- Michael Ian Black was born in Chicago but raised in New Jersey.
- Black was a member of the sketch comedy group The State, who had their own series on MTV during the 1990s.
- He is a regular contributor to VH1 pop culture shows like I Love the '80s.
- Black was a member of the comedy troupe Stella, who also had their own show on Comedy Central in 2005.
- He released his first stand-up album, I Am a Wonderful Man, in 2007.
- In 2009, Black co-created and starred on the Comedy Central series Michael and Michael Have Issues alongside fellow State alum Michael Showalter.
Michael Ian Black, born Michael Ian Schwartz, was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1971. His parents split up when he was only three years old, and Black moved to Hillsborough, New Jersey, where he was raised and attended high school.
Black attended college at NYU, where he became a member of the sketch comedy troupe The New Group -- who eventually went on to become The State. The group had their own sketch show on MTV for three seasons.
After the dissolution of The State, Black and a few of his former co-stars created Viva Variety! for Comedy Central, which ran from 1997 to 1999. Black played the role of Easter European cool guy Johnny Bluejeans.
By the 2000s, Black became a ubiquitous presence on TV. He began appearing regularly on VH1 pop culture shows (like the I Love The... series) and did commercial work -- most notably as the voice of the Pets.com puppet and as a pitchman for Sierra Mist.
In 2005, Black reunited with State members Michael Showalter and David Wain to form the comedy troupe Stella, who had their own show on Comedy Central. It lasted only one season before being canceled.
In 2007, Black released his first album of stand-up comedy, called I Am a Wonderful Man. Though previously only known for sketch acting, the album announced his presence as an excellent stand-up comic.
In 2008, he published a book of humorous essays called My Custom Van..and 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face.
Black and Showalter reunited again to create a new series, Michael and Michael Have Issues, for Comedy Central in 2009. The show combined sketch comedy with a more traditional narrative and received a seven episode run.
- In 2006, Black wrote and directed his first feature film, Wedding Daze, which was eventually released direct-to-DVD. He also wrote the screenplay for 2007's Run, Fatboy, Run.
- In addition to his roles as actor, author and comedian, Black has hosted several TV series, including the first season of the NBC hidden camera show Spy TV in 2001 and the Comedy Central series Reality Bites Back in 2008.
- He published a children's book, Chicken Cheeks, in 2009.
- He contributes a regular column to McSweeneys called "Michael Ian Black is a Very Famous Actor."
- Black was a finalist in the race to host The Late Late Show on CBS, a job that eventually went to Scottish comic Craig Ferguson.
- He is a poker enthusiast and frequently participates in celebrity charity tournaments.
