18 Comments

Your writing is hitting home with me and I feel like the recent horrors are making it (your writing) sharper and better. That's not a back handed compliment - it's a reflection of the fact that desperate times demand (and perhaps produce) trenchant writing. Bless you Michael Ian Black - you have found your calling after a remarkable career (one I envy as a fellow albeit less successful alumni of Tisch and an early MTV sketch comedy show). I have long thought of shifting towards my original idea of a suitable avocation - writing - which now makes more sense than ever because I've lost all my filmmaking gear and writing is the one thing you can do when you ain't got nothing but a laptop!

Expand full comment

I always felt like, as somebody in show biz, that writing is the only thing we have it in our power to fully control. It's why I started writing in the first place. So have at it! Now that you're homeless and charred, break out the pencil and paper and write that thang.

Expand full comment

Have you heard from Beibs? Is he writing now?

Expand full comment

He told me, when we were working together on Stevie TV, about your book and said you were a deep guy with a compelling life story. He had a lot of respect and love for you. Past tense not intended to imply he doesn't still. But he did then. That's all I know.

Expand full comment

I am 45 and all of this already feels so relevant and relatable to me! Beautiful writing, thank you for putting it out there into the world!

Expand full comment

Thanks for sharing

Expand full comment

I am comforted by the fact that I am not the only one not feeling comforted. Thanks for being here for me.

Expand full comment

My mom was preternaturally youthful in appearance and mien, until, suddenly, she was being told she couldn’t drive anymore. I just hit my 60s but can rock 50, maybe even late (maybe very late) 40s, in a good light. But, beware—soon, I, too, shall suckle upon the sweet blood of youth. It is our destiny.

Expand full comment

A well written piece. Intelligent, thoughtful and enjoyable to read.

Expand full comment

Since I turned 50 a couple of years ago, it feels so different than I thought it would, and I likened it exactly to being a vampire. I seem both preternaturally young (kind of like you, MIB) and ancient (also just like you, MIB). I realise I feel like a very young old person, which is preferable to how I felt in my 30s, which was like an old young person.

Expand full comment

The more my age advances? The harder my brain has to work. I have myriad nieces and nephews who have oodles of spouses and children whom I rarely see except on social media. I’m waiting for the day when I’ll be in line for an event and some young person will remark on how much I resemble their aunt…sans enhancement…I don’t recognize my own family.

Expand full comment

Thank you for coining "emotional dust bunnies." That visualization is pretty resonant. Happy New Year Dracula!

Expand full comment

I submit to you that Bela Lugosi is, in fact, immortal: Every Christmas season, he returns to sing “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch!”

Expand full comment

Karloff just turned in his grave.

Expand full comment

While Thurl Ravenscroft is spinning in his grave.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27re_a_Mean_One,_Mr._Grinch

Expand full comment

Touche

Expand full comment

Fucking Karloff! With the bolts on the neck!? This is acting??

Expand full comment

Well, I mean, not without consent, of course...

Expand full comment