in which he stars with Michael Ian Black.
Last night, Michael & Michael Have Issues premiered on Comedy Central among mid-summer reruns. Starring Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter, the TV show follows the duo's collaborating for their sketch comedy program and working through their jealousy and insecurities.
Black has been in VH1's I Love the...(decade) series and Ed, while Showalter has starred and worked behind the scenes on Wet Hot American Summer and The Baxter. They have worked together for more than 20 years on projects such as The State and Stella, which also includes David Wain.
The Post's Ashley Luthern spoke with Showalter about Twitter and his new show, which airs at 10:30 Wednesday nights on Comedy Central.
The Post: You've been working with Michael Ian Black for a while now. How do you guys keep things fresh on projects like this show, or does it create an environment for a lot of good ad-lib because you know each other so well?
Michael Showalter: We sort of like don't have a relationship at all outside of working together. So the only time we ever talk is when we're working. So it stays fresh because when we're not working together we don't speak ... This is the dark side of it, is that we communicate through our writer's assistant, Stephie. That's why he's not on the phone right now.
Post: The show has had so much online build-up with the blog and Twitter updates, so I have to ask: What's it been like fighting with Black 140 characters at a time?
Showalter: It's easier to fight in words than with fists. So, I prefer Twitter fighting than real fighting. But I'll do it. I'll throw down if I have to.
You're starring in a show that is about you and Black co-hosting a comedy show. Does that ever get confusing on set?
Showalter: ... Yes and no. Post:What was weird was like we'd be shooting a scene where we're making the show and it would almost feel like we weren't. The scenes of us making the show, where we're behind the scenes making the show, are exactly what it's like to actually make the show. So sometimes it would be weird to be making the scene about making the scene that we were making. If that makes any sense to you ...
Post: Any words of advice for college students who are aspiring to be comedians?
Showalter: ... Make friends and don't get discouraged too easily because it can take a while. But I've always felt that if you work hard at something, you'll succeed.
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