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DVD Review: STELLA: LIVE IN BOSTON

Studio: Shout Factory
Year: 2008
Cast: Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, Zak Orth
Director: Jonathan Stern
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Rating: Not Rated for (adult language)
Run Time: 01h:03m:21s
Genre(s): comedy

“We have albino Bengal tigers.” - Michael Showalter

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Anything involving alumni of The State is well worth a look, and I, for one, can't wait to watch what the guys from Stella can do in a live setting. It promises to be hilarious, and gleefully offensive.

Movie Grade: A

DVD Grade: A

Ah, the comedic genius of the talents behind MTV’s 1990s series, The State. Members of this comedy troupe have gone on to numerous other hilarious projects, including Reno 911! and Viva Variety. A trio of this rather large troupe formed their own, smaller troupe, though, nicknamed Stella. These three guys, Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, and David Wain, began Stella as a nightclub show, then evolved it into a notoriously raunchy, yet hilarious series of Web shorts. The trio even enjoyed a short-lived TV series on Comedy Central, with the necessary toning down of the raunchy material taking something away from that version. Beginning in 2008, the guys took Stella on tour, and Shout Factory’s new DVD, Stella: Live in Boston, gives us a feel for what it was like to see them in action.

This particular show was filmed on December 11, 2008 at The Wilbur Theatre in Boston MA. Ian Black, Showalter, and Wain appear on stage, by themselves (for the most part), and in their trademark matching suits. Seeing them out there in such a raw, vulnerable setting, only hammers home just how hilarious these guys are. It takes a lot to go out on stage with no backdrop, lights, or other props that so many other comedians use as a crutch, but these guys pull off their act seamlessly. The matching suits get me every time too, adding a false air of uptight, white collar worker to these guys, who are really just everyday dolts (and I mean that as a compliment) that have a warped outlook on life.

Things get off to a surprisingly slow start, but once we’re about 10 minutes in, the audience starts to pick up the laughs. This isn’t uncommon for a Stella live show, or so I’ve heard, as much of their routine involves free form ranting and witty banter between the three of them, which often takes a while to gain momentum and really get going. Once they do get rolling, the guys take a huge risk, essentially stopping the show to show a new Stella Short called Birthday. It’s no surprise that this short film is downright hilarious, focusing on the magical appearance of a birthday cake, with many surprises (including an appearance by Zak Orth) along the way.

As has always been the case with Stella, regardless of whether we’re referring to the short films, TV show, or live act, it is the epitome of love it or hate it material. This brand of smug, intelligent, witty humor is not for the masses that thrive off of the Dane Cook’s and Jeff Dunham’s of the world. Fortunately, there’s a large-enough number of people out there that simply adore Ian Black, Showalter, Wain, and the rest of The State alumni, and despite the lack of a wide audience for many of their productions (the recently cancelled, yet highly-rated Reno 911! excluded), they continue to persevere, finding ways to get their unique brand of comedy out there for consumption. Showalter and Ian Black were back on TV recently in Comedy Central’s Michael & Michael Have Issues, so here’s hoping a second season of that and excellent sales numbers for Stella: Live in Boston are in these remarkable comedians’ near futures.

The Stella: Live in Boston DVD is a must-have for anyone even remotely interested in either Stella or The State. Not only is the 60-minute plus feature presentation a laugh-a-minute treat, but the extras included on this disc are a great surprise. Not only do we get a look at the encore for the Wilbur Theatre show (not sure why that wasn’t included in the feature presentation), but we get three episodes of David Wain’s Web-based series, Wainy Days, and three episodes of Showalter’s series Michael Showalter Showalter. Sure we’ve been able to view some of these bonus features online, but it’s great to have them in such a nice package as Stella: Live in Boston.

Posted by: Chuck Aliaga - October 25, 2009, 5:39 pm - DVD Review
Keywords: comedy trio, the state, smart and silly