filming procedure used to film motion pictures. ... Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States and, as of October 19, 2006, in Poland[1], of January 15, 2007 in Germany[2], of April 30, 2007 in the Netherlands[3] and in Italy of May 1. ... June 29 is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 185 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 28 is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 186 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 30 August 2005 (Tuesday) Conflict in Iraq: According to US and Iraqi government officials, US Air strikes near the border with Syria have left 56 civilians and over seven insurgents dead. ... Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States and, as of October 19, 2006, in Poland[1], of January 15, 2007 in Germany[2], of April 30, 2007 in the Netherlands[3] and in Italy of May 1. ... Michael Ian Black (born Michael Schwartz on August 12, 1971) is an American actor, comedian and comedy writer. ... Michael Showalter (born June 17, 1970) is an American actor, writer, and director. ... David Wain (born August 1, 1969 in Shaker Heights, Ohio) is an American writer, director, actor and comedian. ... Stella is comedy troupe consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, and David Wain (all former members of The State). ... MTV (Music Television) is an American cable television network headquartered in New York City. ... The State was a half hour long sketch comedy television show, broadcast on MTV from 1993 to 1995. ...

On September 6, 2005, after 10 episodes, Stella had its timeslot filled by Mind of Mencia. Currently, Comedy Central rarely shows reruns of the program. On March 8, 2006, the following message was posted on Stella's official website: "The STELLA series was on Comedy Central last summer. The network has officially decided not to renew it for a second season," thus effectively cancelling the series. The first season DVD was released on September 12, 2006. Episodes have also been available on iTunes and some episodes on Joost. Stella premiered in Australia on The Comedy Channel on May 3, 2007. September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mind of Mencia is an American television comedy show on the cable channel Comedy Central. ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Joost (pronounced juiced) is a system for distributing TV shows and other forms of video over the Web using peer-to-peer TV technology, created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis (founders of Skype and Kazaa). ...

Characters

Main

• Michael Ian Black as Michael Ian Black
• Michael Showalter as Michael Showalter
• David Wain as David Wain

Michael Ian Black (born Michael Schwartz on August 12, 1971) is an American actor, comedian and comedy writer. ... Michael Showalter (born June 17, 1970) is an American actor, writer, and director. ... David Wain (born August 1, 1969 in Shaker Heights, Ohio) is an American writer, director, actor and comedian. ...

Recurring

• The Girls Downstairs
  • Andrea Rosen as Jennifer
  • Rashida Jones as Karen (pilot only)
  • Samantha Buck as Amy
  • Heidi Neurauter as Stacy
• Justin Lord as the important guy (Co-op Board President, The Mayor, Don Robinson, Justin Lord)

Andrea Rosen is an American comedian and actress most notable for her work with comedy troupes Stella and Variety Shac, and for her appearances in numerous TV commercials. ... Rashida Leah Jones (born February 25, 1976, in Los Angeles, California) is an American actress, writer, model, and musician, best known for her portrayals of Edie Miller on the British television series NY-LON, Louisa Fenn on Boston Public, and Karen Filippelli on The Office. ... Samantha Buck (born August 23, 1973 in Dallas, Texas) is an American actress. ...

Plot

Stella is an adaptation of the Stella comedy troupe's stage show and short films. The series follows Michael, Michael, and David, three infantile men who always dress in suits, live together in a New York apartment, and seemingly have no jobs. The show is somewhat a mix of sketch comedy and a sitcom; there is some semblance of a plot for each episode and recurring characters, but the show purposely ignores continuity and often becomes surreal. Stella is comedy troupe consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, and David Wain (all former members of The State). ...

The trio made 28 short films before the TV series, which were shown as part of the live show. The shorts were made during 1998-2002 (one of which has only been released as an easter egg on the series' first season DVD set). The shorts cover various different topics such as searching for Santa, mustache growing, pizza eating, and other absurd situations. The group cleaned up much of its material for the show, as much of the humor in the sketches and short films was often derived from taboo or adult topics like necrophilia and dildos. Look up Necrophilia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A 7-inch silicone dildo A dildo (or dildoe, a rare alternate spelling) is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for bodily interaction during masturbation or sexual intercourse. ...

The show, like much of modern sketch comedy, employs the techniques of absurdist humor, pioneered by the Marx Brothers, Eugène Ionesco and The Goodies (who also rode a trandem), amongst others. Notable guest stars include Paul Rudd, Sam Rockwell, Topher Grace, Tim Blake Nelson, Alan Ruck, Janeane Garofalo, and Edward Norton. Absurdism is a philosophy, usually translated into different art forms, that holds that any attempt to understand the universe will fail. ... Groucho, Gummo, Minnie (mother), Zeppo, Frenchy (father), Chico and Harpo. ... Eugène Ionesco Eugène Ionesco, born Eugen Ionescu, (November 26, 1909 – March 29, 1994) was a French-Romanian playwright and dramatist, one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd. ... The Goodies was a surreal British television comedy series of the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy and starring Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie. ... Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American film and stage actor. ... Sam Rockwell (born November 5, 1968 in Daly City, California) is an American actor who has received consistently strong critical acclaim for his work in 40 plus films including Box of Moon Light, Galaxy Quest, The Green Mile, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and The Hitchhikers Guide to the... Christopher Topher Grace (born July 12, 1978) is an American actor, known for playing the lead role on the situation comedy That 70s Show as Eric Forman during the shows first seven seasons, and for playing Eddie Brock in the film Spider-Man 3 (2007). ... Tim Blake Nelson (born May 11, 1964) is an American character actor and film director. ... Alan Ruck (born July 1, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American stage, television and film actor. ... Janeane Garofalo Janeane Garofalo (born September 28, 1964 in Newton, New Jersey), is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist, writer and former co-host on Air America Radios The Majority Report. ... Edward H. Norton[1] (born August 18, 1969) is a critically acclaimed two-time Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning American film actor and director. ...

Episode list

Pilot is the first episode of Stella. ... June 28 is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 186 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 5 is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 179 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For information about a medical intern, see the article on Medical residency. ... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coffee Shop is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 1995 album, One Hot Minute. ... July 26 is the 207th day (208th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 158 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A paperboy is the general name for a person (traditionally a preteen boy) employed by a newspaper to deliver papers to subscribers as assigned by streets and routes, often on a bicycle. ... A bully is an individual who tends to torment others, either through verbal harassment or physical assaults, or through more subtle methods of coercion. ... Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behaviour between two or more humans. ... August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Significant other Significant Other is the second album by Limp Bizkit, released on June 22, 1999. ... Joshua Aaron Charles (born September 15, 1971) is an American stage, film and television actor. ... Alfred Lerner Hall, with Carman Hall rising in the background Alfred Lerner Hall is the student center or students union of Columbia University named for Al Lerner, who financed its construction. ... August 9 is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cosette Dwyer is an amazing author. ... Janeane Garofalo Janeane Garofalo (born September 28, 1964 in Newton, New Jersey), is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist, writer and former co-host on Air America Radios The Majority Report. ... Illustration of a scribe writing Writing, in its most common sense, is the preservation and the preserved text on a medium, with the use of signs or symbols. ... A manuscript (Latin manu scriptus, written by hand), strictly speaking, is any written document that is put down by hand, in contrast to being printed or reproduced some other way. ... This article is concerned with the production of books, magazines, and other literary material (whether in printed or electronic formats). ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year (236th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Psychiatrist redirects here. ...

Allusions

Stella consists of (from left to right) Michael Ian Black, David Wain and Michael Showalter

Stella is riddled with allusions to the creators' earlier works. The most prominent of these are to the movie Wet Hot American Summer. Some of these include: Jaspers Dilemma File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Jaspers Dilemma File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Michael Ian Black (born Michael Schwartz on August 12, 1971) is an American actor, comedian and comedy writer. ... David Wain (born August 1, 1969 in Shaker Heights, Ohio) is an American writer, director, actor and comedian. ... Michael Showalter (born June 17, 1970) is an American actor, writer, and director. ... Wet Hot American Summer is a 2001 feature film. ...

• The appearance of Janeane Garofalo (Beth), Paul Rudd (Andy), Elizabeth Banks (Lindsay), and Joe Lo Truglio (Neil).
• The song "Higher and Higher" by Theodore Shapiro and Craig Wedren in the episode "Office Party."
• The sign behind Michael Black's coffee stand in "Coffee Shop" reads "Gene's Two Way Radio", a reference to the character Gene in Wet Hot American Summer.
• Constant references to the Wet Hot American Summer script:

-In the episode "Novel": Janeane Garofalo Janeane Garofalo (born September 28, 1964 in Newton, New Jersey), is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist, writer and former co-host on Air America Radios The Majority Report. ... Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American film and stage actor. ... Banks in Heights Elizabeth Banks (born Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell on February 10, 1974) is an American actress. ... is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in New York, where is a professor emeritus in psychiatry and pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic. ... Lead singer for Shudder to Think, lead for newer pop-mash project, BABY. ...

 David: "Listen, Jane--" Jane: "Please, call me Jane." David: "Okay, Jane it is." 

This is a recreation of the dialogue between camp director Beth(also played by Garofalo) and associate professor Newman(David Hyde Pierce).

-In the episode "Meeting Girls":

 Michael Black (to a woman he's dancing with): "I want you inside me." 

Coop says this same line to Katie in Wet Hot American Summer.

Recurring elements

Although the series lasted only one season, the trio had been working together honing their act for years (through the live show and the original, more vulgar Stella short films). As such, by the time the TV show came to be, the trio had a strong sense of who the 'characters' were and a unique comic sensibility.

Recurring elements in the show include:

• The trio shouting "yay!" in unison any time something good happens (inversely, they "boo" in unison when something bad happens).
• Group discussions about God (Showalter often offers that God could be "a table or a leaf" etc.)
• The trio singing "who is it?" in unison whenever somebody rings the doorbell.
• Using fake moustaches, usually as a means of disguise. (see the "Pilot" "Office Party" and "Meeting Girls" episodes)
• Mention of "Marcus", a person whom none of them actually know.
• David Wain being the "odd man out" of the trio, as the two Michaels exclude him. (See the "Election," "Meeting Girls" and "Novel" episodes). This is reminisent of the trio's Comedy Central Presents performance, in which both Michaels, specifically Michael Ian Black, show some resentment to David
• Michael Showalter being the "emotional" one of the group, often overreacting to situations.
• Michael Showalter saying "We don't have this money." or "What I did was wrong and I'll be the first to admit it."
• Absurd time frames. The group often changes in extreme manners over a short period of time, such as full grown beards or strong relationship bonds. Very often this is hidden until someone brings up the point that something happened "just 2 days ago!"
• David Wain being the Casanova of the three, attracting and making out with different women at a moment's notice (See "Pilot", "Camping Trip" and "Coffee Shop" episodes). The one exception is the "Meeting Girls" episode, where only David has no girlfriend.
• Michael Ian Black being the evil conniving one of the group, the first to resort to murder and the first to betray one of the friends. He even once coerced David and the other Michael to resort to cannibalism.
• The title screen and theme music appearing abruptly, often contrasting with and interrupting whatever is going on in the scene.
• "The Important Guy" in many episodes, actor Justin Lord appears in a position of power (Co-op board president, mayor, music producer)
• The three learning a lesson about the importance of friendship.
• Winning awards or prizes at the end of an episode, even if their actions have not been in any way worthy of praise.
• Wearing suits at all times, even in inappropriate situations such as bathing and working out.
• The trio vocally harmonizing (badly).
• Looking at the camera (See "Pilot" and "Meeting Girls")
• Simple camera tricks (e.g. in "Camping" Michael Showalter cracks raw eggs into a frying pan, which is panned offscreen and back on, and meanwhile the pan has been replaced with fully cooked eggs)

Comedy Central Presents is a television series shown Friday nights at 10 p. ... Giacomo Casanova (April 5, 1725 - June 4, 1798). ...

DVD Release

Season Releases

The DVD also contains three easter eggs, including a "lost" Stella short. To access them, insert disc two. Select "special features," and then press down twice to highlight "Comedy Central Presents: STELLA." Press left once, and the new cursor position will be marked by the appearance of a hat and mustache on Michael Showalter's silhouette. Pressing enter will select the first easter egg. Press right to move to the other easter eggs. The three easter eggs are: September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

• A Stella short that has never been released on the Internet or on any bootleg DVD (previously seen only at the January 9, 2002 Stella performance); this is titled "Bar" and features H. Jon Benjamin.
• A montage of outtakes from the opening of the "Meeting Girls" episode. (the guys yelling "IT'S FRIDAY NIGHT")
• A reel of Comedy Central's advertisements for the Stella TV show.

H. Jon Benjamin (born May 23, 1966 in Worcester, Massachusetts) is an American comedian and actor, known mostly for his extensive voice acting. ...

External links

• StellaFans.com
• Collected Stella links
• "Stella: The New Marx Brothers" --Rolling Stone interview
• "A Streetcar Named Hilarious" --The Phat Phree interview
• "Stella" --The Onion interview
• "Stella" --Brian M. Palmer interview
• "Gag Order" --Slate.com article