Michael Ian Black
Who Michael Ian Black is
Michael Ian Black is a comedian, actor and writer from Hillsborough, New Jersey, who co-created, wrote and starred in the sketch and comedy series The State, Viva Variety, Stella and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He played Phil on NBC's Ed, starred in TV Land's The Jim Gaffigan Show and Comedy Central's Another Period, and appeared in Wet Hot American Summer and its Netflix series, and he wrote and directed the film Wedding Daze and co-wrote Run, Fatboy, Run.
A touring stand-up, he released the specials I Am a Wonderful Man (2007), Very Famous (2011) and Noted Expert (2016, on Epix), followed in 2026 by the album First Annual Retirement Special on Comedy Dynamics. He has written the memoirs Navel Gazing and You're Not Doing It Right and several children's books, and he hosts the podcasts Mike and Tom Eat Snacks, with Tom Cavanagh, and How to Be Amazing. His track The Latest Terrible Experience, from Noted Expert, was played on SiriusXM's Raw Comedy channel in November 2023.
At a glance
- Stand-up specials
- I Am a Wonderful Man, Very Famous and Noted Expert
- Albums
- I Am a Wonderful Man, Very Famous, Noted Expert and 1 more
- Podcasts
- Mike and Tom Eat Snacks and How to Be Amazing
- Books
- Navel Gazing and You're Not Doing It Right
- On screen
- The State, Viva Variety, Stella and 7 more
- Official site
- michaelianblack.org ↗
On stage
No dated show on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now — their own site has their dates: michaelianblack.org ↗.
Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →
Specials, shows and podcasts
Stand-up specials
- I Am a Wonderful Man 2007
- Very Famous 2011
- Noted Expert Epix, 2016
Albums
- I Am a Wonderful Man Comedy Central Records, 2007
- Very Famous Comedy Central Records, 2011
- Noted Expert Comedy Dynamics, 2016
- First Annual Retirement Special Comedy Dynamics, 2026
On screen
- The State co-creator, writer and star
- Viva Variety co-creator, writer and star
- Stella co-creator, writer and star
- Michael & Michael Have Issues co-creator, writer and star
- Ed Phil, NBC
- The Jim Gaffigan Show TV Land
- Another Period Comedy Central
- Wet Hot American Summer film; Netflix series
- Wedding Daze writer and director, film
- Run, Fatboy, Run co-writer, film
Podcasts
- Mike and Tom Eat Snacks co-host, with Tom Cavanagh
- How to Be Amazing host
Books and writing
- Navel Gazing book
- You're Not Doing It Right book
Comedians like Michael Ian Black
Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.
- Artie Lange also in The Jim Gaffigan Show
- Dave Hill also in The Jim Gaffigan Show
- Jim Gaffigan also in The Jim Gaffigan Show
- Luis J. Gomez also in The Jim Gaffigan Show
- Marina Franklin also in The Jim Gaffigan Show
- Natasha Leggero also in Another Period
- Ray DeVito also in The Jim Gaffigan Show
- Riki Lindhome also in Another Period
Career timeline
- 2007I Am a Wonderful Man (2007) Special
- 2007I Am a Wonderful Man (Comedy Central Records, 2007) Album
- 2011Very Famous (2011) Special
- 2011Very Famous (Comedy Central Records, 2011) Album
- 2016Noted Expert (Epix, 2016) Special
- 2016Noted Expert (Comedy Dynamics, 2016) Album
- 2026First Annual Retirement Special (Comedy Dynamics, 2026) Album
Questions and answers
Where is Michael Ian Black performing next?
No date is on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now; their own site has their dates: michaelianblack.org ↗.
What stand-up specials have they released?
I Am a Wonderful Man, Very Famous and Noted Expert.
What podcasts do they host?
Mike and Tom Eat Snacks and How to Be Amazing.
Have they written a book?
Yes:Navel Gazing and You're Not Doing It Right.
What TV shows and films are they in?
The State, Viva Variety, Stella, Michael & Michael Have Issues, Ed and The Jim Gaffigan Show, among 10 credits.
Who are some comedians like them?
Artie Lange (also in The Jim Gaffigan Show), Dave Hill (also in The Jim Gaffigan Show), Jim Gaffigan (also in The Jim Gaffigan Show), Luis J. Gomez (also in The Jim Gaffigan Show) and Marina Franklin (also in The Jim Gaffigan Show).
The full SUCDb record
The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.
Sources
- Official site (About) ↗ A multi-media talent who has starred in numerous films and TV series, written and directed two films, and regularly tours the country performing; The Jim…
- Apple Music catalogue ↗ I Am a Wonderful Man (2007) and Very Famous (2011), (P) Comedy Central Records; Noted Expert (20 May 2016; track The Latest Terrible Experience) and First…
- Wikimedia Commons - Michael Ian Black at the 2025 Tribeca Festival ↗ Michael Ian Black at the 2025 Tribeca Festival (Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0); the photo (as of 8 October 2026)
- xmplaylist - Raw Comedy recent plays (Internet Archive capture, 25 November 2023) ↗ The Latest Terrible Experience, Michael Ian Black, played on Raw Comedy on 25 November 2023 (04:30 UTC) (as of 8 October 2026)
Updated 9 October 2026 · the record checked 8 October 2026