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Michael Ian Black



Last Updated: 4/14/2009

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Status: Married
Country: US
Signup Date: 8/3/2007
Thursday, July 24, 2008 
Yes, it's a mouthful, but that is my new name. Why? Because in two weeks time I will officially join Bob Woodward and Tori Spelling as a New York Times Best-Selling author. The call came today when I was working with my friend Michael Showalter on a sketch about the word "cunt." In other words, sometimes life imitates art.

On August 3rd, when the best-seller list becomes official, my new book "My Custom Van (and 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face)" will be at number seventeen, which is a terrible number to be. Why? Because the cut-off for the list that they actually print in the newspaper is either fifteen or sixteen. But never seventeen. So I am not going to be in the actual newspaper, but rather I have been ghettoized to the "expanded list," which is still the best-seller list but does not have the prestigious sheen of the printed version. In poker terms, I am the "bubble boy." In early John Travolta film terms, I am the "Boy In The Bubble" boy.

Therefore, I have a new goal. TO MAKE THE TOP FIFTEEN!!! To accomplish this, I am going to need your help. How can you help? By buying my fucking book. I have practically been on my hands and knees begging for your support, and while some of you heard my clarion call, still others (and I know who you are) have dithered, perhaps thinking to yourself, "I don't have enough money to eat AND buy the book." Bullshit. Let me ask you a question: how long does a good meal fill your belly? A few hours, perhaps. How long does a good book fill your brain? For a lifetime, motherfuckers! For a motherfucking lifetime.

When you don't feed your brain, what happens? You turn into a zombie. And I think we can all agree that we have enough problems with zombies as it is.

Now look, I wouldn't tell you to buy the book if it weren't fantastic, but it is. I know how tough times are out there, (Obviously since I'm a celebrity I don't really know, but when I was getting my make-up put on for one of my many television appearances I heard somebody talking about it and it almost made me upset.) but when times are tough, laughter is the sweetest medicine. And cash. Actually, I would put cash ahead of laughter, but laughter is a close second. I might also put a strong support system ahead of laughter, which would knock laughter down to third, but again, I think it's a close third. Just buy the fucking book.

Sincerely,
New York Times Best-Selling Author Michael Ian Black (Very Famous)
emra
emra roper

 
from what i understand, as long as laughter is in the top 15 it still counts as something worth counting. who can argue with that?
 
Posted by emra on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 12:48 AM
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Ron Solomon (facebook.com/ronsolomon)

 
you and show go together like a horse and carriage! so, how's that cunt sketch coming along?
 
Posted by Ron Solomon (facebook.com/ronsolomon) on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 1:12 AM
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The Holly Llama

 
But what's in it for me if I buy the book?
 
Posted by The Holly Llama on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 1:16 AM
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jon

 
How original

http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?t=7034&highlight
 
Posted by jon on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 1:40 AM
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Jenny

 
i'm more than sure you'll make at LEAST 15th. Maybe if you paraded down some Main St. somewhere, you can pick up more media attention thus, boosting book sales?

Just a thought. >:)
 
Posted by Jenny on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 3:00 AM
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Bootlegg Brittny
Brittny Buhlig

 
I love your face. therefore, I bought your book. rejoice.
 
Posted by Bootlegg Brittny on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 5:09 AM
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Sex Mahoney

 
You're definitely more famous that Bob Woodward, but Tori Spelling? I don't know. What I want to know is if you're offering only a flat rate price on the book, or can I talk you into some kind of a per laugh situation?

Sex Mahoney for President
 
Posted by Sex Mahoney on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 6:02 AM
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Tanya, Worry Free
Tanya Landry

 
Don't want to be a zombie! I will buy the book.

Thanks, Michael Ian Black, NYTBSAVF. (Think future editions)
 
Posted by Tanya, Worry Free on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 6:40 AM
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the Dougspace

 
I've already bought your book and took it to number 17 and this is the thanks I get? Greedy buy more buy more? Listen, I can't sell your laughter for more cash for more books. The stores and the internet don't take laughter for books, I've already tried. So you're welcome for number 17. I doubt you will go much higher than that. It's a good thing. My book never charted. Of course it was never officially released either or it would've at least been number 16, but enough about me. Congrats, enjoy your fame, it will fade.
 
Posted by the Dougspace on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 1:53 PM
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Jenny

 
Hi Michael,
This blog entry has totally convinced me to use part of my stimulus check to buy your book. It's now in my amazon shopping cart. I just need to find something else to add to my cart for $8.71 to qualify for FREE Super Saver Shipping! I can't wait to find something else to buy.
Jenny
 
Posted by Jenny on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 3:50 PM
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Soph.

 
I already got the book mother'ucker!
and it was amazing
forget being a "New York Times Best-Selling Author" you deserve to be a fucking saint
(or "the saint of fucking") whatever you like better.
 
Posted by Soph. on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 6:35 PM
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Missy
Missy S

 
You know Mr. Black I will not be dictated to because I can make my own freakin' decisions of what I'll do with my hard earned cash and no amount of cajoling and making doe eyes (have you thought of trying this ... hm, maybe that's why your 17; just saying).

It's fortunate for you that I don't want to be a Zombie. I recently took a survey that said I have a 34% chance of surviving a Zombie apocalypse so you've convinced me. I need to increase my stats and if buying your book will do this then by God, I'll do it.

But you might want to work on the doe eyes if you want to be in the top 10; competition is tough.
 
Posted by Missy on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 7:24 PM
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Gelgoleth

 
Well, we all know zombies would be a disaster, but what if buying the book turned me into a vampire? Good for the economy, perhaps, but where does it leave me??? Yeah, I loved your book, but now I'm a frickin' human tick!
Michael Ian Black fans...Good for his wallet!
Seriously, you kick more ass than Chuck Norris at a mooning convention..
-Twitch 23
 
Posted by Gelgoleth on Thursday, July 24, 2008 - 8:10 PM
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Rylee

 
Dude, I'm so not going to be able to remember that.
 
Posted by Rylee on Friday, July 25, 2008 - 5:56 AM
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Avant Narde

 
Oh, all right, you whiny little bitch. I was going to buy a tank of gas to visit my elderly, sickly grandmother, but I guess you are more important. There had just better be a juicy story about Shannen Doherty and Michael Showalter in it or I will hunt you down. I bet Tori Spelling didn't have to beg her fans to buy her book. Smut sells!
 
Posted by Avant Narde on Friday, July 25, 2008 - 6:42 AM
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Emily
Emily Sama

 
it seems as though this was just to prove it all
 
Posted by Emily on Friday, July 25, 2008 - 3:21 PM
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so right ♥

 
I will definitely check out your book.

♥ Jessica
 
Posted by so right ♥ on Friday, July 25, 2008 - 6:01 PM
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Mark O)))

 
I just bought your fucking book. You're welcome.
 
Posted by Mark O))) on Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 7:16 AM
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Jillbles

 
Oh, alright, already! I admit it, I haven't picked it up yet. It's my fault you're not at 15 this week. Feel free to heap all the blame on me. What with the cost of food, and the rent, and the gas, and the life-saving medical procedures, I haven't been able to justify the expense. But you're absolutely right; who needs those things? Sure, they prolong life, but what's life without a working brain?
I'm on my way out to get it right now. Sorry. Really sorry.
:-P
 
Posted by Jillbles on Saturday, July 26, 2008 - 7:20 PM
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Kristen

 
I bought the book, a'ight? I even posted that I bought it on my blog, which gets at LEAST 2-3 readers a week. So see, you might even sell 2 or 3 more.. unless..of course..they just want to borrow mine.
 
Posted by Kristen on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 3:26 AM
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Patrick Breen

 
It's a great book. Last comedy book that I bought was SO NOT FUNNY that I had to write my own comedy material in there just to make it amusing. But this one I will leave alone!LOL!And I am giving you 2 Kudos to go along with it. So when you go to the bank to deposit money, see if you can deposit kudos as well. I heard the dollar is so low that Kudos are worth ALOT MORE!
 
Posted by Patrick Breen on Monday, July 28, 2008 - 7:25 PM
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Stun Gun Jones
RachEal Whitley

 
you are my sunshine.
 
Posted by Stun Gun Jones on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 3:42 AM
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Jillbles

 
So the very day I posted that it was my fault you weren't at 15, I went out to buy the book.
I went to the Borders at Penn Station. I went through the Humor - Humourous Writing section... about 5 times. No luck. I went to the brandy-new book section as you walk in the door; nada. I asked the woman at the info desk for help; she went to the Humorous Writing section, then to the brandy-new book section as you walk in the door. She didn't find it either, which did make me feel vindicated, but still disappointed. After randomly checking endcaps and the Bestsellers table (figuring hey, you were close; it could happen), I resigned myself to living in a My Custom Van-less world until I had the chance to hit a Borders closer to home. I headed off to the register to pay for my cruddy fantasy novel, and passed the Weird and Wacky table. I figured... couldn't hurt; might help - I decided to peruse the contents. And there, amid a variety of other bizarre crap, was your book.
So I'm glad I was persistent, at least. You might want to warn other people, though.
 
Posted by Jillbles on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 6:28 PM
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Ling Ling

 
I recently sold almost all my books to Half-Price Books bookstore for gas/cigarette/alcohol money. One book I did NOT sell to them: Yours.
Love it. Good Work.
 
Posted by Ling Ling on Sunday, November 30, 2008 - 1:21 AM
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