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Herc's Seen Comedy Central’s
MICHAEL & MICHAEL
HAVE ISSUES!!
I am – Hercules!!
A sitcom about a sketch show from “The State” and “Stella” veterans Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black, “Michael & Michael Have Issues” offers a lot of juvenile backstage behavior that wouldn’t feel out of place on “30 Rock,” though “Issues” tends to be a lot slower about moving on to the next gag.
Didn’t love “Issues”; didn’t hate it. In truth, it feels like it might fit better with most of the stoner comedies they brew up in Atlanta for the Cartoon Network’s late-night Adult Swim programming block.
The second episode, which focuses on drug use, will feel tame to anyone who’s heard Artie Lange extol the virtues and drawbacks of heroin abuse on the Stern or Letterman shows.
It’s certainly not in the league of the channel’s “South Park,” “The Sarah Silverman Program” or “Important Things With Demetri Martin.” My issue with “Michael & Michael” is it’s just not funny enough to garner a season pass on my DVRs. I would, however, dip my balls in it.
Entertainment Weekly says:
… if you've ever wanted to watch a farting-butterfly sketch struggle to take flight, this just might be the show for you. …
The Los Angeles Times says:
… Practically speaking, the mix of sketch and story lets them not invest too heavily in either, and "Michael & Michael" is pretty consistently amusing in a low-boil way while rarely breaking into brilliance. And given the insistent childishness of the leads, it remains somehow genial even at its nastiest. …
The Boston Globe says:
… works because it’s funny, and it’s funny because of its chemistry. …
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… In the end, despite frenetic jump cuts and abrupt scene changes and attempts to goose along the "story," the 21 minutes devoted to actual "MMHI" content feels like twice that. The pacing might be anarchical, but that doesn't mean it can't plod; the off-the-wall style aims for a current "Monty Python" but misses the mark. …
10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Comedy Central.
Season Eight: Volume Five!! 
Hrm.
Readers Talkback
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Holy crap, I never thought this would happen to me! Also, I apologize.
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I'll watch it, since I was a fan of The State and kind of enjoyed Stella.
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This should have been Stella season 2. I'll still watch though.
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i really heart Showalter, Black, Wain. the "Stella" shorts are some of the funniest shit ever produced.
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I can't recall...it's worth the publicity imo.
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who was actually kinda funny in a 1 scene gag in MYSTERY MEN.
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virtually every "out and about" sketch worked really well, and the really fast pace was great in the studio segments. it's like they acknowledge that "this shit is funny for 10 seconds at a time", so they just kept doing 10 second jokes over and over. and it works.<p>I love Michael Ian Black, and Showalter's internet stuff is great, so I'll be watching this for sure.
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if you're on twitter, seriously. he is THE funniest comedian on there.<p> http://twitter.com/michaelianblack <p> some sample tweets:<p> "Fred Travalena is dead. Two D-Listers down, one to go. I've encased myself in a stainless steel cocoon for safety."<br> "Got a salad at McDonald's, which is like getting a handshake at a whorehouse."<br> "Early New Year's resolution: less hateful screeds against that motherfucker Tom Hanks."<br> "Just to clarify - "barely legal" means it's legal, right? What about "almost legal?" "<br>"Took some strong flu medication yesterday. Woke up with a pentagram tattooed on my forehead."<br> "Hey England, suck it!" (From Thomas Paine's "On Common Sense.")<br> "Whenever I am attracted to a woman other than my wife, I halt my desire by thinking these two words: "yeast infection." It always works."<br> "Upset about Michael Jackson. The 13 yr. old in me still loved him. The 37 yr. old me wanted to see him complete his transformation."<p> if that shit's not funny to you, you are dead in the brain.
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and i would rather spend every moment of the rest of my life listening to Dane Cook's "Harmful if Swallowed" over and over and over than listen to that black hole of comedy. Michael Ian Black and Showalter, with barely an exception for Wain, remind me of those kids in your high school class that had the improv group and thought they were so funny and unique and the next monty python and all that shit, but in reality were funny to no one but themselves and the small group of social rejects they conned into coming to their shows. oh and fuck STELLA, seriously. 30 minute ego masturbation.
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the soup does everything it's ever done 100 times better. plus, let's face it, he's no joel mchale.
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he just exudes cool. I tried to be cool before, but it was too hard to hate everything that was popular for the sake of being contrary. <p>also, the hipster jeans were super uncomfortable.
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i don't judge anything until i've at least given it a chance. i gave stella two. the first episode was absolutely horrible, but i thought what the heck i'll give it another shot maybe it will get better. it didn't. i really tried to find something funny about it.and i even downloaded MIB's album, giving it a chance, because i sort of remembered him being kind of funny on some VH1 show. just not funny or worthwhile.
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in an article that has absolutely nothing to do with him.
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July 16, 2009, 7:04 a.m. CST
It's not as good as The Sarah Silverman Show? So, you're
by Coughlins Laws
the one who watches that show. As far as the whole episode about drug jokes being tame if you listen to the scumbag Artie Lange talk about his heroine use on the Stern Show, that's just stupid. So you're saying if you've ever heard a story about rehab you can't laugh at drug jokes? What? That's like saying you can't laugh at any sex jokes on South Park because you just watched Debbie Does Dallas. The point makes ZERO sense to everyone except for you...
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...he actually did (kinda) in The Dick Powell Show.
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Dude, your diatribe against these brilliant comedians speaks volumes about your stupidity. Fuck you.
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Cancelled? Finally seeing the state, Comedy Central ran it all last week...it was ok nothing amazing. Not as good as I was hoping for, Stiller show was better. Now I have to see what the Dana Carvy show was all about.
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Just seems like a lot of it is very inside. I first found out about him on Ed. I think he works better in small doses, like his Tom Goes To the Mayor episode.
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I could watch it a million times and still be amused. So much of the humor comes from the pitch perfect performances as well.
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already did it...!
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we can disagree about Sarah Silverman, Michael and Michael, etc. etc.<p> but Reno 911? are you mentally sound? Reno 911 is the 2nd funniest show on television after It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. did you SEE the murder mystery episode? carmen electra and the kid with the huge penis that Travis Jr. takes a picture of? the VCR transfer episode with the old Trudy before she went retarded?<p>it's as good as it's every been, trust me.
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But Im also the guy who watched each episode of Stella repeatedly on DVD and even watched every episode with the commentary on on more that one occasion. I just love these guys, so to me there is nothing better than seeing these two get into a shirtless fight without ever really connecting a single blow.
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July 18, 2009, 6:22 p.m. CST
how many times is comedy central going to give these losers show
by Gigy
save the money so we can have the real fucking bender!
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Some...I mean...most people don't understand these guys comedy. They must be able to pitch like wizards cuz they constantly get shows.
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