Michael Ian Black Helps You Learn to Be Amazing
Last week Michael Ian Black debuted his new podcast with Audible.com, “How to Be Amazing.” Black was looking for people who he found “amazing” in a wide variety of fields in order to discuss the process of how they became successful and amazing. The first four episodes were released for free last week on audible.com/amazing, and after that, each episode will go on sale for $0.99 every other week throughout the remainder of the calendar year. The next episode will air on March 9th and feature an interview with Kevin Smith. The next one after that will be on March 23rd and feature Amy Schumer.
We checked in with Michael Ian Black to ask him a few questions about the experience.
MIB told us that his future guests include Chef Tom Colicchio, Astronaut Mike Massimino, statistician Nate Silver, the actress Megan Mullalley, director Kevin Smith, as well as Tenor Carl Tanner, filmmaker Miranda July, scientist Brian Greene and more. He said the idea to do an interview show actually came from his two producers, Jennifer Brennan and Mary Shimkin.
“They were looking to do something fun and radio-like, and they thought I might be a good person with whom to partner because of my winning personality and rugged good looks. We started batting around ideas, and stumbled on the idea of focusing our series on the creative process….regardless of vocation.”
They’ve already recorded about 16 interviews with many more to come. One of Michael’s favorite moments so far came during his interview with astronaut Mike Massimino.
“We were talking about what it’s like to actually prepare for and board the Space Shuttle, the moment when you are out there, basically alone, heading up in the elevator to board the Space Shuttle. He said that all astronauts pack a little lunch with them. Like, literally a brown bag lunch that they take with them to space. That little detail, to me, represents everything we’re trying to do – give listeners a glimpse into the details of our guest’s lives that they wouldn’t hear anyplace else.”
But it was Chef Tom Colicchio who inspired some change in host Michael Ian Black. Black didn’t exactly follow in Colicchio’s footsteps, but he did find inspiration to build some kitchen skills. “Chef Tom Colicchio…didn’t so much teach me anything specific, but activated in me a latent desire to become a better cook,” Black said. “He described a book he used to teach himself to cook, so I went out and bought that book, then promptly put that book away when I saw that it was filled with organ meats and aspics and weird shit I would never eat. But I bought some other books, and I’ve been teaching myself to cook a little bit at a time.”
When we asked him if he has a dream guest he’d like to talk with, he didn’t have a specific name in mind, but he said that he does want to speak with someone who has run for president. “I’m interested in the political process and I’d love to get a candid account of what it’s actually like to be inside the bubble of a presidential campaign.”
You can find Michael Ian Black’s “How To Be Amazing” on Audible.com/amazing.
