“The Union of The State,” by author Corey Stulce, is the untold, uncensored story of the most influential and prolific comedy troupe of the last twenty-five years — and a unique tale in the history of show business.
“The members of The State are my heroes, my peers and my friends. Individually and collectively they are responsible for an impressively large percentage of everything funny that currently exists in the world. For comedy nerds like me, it’s essential reading.” — “Weird Al” Yankovic
The book, “The Union of The State,” is an oral history of the acclaimed troupe’s creation, dissolution, reinvention and reunion, told by all members of the group: Kevin Allison, Michael Ian Black, Robert Ben Garant, Todd Holoubek, Michael Patrick Jann Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Michael Showalter, and David Wain.
The book follows the members of The State from their time as classmates at New York University in the late 1980s to their quick ascent to fame via their three-season, sketch-comedy series at MTV and through their post-MTV projects. It also includes histories of the movie-turned-Netflix-series, “Wet Hot American Summer;” the Comedy Central hit, “Reno 911!;” and cult favorite comedy show/series, Stella.
The projects the members of The State have written, directed or performed in leave no degree of separation between them and nearly everyone working in comedy today, such as Key and Peele, Amy Poehler and Natasha Leggero. The book also features rare photos and illustrations from the troupe’s 25-year history.
“I have to tip my cap to “The State” because when I was in graduate school, they were what I watched. They were the thing.” — Keegan-Michael Key
It also includes commentary from State collaborators:
- Paul Rudd
- Keegan-Michael Key
- Chris Meloni
- Rob Corddry
- A.D. Miles, Head Writer for “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”
- Doug Herzog, President of Viacom
- James Dixon, agent for Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel
- Mo Willems, best-selling children’s book author
“The Union of The State” will appeal not only to The State’s extensive fan base but also to comedy aficionados, showbiz biography fans and those who love an underdog success tale.
Author Corey Stulce wasn't hired to write the history of The State but was inspired to start writing this book after hearing Thomas Lennon say this at San Francisco Sketchfest in 2012, "The secret to all of every industry: just start doing it, and they won't notice that they never told you to. If you want to be a hand model, just start doing it. Somehow people forget that they never gave you permission." Corey has interviewed and written about comedy legends from Mel Brooks to George Carlin and Phyllis Diller as well as contemporary humorists such as Judd Apatow, Paul Feig, Kate McKinnon and David Sedaris. Corey spent a decade as a magazine/newspaper features and entertainment editor in the St. Louis metro area, and his writing has appeared on NBC and in newspapers and magazines all over the country as well as dozens of entertainment websites.
