The Union of The State - Softcover

Stulce, Corey; Black, Michael Ian; Wain, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 099740051X ISBN 13: 9780997400519

Publisher: Corey Stulce, 2016

Synopsis

“The Union of The State” is the untold, uncensored story of the most influential and prolific comedy troupe of the last twenty-five years — and a unique tale in the history of show business. "The members of The State are my heroes, my peers and my friends. Individually and collectively they are responsible for an impressively large percentage of everything funny that currently exists in the world. Somehow Corey Stulce was able to convince all 437 original members of The State to tell their own stories, in their own words. For comedy nerds like me, it's essential reading." - "Weird Al" Yankovic The book is an oral history of the acclaimed troupe’s creation, dissolution, reinvention and reunion, told by all members of the group: Kevin Allison Michael Ian Black Robert Ben Garant Todd Holoubek Michael Patrick Jann Kerri Kenney-Silver Thomas Lennon Joe Lo Truglio Ken Marino Michael Showalter David Wain The book follows the members of The State from their time as classmates at New York University in the late 1980s to their quick ascent to fame via their three-season, sketch-comedy TV series on MTV and through their post-MTV projects. It also includes histories of the movie-turned-Netflix-series, “Wet Hot American Summer;” the Comedy Central hit, “Reno 911!;” and cult favorite comedy show/series, Stella. The projects the members of The State have written, directed or performed in leave no degree of separation between them and nearly everyone working in comedy today, such as Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Amy Poehler and Natasha Leggero. The book features rare photos and illustrations from the troupe’s twenty-five-year history. Andy Samberg said, “The State was the first time I’d ever seen ‘sarcastic sarcasm.’ They are the all-time champions of bum-out humor. They embodied the lameness of the lamest people and celebrated them for our enjoyment. Every time a comic does an intentionally lame joke and it makes you go, ‘Ewww,’ with delight, you have them to thank.” “The Union of The State” appeals not only to The State’s extensive fan base but also to comedy aficionados, showbiz biography fans and those who love an underdog success tale.

About this title

About the Author

Author Corey Stulce was not hired to write the history of The State but was inspired to start writing this book after hearing Thomas Lennon say this at San Francisco Sketchfest in 2012: The secret to all of every industry, just start doing it, and they won t notice that they never told you to. If you want to be a hand model, just start doing it. Somehow people forget that they never gave you permission. Corey has interviewed and written about comedy legends from Mel Brooks to George Carlin and Phyllis Diller as well as contemporary humorists such as Judd Apatow, Paul Feig, Kate McKinnon and David Sedaris. His first book, Laugh Lines: Conversations with Comedians, was released in 2011. Corey spent a decade as a magazine/newspaper features and entertainment editor in the St. Louis metro area, and his writing has appeared on NBC and in newspapers and magazines all over the country as well as dozens of entertainment websites. Visit coreystulce.com for more info, or follow him at @coreyshame on Twitter or facebook.com/coreystulce.

Review

The members of The State are my heroes, my peers, and my friends. Individually and collectively they are responsible for an impressively large percentage of everything funny that currently exists in the world. Somehow Corey Stulce was able to convince all 437 original members of the State to tell their own stories, in their own words. For comedy nerds like me, it is essential reading. --Weird Al Yankovic

Edition details

• Publisher: Corey Stulce
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 099740051X
• ISBN 13: 9780997400519
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 600
• Illustrator: Anders Joe, Hanson Glen