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December 15, 2008

In Defense Of Stella

Stella is making videos for the internet now. Again.

Obviously, Michael Showalter, David Wain, and Michael Ian Black don't really need defending. They're beloved by sweaty, greasy-haired comedy nerds the world over. The live shows! The midnight screenings of Wet Hot American Summer! But even those comedy nerds turned their back on Stella's Comedy Central show. Even Lindsay, the sweatiest, greasiest-haired comedy nerd there is, if pressed, will admit that she did not really like it!

Well, I did. I'm, like, so cool. I totally buck all the trends. Have you heard of Fleet Foxes? Well I'm already over Fleet Foxes. IMPRESSED? There was something about the fact that Stella so obviously didn't care what I thought of it that I found appealing. So I'm glad to see them back with their trademark brand of college knock knock humor. Watching a bunch of people work so hard to make each other laugh at the expense of the audience's patience can really backfire, as it did in the case of Stella's failed TV show, but it's also kind of charming, and sometimes even amusing. Amusing!

I rest my case.

Posted by Gabe at 1:45 PM in
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13 Comments

I'm sure these guys are nice, but they haven't made me laugh in a long while. Actually, no, Wain did really funny standup that I saw and laughed at this year. Kudos, David Wain.

(Aha. I love this time of year - "Do I like Fleet Foxes? MGMT? I think I came up with some opinions about Vampire Weekend based on a visit to their Myspace page. Oops! I toootally forgot to listen to new music this year. Again.")

Posted by: trevormail profile link at 12/15/08 2:02 PM  | Reply
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Stella is the best television show of this entire decade so far. So glad to see them still creating.

Posted by: Chris at 12/15/08 2:28 PM  | Reply
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what?! "stella: the television series" was hilarious!!

Posted by: billhaverchuck at 12/15/08 3:10 PM  | Reply
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I watched it religiously every week! not even just when it was canceled!

Posted by: joy profile link at 12/15/08 3:55 PM  | Reply
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oh. I didn't read the entire post.
fuck you, Gabe. you have bad taste.

Posted by: joy profile link at 12/15/08 3:57 PM  | Reply
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stella's show was fantastic. like one of those semi-incomprehensible british comedies -- only set in brooklyn. i think they were a bit ahead of the curve. we'll see if demitri martin's show lasts any longer.

Posted by: Jeb profile link at 12/15/08 4:59 PM  | Reply
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I saw Stella last Fri. in Berkeley. I thought the show was great and the live show is awesome as well. Go see them live. On Tour now!

Posted by: bingo gas station profile link at 12/15/08 8:09 PM  | Reply
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from the videos to the show- we lost the swearing and overall sexual energy, but gained plot and really good production value... I can agree that some of the charm was lost, and there really never will be character development--- but Stella the TV show really was like nothing on TV before. It was the Marx Bros meets dicking around, and I accept them. Because I love them. I love you. All of you. Thank you.

Posted by: Owara Jacksohn profile link at 12/15/08 8:28 PM  | Reply
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"holy shit! world peace! ALLLLRIIIIGHT!"

Posted by: oh! it's max! profile link at 12/15/08 11:02 PM  | Reply
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Both discs of my "Stella: Season One" have been played and overplayed to the point of near-ruin...just kidding, that doesn't happen, but if they were VHS tapes, they'd be just a plastic casing filled with magnetic dust. But what I'm saying is, the TV show was and is still my favorite...I love and obsess over every minute of it.

"I love the '80s". Ha! So self-referential!

Posted by: thefaintingcycle profile link at 12/16/08 12:27 AM  | Reply
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Since when did Stella need defending?

Posted by: Michael at 12/16/08 1:10 AM  | Reply
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i liked Stella and i don't care who knows it.

Posted by: Becca profile link at 12/16/08 6:13 AM  | Reply
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People don't like Stella? Just kidding, I know they don't. Because they're stupid.

Stella is how I weed out potential friends. It's the new MST3K(Joel only).

You no laugh? No Michele for you!

I didn't realize it didn't return because it wasn't popular.

MIB lives in Connecticut. I learned that from the last Time Out New York (any of you NYers want to send me other big city things to enhance my small-town life, I'll thank you for it.).

Also, since I'm typing, Max (the one in the red?) is super cute, in the Gabetini video.

The end.

Posted by: What's it all worth? profile link at 12/17/08 3:05 PM  | Reply
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