The State (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The State is a half-hour sketch-comedy
television
show, originally broadcast on MTV
between December 17, 1993 and July 1, 1995. The show combined bizarre characters and scenarios to present sketches that won the favor of its target teenaged audience. The cast consisted of 11 twenty-something comedian
s who created, acted, wrote, directed, and edited the show.
Several memorable characters were created for the show, and for a short time their catchphrases entered into the vernacular. Often, the cast would appear as themselves and address the audience to promote fake contests or to deliver mock public service announcements. Much like Monty Python
, The State's sketches were sometimes linked to each other in some way: a punchline or image that ended one sketch often provided a lead-in to the next.
After years of legal issues related to the soundtrack
to many of the episodes, the series was released on DVD
on July 14, 2009. A State film featuring all of the original troupe members is in the works, but was delayed by the 2007-2008 screenwriters strike
, and no release date for the project has been announced.
. MTV offered the group a collaboration with Jon Stewart
on a show called You Wrote It, You Watch It
, which was followed by a six-episode commitment to The State show.
After three seasons with MTV, The State began talks with ABC
to air opposite Saturday Night Live
, but the deal was eventually dropped. CBS
then offered a series of specials with the promise that, should they be successful, the show would be picked up as a regular series. CBS initially wanted to develop the show in hopes that they would target a late-night younger audience, but controversy arose when Details Magazine reported that The State's network executive allegedly made racist
remarks about the late-night African American
television audience. The executive was subsequently fired, and despite rave reviews, with an unsupportive network and lack of advertising, the show was a ratings disaster. The CBS special marked the final new episode of The State to be aired.
Members of The State remained close and went on to contribute to other projects including Viva Variety
, Reno 911!
, Stella
, the films Wet Hot American Summer
and The Ten
and the audio podcast RISK! About half the members went on to direct films and the entire cast remains active in Hollywood and/or New York.
Cast members regrouped for the first time in 14 years in January 2009 for two performances in San Francisco on January 24, 2009 followed with a Q&A at The Clay theater where they screened Wet Hot American Summer
. The following day they had a retrospective at Herbst Theater in San Francisco where they answered fan questions and discussed the history of The State.
but was shelved
for unknown reasons. After being unearthed from the Warner vault, it was finally released in September 2010 by Rhino/Handmade via rhino.com. With liner notes written by the troupe, the packaging is notable for having, perhaps, the longest printed booklet ever included in a CD package.
The show's style of humor revolved mainly around the cast members' character acting and high energy, and featured a broad range of comedic styles from satire
to forays into absurdism, although the absurdist element was not played up as much until the third season. Notable examples include "The Animal Song" and "The Howard Report". In addition, a common theme of the show's humor was to introduce a sketch with a "straight man" character caught in a ridiculous premise, then turn the sketch around by making the premise turn out to be correct. An example of this is the "Nazi War Criminals" sketch, in which a quiet suburban family is accosted by the FBI on suspicion of being Nazi war criminals (despite seemingly being well under 30) due to information given by the family's nine-year-old son. However, when the boy claims that "moon people" are about to invade earth, it is revealed that everything he has said is in fact true, and the family drops their ruse in light of the impending danger.
Despite being limited by having only one female member, Kerri Kenney's energy and acting range (portraying anyone from an average housewife to Nancy Spungen
) led the cast to describe her as "the only girl we need". In sketches that called for more than one female role, Kenney would usually portray the character that needed to appear the most "feminine", and the other roles would go to male cast members who would wear drag. In a number of sketches with a female character, Kenney does not appear. During the "James Dixon: Power Priest" sketch, James weds a young couple in which the bride is played by Michael Ian Black
, and on the DVD commentary for this sketch, the cast jokes that "this is another instance of 'why didn't Kerri play the girl?'". In one unaired sketch, "Drag Dad", Kenney actually played a male character, but it was done purposefully as part of the running joke of the sketch.
"Contrary to popular belief", says the troupe's official FAQ
, "the show was never canceled." For a variety of reasons, including network television politics, The State decided to pursue other interests and "establish ourselves as an entity that exists apart from any particular employer or TV Network." However, CBS
optioned to buy the show after its second year on MTV in hopes of increasing viewership among younger demographics and potentially providing competition against NBC
's Saturday Night Live
. CBS intended to test the waters with The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special, which aired in prime time in 1995. The special received generally good reviews (including some from critics that gave them harsh ones earlier), but due to little promotion, it received low ratings. The show was not picked up for further broadcasts. On the series' DVD commentary, cast members revealed that MTV had offered contract for a guaranteed 65 additional shows, but the cast turned it down to leave to CBS, against their agent's advice.
The entire cast was featured (or made a cameo) in 2007's David Wain
-directed film, The Ten. On March 15, 2008, most of the cast reunited for a special reunion sketch show at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles
.
release. However, MTV remained hesitant for many years to distribute the show until a complete DVD set was released on July 14, 2009.
One of the factors that delayed the release of the series was that the troupe used many popular songs as background music in the original broadcast versions of nearly every episode. The State was produced during a period when MTV had deals with various record labels, via which the network could easily use many songs that had a video aired on the network in their original programming without having to pay royalties to the labels; The State used popular music as the background music for countless sketches, utilizing hits like The Byrds
' "Turn! Turn! Turn!", The Breeders
' "Cannonball
", Liz Phair
's "Supernova" and Marvin Gaye
's "Sexual Healing
". Due to the large royalty fees each company would likely demand, the soundtrack as originally aired would have cost many times the amount that video sales would recoup, so The State was forced to re-record much of the backing music with different, sometimes sound-alike
, songs.
The first season of The State, digitally re-mastered along with a new musical score, was made available on Apple’s iTunes
store on September 26, 2006. Several episodes were also made available on Amazon Unbox
as well as the Xbox Live Marketplace
.
On March 10, 2007, David Wain announced at a screening of The Ten
at SXSW that a DVD of The State was in production. At a later Philadelphia screening, he claimed it would be available in the fall of 2007. On May 18, 2007, during the 24-hour Human Giant
marathon on MTV, Michael Showalter
announced that a DVD set containing the entire series would be released by MTV sometime that year. He stated the set would contain every episode (some re-scored), commentaries, extras, and some sketches that never made it to the air.
The State's official website reported in November 2007 that the DVD set was completed, but that their distributor, MTV, has "chosen not to release the set at this time. We don't know why." On January 29, 2008, Showalter confirmed that MTV was still delaying the release: "They have it. We've made the DVD, and it exists. It's out of our hands, and I know who has it, but I don't know why they're waiting... we've done the commentary and the deleted material and all that stuff, but I just don't know when it's coming out. "
In 2009, some episodes of the series were made available in a free streaming
format on the video website Joost
. As of mid-April 2009, three episodes were added to the site.
In an April 2009 interview with scifiwire.com, Thomas Lennon reported a final DVD release date of July 14, 2009; a date which thestate.mtv.com also verified. To promote the release of the series on DVD, Comedy Central
, MTV
, and MTV2
all aired select episodes of The State.
says many of The States "sketches remain funny to this day and — unlike most shows of the age — would not be considered dated or stale... Even the few mediocre sketches on the show are better than 99% of today's sketch comedy." In response to MTV's apathy towards releasing the series on DVD, TV.com says, "If you have copies of this show on tape, back them up, digitize them, preserve and cherish them."
, but the movie has been delayed "because of the writers' strike
", so a release date is not yet available. The working title is This American Sandwich.
in 1996, "Comedy For Gracious Living," an album by The State cast members, was finally released by Rhino Records on September 20, 2010. The 25 track release features cuts such as "Skip This Track (They Were Drunk)" and "Kerri's one Second Noise." 1
of Shudder To Think
and Eli Janney of Girls Against Boys
. The song is built around a sample of the Nation of Ulysses
song "The Kingdom of Heaven Must Be Taken By Storm".
in this manner.
|- style="vertical-align:bottom;"
! Actor
! class="collapsible" |Viva Variety
! Random Play
! Reno 911!
! Reno 911!: Miami
! Veronica Mars
! Stella
! Wainy Days
! Reaper
! Childrens Hospital
! Party Down
! Michael and Michael Have Issues>
Thomas Lennon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Ian Black
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ben Garant
|
|
|
| /
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
| /
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joe Lo Truglio
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin Allison
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ken Marino
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Wain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /
|
|
Michael Patrick Jann
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Showalter
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show, originally broadcast on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
between December 17, 1993 and July 1, 1995. The show combined bizarre characters and scenarios to present sketches that won the favor of its target teenaged audience. The cast consisted of 11 twenty-something comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
s who created, acted, wrote, directed, and edited the show.
Several memorable characters were created for the show, and for a short time their catchphrases entered into the vernacular. Often, the cast would appear as themselves and address the audience to promote fake contests or to deliver mock public service announcements. Much like Monty Python
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
, The State's sketches were sometimes linked to each other in some way: a punchline or image that ended one sketch often provided a lead-in to the next.
After years of legal issues related to the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to many of the episodes, the series was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on July 14, 2009. A State film featuring all of the original troupe members is in the works, but was delayed by the 2007-2008 screenwriters strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
, and no release date for the project has been announced.
History
The State was founded, as "The New Group", by Todd Holoubek at NYU in the late '80s when he grew dissatisfied with the structure of other local comedy groups. Holoubek attracted film and acting talent by advertising this group as one where every member had "their own window". It was a free form idea wherein the group lacked central leadership and encouraged to act as a collective. Applicants came largely from the drama and film departments on campus. As they honed their talents, members were added and dropped until they eventually ended up with the cast that is familiar today. The State began performing locally and on campus where they garnered their reputation, followed by an off-broadway run of "Molt", produced by Jonathan K. Bendis and Steven StarrSteven Starr
Steven Starr is the producer of FLOW: For Love Of Water, and the founder of Revver.-Background:Steven Starr was born on Long Island. Starr started his career in high school as a volunteer journalist at WLIR-FM in New York, pursued a degree in Radio, TV and Film at the University of...
. MTV offered the group a collaboration with Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
on a show called You Wrote It, You Watch It
You Wrote It, You Watch It
You Wrote It, You Watch It was a short-lived MTV sketch comedy series starring members of The State comedy troupe before they were given their own show by the network...
, which was followed by a six-episode commitment to The State show.
After three seasons with MTV, The State began talks with ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
to air opposite Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, but the deal was eventually dropped. CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
then offered a series of specials with the promise that, should they be successful, the show would be picked up as a regular series. CBS initially wanted to develop the show in hopes that they would target a late-night younger audience, but controversy arose when Details Magazine reported that The State's network executive allegedly made racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
remarks about the late-night African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
television audience. The executive was subsequently fired, and despite rave reviews, with an unsupportive network and lack of advertising, the show was a ratings disaster. The CBS special marked the final new episode of The State to be aired.
Members of The State remained close and went on to contribute to other projects including Viva Variety
Viva Variety
Viva Variety is an American sketch comedy series that aired on Comedy Central from April 1997 to December 1999. The series satirizes European variety shows.-Overview:...
, Reno 911!
Reno 911!
Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
, Stella
Stella (TV series)
Stella was a short-lived television series that originally ran from June 28, 2005 to August 30, 2005 on the American television channel Comedy Central, created by and starring Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain, the three members of the sketch comedy troupe of the same name and...
, the films Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer is a 2001 satirical comedy film written by David Wain and Michael Showalter, and directed by Wain. The film takes place during the last day at a fictional Jewish summer camp in 1981, before closing for the summer...
and The Ten
The Ten
The Ten is a 2007 American comedy film, directed by David Wain and cowritten by Wain and Ken Marino, released through ThinkFilm. The film was released on August 3, 2007...
and the audio podcast RISK! About half the members went on to direct films and the entire cast remains active in Hollywood and/or New York.
Cast members regrouped for the first time in 14 years in January 2009 for two performances in San Francisco on January 24, 2009 followed with a Q&A at The Clay theater where they screened Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer is a 2001 satirical comedy film written by David Wain and Michael Showalter, and directed by Wain. The film takes place during the last day at a fictional Jewish summer camp in 1981, before closing for the summer...
. The following day they had a retrospective at Herbst Theater in San Francisco where they answered fan questions and discussed the history of The State.
About the show
The State is not only the name of the television program, but also of the comedy troupe that made up the cast of the show, as they have continued to successfully work together on film, television and in the world of journalism in various groupings. A book, State by State With the State was published in April, 1997 but is currently out of print. An album titled Comedy for Gracious Living was recorded for Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
but was shelved
Shelved
In politics, the term can be used for policy drafts, that have never been officially brought into legislation.In the film industry, a film is considered shelved if it is not released for public viewing after filming has started, or even completed....
for unknown reasons. After being unearthed from the Warner vault, it was finally released in September 2010 by Rhino/Handmade via rhino.com. With liner notes written by the troupe, the packaging is notable for having, perhaps, the longest printed booklet ever included in a CD package.
The show's style of humor revolved mainly around the cast members' character acting and high energy, and featured a broad range of comedic styles from satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
to forays into absurdism, although the absurdist element was not played up as much until the third season. Notable examples include "The Animal Song" and "The Howard Report". In addition, a common theme of the show's humor was to introduce a sketch with a "straight man" character caught in a ridiculous premise, then turn the sketch around by making the premise turn out to be correct. An example of this is the "Nazi War Criminals" sketch, in which a quiet suburban family is accosted by the FBI on suspicion of being Nazi war criminals (despite seemingly being well under 30) due to information given by the family's nine-year-old son. However, when the boy claims that "moon people" are about to invade earth, it is revealed that everything he has said is in fact true, and the family drops their ruse in light of the impending danger.
Despite being limited by having only one female member, Kerri Kenney's energy and acting range (portraying anyone from an average housewife to Nancy Spungen
Nancy Spungen
Nancy Laura Spungen was the American girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Spungen has been the subject of controversy among music historians and fans of the Sex Pistols.-Early life:...
) led the cast to describe her as "the only girl we need". In sketches that called for more than one female role, Kenney would usually portray the character that needed to appear the most "feminine", and the other roles would go to male cast members who would wear drag. In a number of sketches with a female character, Kenney does not appear. During the "James Dixon: Power Priest" sketch, James weds a young couple in which the bride is played by Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, writer and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Ed, Viva Variety, Stella and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He is also a prominent poker player, appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times...
, and on the DVD commentary for this sketch, the cast jokes that "this is another instance of 'why didn't Kerri play the girl?'". In one unaired sketch, "Drag Dad", Kenney actually played a male character, but it was done purposefully as part of the running joke of the sketch.
"Contrary to popular belief", says the troupe's official FAQ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions are listed questions and answers, all supposed to be commonly asked in some context, and pertaining to a particular topic. "FAQ" is usually pronounced as an initialism rather than an acronym, but an acronym form does exist. Since the acronym FAQ originated in textual...
, "the show was never canceled." For a variety of reasons, including network television politics, The State decided to pursue other interests and "establish ourselves as an entity that exists apart from any particular employer or TV Network." However, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
optioned to buy the show after its second year on MTV in hopes of increasing viewership among younger demographics and potentially providing competition against NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. CBS intended to test the waters with The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special, which aired in prime time in 1995. The special received generally good reviews (including some from critics that gave them harsh ones earlier), but due to little promotion, it received low ratings. The show was not picked up for further broadcasts. On the series' DVD commentary, cast members revealed that MTV had offered contract for a guaranteed 65 additional shows, but the cast turned it down to leave to CBS, against their agent's advice.
The entire cast was featured (or made a cameo) in 2007's David Wain
David Wain
David Benjamin Wain is an American comedian, writer, actor and director. He is most widely known for the feature films Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer, the 1990s' sketch comedy series The State and for producing/directing/writing the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital...
-directed film, The Ten. On March 15, 2008, most of the cast reunited for a special reunion sketch show at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
The State DVD release
The State was heavily promoted by devoted fans of the series for a DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release. However, MTV remained hesitant for many years to distribute the show until a complete DVD set was released on July 14, 2009.
One of the factors that delayed the release of the series was that the troupe used many popular songs as background music in the original broadcast versions of nearly every episode. The State was produced during a period when MTV had deals with various record labels, via which the network could easily use many songs that had a video aired on the network in their original programming without having to pay royalties to the labels; The State used popular music as the background music for countless sketches, utilizing hits like The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
' "Turn! Turn! Turn!", The Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
' "Cannonball
Cannonball (The Breeders song)
"Cannonball" is a song by The Breeders from their 1993 album Last Splash. It was released as a single on August 9, 1993 on 4AD/Elektra Records, reaching #44 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and #40 in the UK Singles Chart...
", Liz Phair
Liz Phair
Phair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
's "Supernova" and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
's "Sexual Healing
Sexual Healing
"Sexual Healing" is a 1982 song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye on the Columbia Records label. It was his first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the In Our Lifetime album the previous year...
". Due to the large royalty fees each company would likely demand, the soundtrack as originally aired would have cost many times the amount that video sales would recoup, so The State was forced to re-record much of the backing music with different, sometimes sound-alike
Sound-alike
A sound-alike is a recording intended to imitate the sound of a popular record, the style of a popular recording artist, or a current musical trend; the term also refers to the artists who perform on such recordings. In the voice-over world, it may also refer to those who recreate the voice and...
, songs.
The first season of The State, digitally re-mastered along with a new musical score, was made available on Apple’s iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
store on September 26, 2006. Several episodes were also made available on Amazon Unbox
Amazon Unbox
Amazon Instant Video is an Internet video on demand service, only available in the United States, offered by Amazon.com which offers television shows and films for rental and purchase. The service became available on September 7, 2006 as Amazon Unbox...
as well as the Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
.
On March 10, 2007, David Wain announced at a screening of The Ten
The Ten
The Ten is a 2007 American comedy film, directed by David Wain and cowritten by Wain and Ken Marino, released through ThinkFilm. The film was released on August 3, 2007...
at SXSW that a DVD of The State was in production. At a later Philadelphia screening, he claimed it would be available in the fall of 2007. On May 18, 2007, during the 24-hour Human Giant
Human Giant
Human Giant is a sketch comedy show on MTV, starring writer/performers Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer and directed primarily by Jason Woliner.The show has completed two seasons. The status of a third season is unknown...
marathon on MTV, Michael Showalter
Michael Showalter
Michael English Showalter is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is a member 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...
announced that a DVD set containing the entire series would be released by MTV sometime that year. He stated the set would contain every episode (some re-scored), commentaries, extras, and some sketches that never made it to the air.
The State's official website reported in November 2007 that the DVD set was completed, but that their distributor, MTV, has "chosen not to release the set at this time. We don't know why." On January 29, 2008, Showalter confirmed that MTV was still delaying the release: "They have it. We've made the DVD, and it exists. It's out of our hands, and I know who has it, but I don't know why they're waiting... we've done the commentary and the deleted material and all that stuff, but I just don't know when it's coming out. "
In 2009, some episodes of the series were made available in a free streaming
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
format on the video website Joost
Joost
Joost is an Internet TV service, created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis . During 2007-8 Joost used peer-to-peer TV technology to distribute content to their Mozilla-based desktop player; in late 2008 this was migrated to use a Flash-based Web player instead.Joost began development in 2006...
. As of mid-April 2009, three episodes were added to the site.
In an April 2009 interview with scifiwire.com, Thomas Lennon reported a final DVD release date of July 14, 2009; a date which thestate.mtv.com also verified. To promote the release of the series on DVD, Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, and MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
all aired select episodes of The State.
Reviews
TV.comTV.com
TV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
says many of The States "sketches remain funny to this day and — unlike most shows of the age — would not be considered dated or stale... Even the few mediocre sketches on the show are better than 99% of today's sketch comedy." In response to MTV's apathy towards releasing the series on DVD, TV.com says, "If you have copies of this show on tape, back them up, digitize them, preserve and cherish them."
The State film
The State are "reuniting for a movie about American history" for Comedy CentralComedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
, but the movie has been delayed "because of the writers' strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
", so a release date is not yet available. The working title is This American Sandwich.
The State album
Originally recorded at Compass Point StudiosCompass Point Studios
Compass Point Studios were founded in 1977 by Chris Blackwell, the owner of Island Records.In the late 1970s and mid-1980s, many musical artists from across the world came to the Bahamas to record music at its facilities. Many producers, including Chris Blackwell himself, used the studio to produce...
in 1996, "Comedy For Gracious Living," an album by The State cast members, was finally released by Rhino Records on September 20, 2010. The 25 track release features cuts such as "Skip This Track (They Were Drunk)" and "Kerri's one Second Noise." 1
Cast list
- Kevin AllisonKevin AllisonKevin Allison is a comedic writer and actor. He is perhaps best known as a writing and performing member of The State on MTV. Popular sketches on the show starring Allison include "Taco Man," "Mr. Magina", "Dreamboy" and "The Jew, the Italian and the Redhead Gay." Allison came out as gay to the...
- Michael Ian BlackMichael Ian BlackMichael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, writer and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Ed, Viva Variety, Stella and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He is also a prominent poker player, appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times...
- Ben GarantBen GarantRobert Ben Garant is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer.Garant was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, and grew up in Farragut, Tennessee...
(now sometimes credited as Robert Ben Garant) - Todd HoloubekTodd HoloubekTodd Holoubek is an American film and television actor; comedian; and sketch-comedy writer. He is also an academic.-Education and academic career:...
(Left the group after the MTV series ended. But he did contribute to the DVD commentaries and perform with them in the recent 2008/2009 live reunion shows.) - Michael Patrick JannMichael Patrick JannMichael Patrick Jann is an American actor, writer and director, best known as a cast member of MTV's The State and director of the film Drop Dead Gorgeous....
- Kerri KenneyKerri Kenney-SilverKerri Kenney-Silver is an American actress, comedian, singer and writer best known as a cast member on MTV's The State and for her role as Deputy Trudy Wiegel on the Comedy Central series, Reno 911!.-Early life:...
- Thomas Lennon
- Joe Lo TruglioJoe Lo TruglioJoseph "Joe" Lo Truglio is an American actor, writer and comedian best known for his work as a cast member on the cult MTV sketch comedy series The State...
- Ken MarinoKen MarinoKenneth Joseph "Ken" Marino is an American actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's The State and on the Starz comedy Party Down. He currently co-stars on the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital.-Early life and career:Marino was born in West Islip, New York to an...
- Michael ShowalterMichael ShowalterMichael English Showalter is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is a member 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...
- David WainDavid WainDavid Benjamin Wain is an American comedian, writer, actor and director. He is most widely known for the feature films Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer, the 1990s' sketch comedy series The State and for producing/directing/writing the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital...
Theme song
The opening sequence was set to "Boys and Girls – Action" by Craig WedrenCraig Wedren
Craig Wedren is the former lead singer of Shudder to Think and now the lead for the newer pop-mash project, "BABY".Wedren has also contributed vocals to the musical act Tweaker with Chris Vrenna, formerly of Nine Inch Nails, The Verve Pipe's self-titled album, the musical act Cex, The Dead...
of Shudder To Think
Shudder to Think
Shudder to Think is an American indie rock group. Formed in 1986, they released three albums on the Washington, D.C.-based label Dischord Records and were a post-hardcore band, although they drew upon a wide range of stylistic influences, including pop....
and Eli Janney of Girls Against Boys
Girls Against Boys
Girls Against Boys are an indie rock/post-hardcore band, originally forming in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and currently based in New York City.-Career:...
. The song is built around a sample of the Nation of Ulysses
Nation of Ulysses
The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kroner on guitar, Steve Gamboa on bass guitar, and James...
song "The Kingdom of Heaven Must Be Taken By Storm".
Recurring characters
The cast (most notably David Wain) have repeatedly said that they were not interested in creating recurring characters, but were repeatedly pressured by the network to emulate Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
in this manner.
| |
Played by Michael Showalter Michael Showalter Michael English Showalter is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is a member 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... . A high school student who is a wannabe rebel. He pointlessly struggles against surprisingly permissive and understanding authority figures. Doug's catchphrase is a wan "I'm outta heeeerrre." A memorable sketch has Doug's father Don (Lennon) questioning him on his drug use. Doug replies "Drugs?! Hey man, I'm Doug, not Bob Dylan Bob Dylan Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly... ." His father asks him if he even knows who Bob Dylan is. Doug replies "No...but I know he died of drugs." Doug's father then tells him Bob Dylan is alive and well, and that he in fact produced his last three albums, to which Doug replies, "Oh, you mean Uncle Robert?" He would often be followed by a group of friends (usually played by Ken Marino, Kerri Kenney, Michael Patrick Jann, and Joe Lo Truglio), who would inevitably find the authority figure cooler than Doug and decide to hang with them instead. Doug's father, Don, is played by Thomas Lennon and appears in the "Doug" sketches in 102, 204 and 305. Appearances: 102: "Doug & Dad", "Captain Monterey Jack: Lights", 103: "Captain Monterey Jack: Shoes", 106: "Doug & Principal", "Captain Monterey Jack: Cheese", 204: "Doug III", 302: "Kabuki Doug", 305: "Doug IV" |
| |
Played by Ken Marino Ken Marino Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Marino is an American actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's The State and on the Starz comedy Party Down. He currently co-stars on the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital.-Early life and career:Marino was born in West Islip, New York to an... . One of the more ironic characters on the show, parodying sketch comedy characters who rely on catchphrases. Louie is a genial fellow with a strong desire to dip his "balls" (actual golf balls, although the innuendo was certainly intentional) in various things. His catchphrase, naturally, is a very enthusiastic "I wanna dip my balls in it!" One of the more memorable Louie sketches placed him at The Last Supper, in which Louie and his catchphrase distract the Twelve Apostles from Jesus Jesus Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity... ' speech concerning his fate. Louie would often tire of the gag halfway through the sketch, because he feels that it has "been done", but would be encouraged by the loving crowd to continue. The punch line was that Louie would tell them they knew what he was going to say, they would say they didn't but would then shout it along with him. According to DVD commentaries, "Louie" was originally a character who would only appear one time. MTV wanted a recurring character with a catchphrase, and the sketch was a "fuck you" to executives. According to a DVD commentary, "Louie" became a recurring character because "We liked it!" Appearances: 102: "Louie", 103: "Louie II", 302: "Kabuki Doug", 303: "Louie & the Last Supper", 305: "Doug IV" |
| |
Played by Thomas Lennon and Michael Ian Black Michael Ian Black Michael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, writer and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Ed, Viva Variety, Stella and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He is also a prominent poker player, appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times... , respectively. Suave swingers of ambiguous sexual orientation Sexual orientation Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,... . Their most notable moment was a sketch in which they had purchased and prepared $240 worth of pudding, which sat in a pile that they proceeded to sweet-talk and dance with. This is another sketch which fell victim to a compromised soundtrack when released on iTunes ITunes iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.... . It was originally accompanied with "Sexual Healing Sexual Healing "Sexual Healing" is a 1982 song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye on the Columbia Records label. It was his first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the In Our Lifetime album the previous year... " by Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range.... . It also appears that the music was played on camera, as, according to the DVD commentary, the dialogue between Barry and Levon has been overdubbed. According to a DVD commentary, "$240 Worth of Pudding" was written by Black and Lennon. Appearances: 104: "240 Dollars Worth of Pudding", 203: "Barry and Levon", 302: "Kabuki Doug", 303: "Deathfight 5000", 306: "Planet Groovy" |
| |
Played by Thomas Lennon. A country man who clings to antiquated, sometimes primitive beliefs, which seem absurd in modern society. "Call me old fashioned ... but I think we should worship the sun and moon as powerful gods, and fear them." Appearances: 102: "Old Fashioned Guy 1", "Old Fashioned Guy 2", 106: "Old Fashioned Guy", 107: "Old Fashioned Guy" |
| |
Played by Thomas Lennon. A conniving, hard-driving ex-Hollywood agent who lands himself very unlikely careers (high school guidance counselor, Catholic Catholic The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"... priest, Jedi Jedi The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict... talent agent) and applies his showbiz tactics to his new positions. "You can't bargain with God. But you can bargain with me, and I can bargain with God." According to DVD commentaries, the character was based on the group's agent, James Dixon. Appearances: 107: "James Dixon: Guidance Counselor", 201: "James Dixon: Power Priest", 313: "Dixon: Jedi Talent Agency" |
| |
Played by Joe Lo Truglio Joe Lo Truglio Joseph "Joe" Lo Truglio is an American actor, writer and comedian best known for his work as a cast member on the cult MTV sketch comedy series The State... . An extremely wordy high school jock. He is the focus of the season 2 sketch "Bookworm" in which he tries to find the word for "one who loves books" so that he can make fun of a nerd in the cafeteria. He is one of the recurring characters, along with Doug, Louie, and Barry and Levon, featured in "Kabuki Doug." Appearances: 103: "Antonio", 203: "Bookworm", 302: "Kabuki Doug" |
| |
Played by Michael Ian Black. A nonsense-spewing motivational speaker, a parody of similar anti-drug or alcohol abuse spots aired on MTV at the time). "And remember, bbbbring, bbbring... Hello, cheese? NO! Cheese can't dial a phone." Doug (see above) made his first appearances in the Capt. Monterey Jack sketches. Appearances: 102: "Captain Monterey Jack: Lights", 103: "Captain Monterey Jack: Shoes", 106: "Captain Monterey Jack: Cheese" |
| |
Played by David Wain David Wain David Benjamin Wain is an American comedian, writer, actor and director. He is most widely known for the feature films Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer, the 1990s' sketch comedy series The State and for producing/directing/writing the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital... , Ken Marino, and Kevin Allison Kevin Allison Kevin Allison is a comedic writer and actor. He is perhaps best known as a writing and performing member of The State on MTV. Popular sketches on the show starring Allison include "Taco Man," "Mr. Magina", "Dreamboy" and "The Jew, the Italian and the Redhead Gay." Allison came out as gay to the... , respectively. Good-naturedly broad stereotypes, introduced after an announcement from The State that in the future, they would "try to avoid stereotyping of any kind". The three are at first roommates, later crime-fighters in the style of Charlie's Angels Charlie's Angels Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men... who track down villains based on additional stereotypes (they succeed in catching an Irish Irish people The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha... criminal after finding him at a bar). According to a DVD commentary, the original sketch was written by Marino, Allison, and Wain. Appearances: 301: "The Jew, the Italian, and the Redhead Gay", 308: "Jew II, pt. 1", "Jew II, pt. 2" |
| |
Emmett played by Thomas Lennon. Lyle played by Ben Garant Ben Garant Robert Ben Garant is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer.Garant was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, and grew up in Farragut, Tennessee... . Two very stupid inbred hillbilly brothers who spend a lot of time hitting themselves on the head. What would have been the first "Inbred Brothers" sketch was shot for season one but never aired. Catchphrase-( Emmett:) "What am I doin'?" Appearances: 205: "Inbred Brothers", 311: "Inbred Brothers - Army" |
| |
Joey played by Joe Lo Truglio, Tony played by Ken Marino, Anthony played by Michael Showalter, Joseph played by Michael Ian Black, Tony's mother played by Thomas Lennon, Gina played by Kerri Kenney, Sherry played by Todd Holoubek Todd Holoubek Todd Holoubek is an American film and television actor; comedian; and sketch-comedy writer. He is also an academic.-Education and academic career:... . Tony, Anthony, Joseph and Joey are four Italian-American teenage friends who hang out in Tony's basement. In the first sketch, they are bored on their summer vacation. Joseph suggests they go to the zoo to watch the monkeys "do it." They go on to get in some digs at Anthony's sister (a "beautiful girl with a very hairy face") and debate over whether or not penguins are "natural" (Anthony claims they were chemically man-made "like The Incredible Hulk" and that the Bible Bible The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations... never mentions penguins). Tony's sister Gina and her best friend Sherry come downstairs, demanding that the boys take them along or else Gina will tell their mother about Tony's "perversion." Gina and Tony bicker, then everyone else starts shouting, until Gina and Tony's mother comes down to see what the ruckus is. After Gina tells Ma that the boys were planning to go to the zoo to watch the monkeys "do it," Ma insists they all have "dirty minds" and that the monkeys don't "do it" - rather, they "make love." She then describes how the monkeys would do such a thing, then asks Tony to grab her video camera and Joey to get her car so they can go to the zoo and "watch the monkeys make amore." The characters were reprised later that season in a Thanksgiving-themed sketch, with several additional characters. According to the DVD commentary, the original sketch was written by Marino, Black, and possibly a forgotten co-writer/co-writers (possibly either Lo Truglio or Showalter) Appearances: 301: "Monkeys Do It", 307: "Monkeys Do It II" |
Other works featuring the cast
| - regular cast member | - guest appearance | - directed |
! Actor
! class="collapsible" |Viva Variety
Viva Variety
Viva Variety is an American sketch comedy series that aired on Comedy Central from April 1997 to December 1999. The series satirizes European variety shows.-Overview:...
! Random Play
! Reno 911!
Reno 911!
Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
! Reno 911!: Miami
Reno 911!: Miami
Reno 911!: Miami is a film based on Comedy Central's Reno 911! directed by cast-member Robert Ben Garant, who plays "Junior." It was released on February 23, 2007...
! Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
! Stella
Stella
-People:*Stella , a feminine given name** Stella McCartney, English fashion designer** Stella , Singaporean-Taiwanese singer** Stella Maessen, Dutch singer, sometimes going under the singular name of Stella-Fictional characters:...
! Wainy Days
Wainy Days
Wainy Days is an internet video series starring David Wain that is hosted on the website, My Damn Channel. It is currently running in its fourth season. The web series follows a fictionalized version of Wain through his everyday life as he tries to form relationships with numerous women and...
! Reaper
Reaper (TV series)
Reaper is an American television series that focuses on Sam Oliver, a "reaper" who works for the Devil by retrieving souls that have escaped from Hell.The series originally ran on the CW from September 25, 2007 to May 26, 2009....
! Childrens Hospital
! Party Down
Party Down
Party Down is an American comedy television series created and primarily written by John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd that aired on the Starz network in the United States.-Conception:...
! Michael and Michael Have Issues>
Thomas Lennon
Thomas Patrick Lennon is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer best known as a cast member on MTV's The State and for his role as Lieutenant Jim Dangle on the Comedy Central series Reno 911!.-Early life:...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, writer and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Ed, Viva Variety, Stella and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He is also a prominent poker player, appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times...
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ben Garant
Robert Ben Garant is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer.Garant was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, and grew up in Farragut, Tennessee...
|
|
|
| /
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
| /
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joe Lo Truglio
Joseph "Joe" Lo Truglio is an American actor, writer and comedian best known for his work as a cast member on the cult MTV sketch comedy series The State...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kevin Allison
Kevin Allison is a comedic writer and actor. He is perhaps best known as a writing and performing member of The State on MTV. Popular sketches on the show starring Allison include "Taco Man," "Mr. Magina", "Dreamboy" and "The Jew, the Italian and the Redhead Gay." Allison came out as gay to the...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ken Marino
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Marino is an American actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's The State and on the Starz comedy Party Down. He currently co-stars on the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital.-Early life and career:Marino was born in West Islip, New York to an...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Wain
David Benjamin Wain is an American comedian, writer, actor and director. He is most widely known for the feature films Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer, the 1990s' sketch comedy series The State and for producing/directing/writing the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| /
|
|
Michael Patrick Jann
Michael Patrick Jann is an American actor, writer and director, best known as a cast member of MTV's The State and director of the film Drop Dead Gorgeous....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Showalter
Michael English Showalter is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is a member 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...
>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 1997 - Viva VarietyViva VarietyViva Variety is an American sketch comedy series that aired on Comedy Central from April 1997 to December 1999. The series satirizes European variety shows.-Overview:...
(Kenney, Lennon, Black, Garant, guest appearances by Allison, Lo Truglio) - 1999 - Random Play (Black, Showalter, Wain)
- 2003 - Reno 911!Reno 911!Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
(Kenney, Lennon, Garant, Lo Truglio, guest appearances by Black, Marino, Wain, directed by Jann) - 2004 - Veronica MarsVeronica MarsVeronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
(Marino) - 2005 - StellaStella (TV series)Stella was a short-lived television series that originally ran from June 28, 2005 to August 30, 2005 on the American television channel Comedy Central, created by and starring Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain, the three members of the sketch comedy troupe of the same name and...
(Black, Showalter, Wain, guest appearances by Allison, Lo Truglio, Marino) - 2007 - Reno 911!: MiamiReno 911!: MiamiReno 911!: Miami is a film based on Comedy Central's Reno 911! directed by cast-member Robert Ben Garant, who plays "Junior." It was released on February 23, 2007...
(Kenney, Lennon, Garant, Lo Truglio, Black, Showalter, directed by Garant) - 2007 - Wainy DaysWainy DaysWainy Days is an internet video series starring David Wain that is hosted on the website, My Damn Channel. It is currently running in its fourth season. The web series follows a fictionalized version of Wain through his everyday life as he tries to form relationships with numerous women and...
(Wain, guest appearances by Black, Kenney, Lennon, Lo Truglio, Marino, Showalter) - 2007 - ReaperReaper (TV series)Reaper is an American television series that focuses on Sam Oliver, a "reaper" who works for the Devil by retrieving souls that have escaped from Hell.The series originally ran on the CW from September 25, 2007 to May 26, 2009....
(Black, Marino) - 2008 - Childrens Hospital (Marino, Wain, guest appearances by Lennon, Lo Truglio, Kenney)
- 2009 - Party DownParty DownParty Down is an American comedy television series created and primarily written by John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd that aired on the Starz network in the United States.-Conception:...
(Marino, guest appearances by Lennon, Kenney, Lo Truglio, guest director Wain) - 2009 - Michael and Michael Have Issues (Black, Showalter)
See also
- List of The State Episodes
- Wet Hot American SummerWet Hot American SummerWet Hot American Summer is a 2001 satirical comedy film written by David Wain and Michael Showalter, and directed by Wain. The film takes place during the last day at a fictional Jewish summer camp in 1981, before closing for the summer...
- Directed by David Wain, and co-written by Wain and Showalter, features many of the cast members (Marino, Showalter, Black, Lo Truglio) - The BaxterThe BaxterThe Baxter is a 2005 film written by, directed by and starring American comedian Michael Showalter. A “Baxter”, as defined by the film, is the nice, dull guy in a romantic comedy who is dumped at the end of the story for the protagonist....
- Written and directed by Michael Showalter, features many of the cast members (Showalter, Wain, Black, Lo Truglio, Marino) - I Love the 70s & I Love the 80s & I Love the 90s - features commentary from many State members, including Michael Ian BlackMichael Ian BlackMichael Ian Black is an American comedian, actor, writer and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including The State, Ed, Viva Variety, Stella and Michael & Michael Have Issues. He is also a prominent poker player, appearing on Celebrity Poker Showdown several times...
, Michael ShowalterMichael ShowalterMichael English Showalter is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is a member 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...
and David WainDavid WainDavid Benjamin Wain is an American comedian, writer, actor and director. He is most widely known for the feature films Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer, the 1990s' sketch comedy series The State and for producing/directing/writing the Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital... - Reno 911!: MiamiReno 911!: MiamiReno 911!: Miami is a film based on Comedy Central's Reno 911! directed by cast-member Robert Ben Garant, who plays "Junior." It was released on February 23, 2007...
- A movie based on the Comedy CentralComedy CentralComedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
show of the same nameReno 911!Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
reunites all eleven original members in a scene for the first time since the ending of The State. - The TenThe TenThe Ten is a 2007 American comedy film, directed by David Wain and cowritten by Wain and Ken Marino, released through ThinkFilm. The film was released on August 3, 2007...
- A movie that features eleven members of The State, though Michael Patrick Jann only appears on screen in a photograph. - Role ModelsRole ModelsRole Models is a 2008 American comedy film directed by David Wain about two energy drink salesmen who are ordered to perform 150 hours of community service as punishment for various offenses. For their service, the two men work at a program designed to pair kids with adult role models. The film...
- Directed by David Wain, and co-written by Marino and Wain, features many cast members (Marino, Kenney-Silver, Lo Truglio, Wain) - DiggersDiggers (film)Diggers is a coming-of-age film directed by Katherine Dieckmann. It portrays four working-class friends who grow up in The Hamptons, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, as clam diggers in 1976. Their fathers were clam diggers as well as their grandfathers before them...
- A movie starring Paul Rudd and written by Ken Marino - WanderlustWanderlust (2011 film)Wanderlust is a 2012 comedy film directed by David Wain, starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, as a married couple who try to escape modern society by leaving their cushy lives in New York.-Plot:...
- A movie written, directed and produced by David Wain. Ken Marino is also producer.
External links
- Official Site run by David Wain
- UGO interview with Thomas Lennon by Daniel Robert Epstein