Stella is the name of the comedy troupe consisting of Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain. Having met at New York University in 1988, the trio went on to help create and be major players in MTV’s cult sketch classic The State (“Top Ten Shows on Television” – Wall Street Journal). Guests of the show often included fellow comedians Janeane Garofalo, Ben Stiller, David Cross, and the Upright Citizens Brigade. Breakout performances under the name ‘Stella’ began in 1997 as a weekly nightclub comedy show in New York at Fez in Greenwich Village.

In 2005, the trio adapted their stage routine into an unconventional television show of the same name. A mix of sketch comedy and a sitcom, Stella played up situations involving absurd adventures and surreal humor in the style of the Marx Brothers and Monty Python, often ignoring continuity and traditional plot. The short-lived series ran for a total of 10 episodes on Comedy Central, amassing a devoted cult following along the way.

Outside of Stella, Black has appeared as a regular on the sitcom Ed, and all three have made numerous appearances on VH1’s I Love the 80’s and I Love the 70’s. Between the three of them, their film credits include Wet Hot American Summer (written by Showalter and Wain, directed by Wain, featuring Showalter and Black), The Baxter (written and directed by Showalter, featuring all three), Wedding Daze (written and directed by Black), Run, Fatboy, Run (written by Black), The Ten (directed and co-written by Wain, featuring all three), and Role Models (co-written and directed by Wain). Both Showalter and Black have released stand-up comedy albums, Sandwiches and Cats and I’m a Wonderful Man, respectively.