Their brief but highly influential work with "The State" acted as the perfect showcase for their absurdist comic sensibilities, which over the years the trio have only further honed and crafted. The show, which ran for two seasons on MTV, was clearly ahead of its time. So far ahead, in fact, that it apparently took fans and critics alike years to appreciate the troupe's zany intelligence, as they have only recently received accolades for the show.
Wain and Showalter's 2001 film "Wet Hot American Summer" was mauled universally by critics and produced only marginal returns at the box office, yet has since gathered significant steam on DVD, thanks to an ever burgeoning fan base.
The group is like Olympic runners competing at a high school track meet. When the horn sounds, they're off, charging ahead full steam and leaving their peers in the dust. And while there is a certain amount of respect that can be given to those who are able to see further down the road, it's of little use if your fans are constantly forced to play catch up.
In 1997, Showalter, Black and Wain formed Stella, a New York-based comedy act that takes the trio's bizarre brand of humor and scathing wit to a crasser, more vulgar level. The shows are performed before night club audiences, which means (gulp) anything goes. The boys take full advantage of such carte blanche, allowing four-letter obscenities and unabashed sexual humor to fly about the stage like stray bullets.
This experience has been captured in the recently released "Stella Shorts: 1998-2002," a DVD compilation comprised of 23 skits highlighting their best work. It's both a joy and a trial to sit through — a joy in that it's damn funny, and a trial in that you'll laugh so hard it hurts.
The humor is all over the map, touching on topics ranging from the ordinary, such as wiffleball, to the inane, such as sex with angels. Showalter, Black and Wain perform skits that are so profane and left of center that they play like lost X-rated "State" episodes that left MTV executives fleeing in terror. Watching along, it's like being on a road trip through the minds of three demented comic geniuses, where just when you think things can't get stranger or more hilarious, they do.
Those who know Black only from the "I Love the '80s" spots and "Ed" may need surgery to realign their jaw after it hits the floor in shock, as he betrays his innocent demeanor and completely cuts loose on stage. Showalter and Wain are equally colorful and flamboyant in their dialogue and mannerisms, living next to nothing to the imagination. The three go for broke and reap the benefits.
Not all of the skits work, but it's obvious from watching "Stella Shorts" that these guys are just having fun, and their caustic energy leaps from the screen and grabs the viewer hard.
While many of the gags and jokes could easily stand up on their own, the howling crowd adds to the pleasure and sheer hilarity of the skits. To put it plainly, watching "Stella Shorts" and trying not laugh is a severe exercise in futility.
From a technical standpoint, the footage complied on the DVD takes on a very grainy, amateurish quality. Oddly enough, this works to its advantage, as the rough camera work only adds to the rugged shrewdness of the stage performances. It's the right look for the material, and the two work together to form a cohesive package.
The Stella boys have been flying under the mainstream radar for years, and given the trio's brutally crude comic style, it's unlikely they'll be propelled head first into the limelight anytime soon.
The further they push the envelope, the further they'll push themselves from crossover success. Yet Showalter, Black and Wain seem to be perfectly content placating to their expansive core consistency and show little signs of slowing their crazy alternative comedy train down.
"Stella Shorts" may be an acquired taste, but those who like their comedy with a cerebral twist can't afford to pass it up.
"Stella Shorts": AB
DVD contains no features