Originally Published: July 17, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

Wednesday nights have always traditionally been a powerhouse for Comedy Central; with South Park at 10PM, the Daily Show at 11PM, and Colbert Report at 11:30PM, Comedy Central could always breathe easy.

The problem, though, has always been finding the right comedy to bridge the gap between the four foul-mouthed youths from the Denver suburbs, to the biting, tongue-in-cheek, current events mockeries that are the Daily Show and Colbert Report.

Finally, someone has come along and attempted to bridge the gap.

Michael and Michael Have Issues is best described as a sketch show within a sitcom that follows the hijinx of a pair of comedy veterans, Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter, as they try to write their weekly comedic masterpiece. During this process, insane hilarity always seems to ensue as you watch them go from one extreme to the other. In the blink of an eye, Michael and Michael transition seamlessly from the professional atmosphere of cracking jokes in the voiceover production room with producers and directors, to a sophomoric competition over the imagined affection of their intern as he writes an article about the comedy duo for his school paper.

While watching the premiere episode, I could not stop laughing. The show’s flow was very smooth from bit to bit while maintaining the overall plot of the episode. Michael and Michael and their supporting cast were able to convey some great humor in not just their words, but their actions as well. You could tell from watching their interactions with each other that Michael and Michael are indeed both longtime friends and colleagues, even though, sometimes, they were trying a little extra hard to come off as enemies. Their natural rapport with each other is evident, and will probably determine the long-term fate of the show, since their relationship is the key component to the show’s premise. With a little more polish, I could see this sitcom becoming a Comedy Central staple, if it can garner enough support that is.

To talk more about the premiere episode of Michael and Michael Have Issues, Robin Lundberg and I chatted with Michael Showalter about everything from going through the process of getting the show green-lit by Comedy Central to being a Jersey boy, like myself.


CLICK HERE – to listen to Robin Lundberg and me interview Michael Showalter.

From the board room meeting that opens the show with Michael and Michael trash-talking each other, to such instant classic bits like “The Farting Butterfly” and the “Worst Word in the History of the World,” Michael and Michael Have Issues will keep the belly laughs flowing and keep Comedy Central’s Wednesday night dominance at an all-time high as they attempt to successfully bridge the gap.

Be sure to check out Michael and Michael Have Issues every Wednesday night after South Park on Comedy Central at 10:30PM EST.

-Ray Carsillo