Michael Showalter
(born June 17, 1970) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is one third of the sketch comedy trio Stella. Showalter first came to recognition as a cast member on MTV's The State
, which aired from 1993 to 1995. He co-wrote (with David Wain) and starred in Wet Hot American Summer
(2001) and he wrote, directed, and starred in The Baxter
(2005), with Michelle Williams, Justin Theroux and Elizabeth Banks. Both of these movies featured many of his co-stars from The State
, and so do several of his other projects. His current project is Michael & Michael Have Issues
with Michael Ian Black.
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Biography
Personal life
Showalter was born in
Princeton, New Jersey, the son of
Elaine Showalter (
née Cottler), an author, literary critic, and professor, and English Showalter, a
Yale-educated professor of 18th century
French literature.
[1] His father is
Episcopalian and his mother is
Jewish.
[2] He has one older sister, Vinca Showalter LaFleur, a professional speechwriter. He attended
Princeton High School for five years. Showalter shared an apartment with his friend
Andrea Rosen.
[3]
Career
Showalter began his undergraduate studies at
New York University, where he joined the
improv troupe The New Group
. Showalter transferred to and graduated from
Brown University. After he completed college,
The New Group
changed its name to
The State
and began creating video shorts for an
MTV show called
You Wrote It, You Watch It
, hosted by
Jon Stewart.
The State
was then picked up as its own show, which aired for two years on MTV.
Showalter has also had several smaller roles in movies and TV shows. He played Ron Parker, the arrogant host of
Cheap Seats
, on
ESPN Classic in the
pilot episode. However, after a bookcase fell on Showalter's character, tape librarians (and brothers)
Randy and
Jason Sklar took over the hosting duties. Showalter spent a brief time as a correspondent on
The Daily Show
(1996). He is also one half of The Doilies, an acoustic comedy band, in which he sings lead vocals opposite guitarist
Zak Orth.
Showalter is the host of
The Michael Showalter Showalter
, an original Internet series on
Collegehumor.com which premiered
January 16,
2007. His first guest was comedian
Zach Galifianakis. Other guests have included
David Cross,
Michael Ian Black,
Paul Rudd,
David Wain,
Andy Samberg,
Michael Cera, and
Mike Birbiglia. In the fall and winter of 2006, Showalter toured the US with frequent collaborator Michael Ian Black. In March 2007 Showalter briefly toured as the opening act for
Janeane Garofalo.
The Ten
reunites him with frequent collaborators from
The State
.
Showalter signed with
JDub Records, a
non-profit record label, in June 2007. He released his first stand-up CD titled
Sandwiches & Cats
in November 2007. He teaches screenwriting at
New York University's Graduate Film School.
Showalter is currently teaming up once more with
Michael Ian Black in the new
Comedy Central seried
Michael and Michael Have Issues
.
[4], which premiered in July 2009.
[5] The show details the two Michaels' trials and tribulations as they create a television series.
In an interview with
The Rumpus
in February 2009, Showalter talked about a memoir he is working on. "I am writing an 'important' memoir about not being able to write an important memoir. It winds up being kind of a novel-length comedic essay on insecurity and procrastination."
[6]
References
- Michael Showalter Biography (1970-)
- "Romantic Comedy Loser Finds Love", ''Jewish Journal'', September 2, 2005.
- Inside With: Andrea Rosen
- http://michaelianblack.typepad.com/blog/2008/07/come-see-michae.html
- Comedy Central commits to 'Michael and Michael Have Issues'
- http://therumpus.net/2009/02/the-rumpus-interview-with-michael-showalter/