earch for a new creative outlet is only natural. He's already starred in movies such as "Wet Hot American Summer" and TV shows like "Stella." So he sets out in "I Am a Wonderful Man" to conquer the most obvious medium remaining: the comedy album.
Whether he can step up to the task is called into question within the first few minutes of the CD. Black's debut doesn't start out with a bang. In fact, the opening of the album is downright disappointing - especially considering that he is a seasoned comedian.
Black does warm up, however, and his routine improves. He steers himself into the realm of political incorrectness with jokes about "terrorist" Arabs in airports and how awful people in New Orleans are. It is all done with typical, child-like Michael Ian Black charm, in the sense that he is only saying what everyone has already thought to themselves. That way, his not-so-funny jokes about Nazis are forgivable.
And, like most good comedians, Black isn't afraid to poke some fun at himself. He addresses his effeminate persona with a finesse that, while hilarious, still reminds us that, contrary to popular belief, he is not gay.
Unfortunately, his finesse doesn't always show through. He occasionally muddles his performance by making incoherent noises best compared to those a cat makes while being sprayed by a garden hose. There are also points in his routine where the visual element is obviously missing, either because Black can be heard moving around in between lines or because he says, as in the case of his terrorist jokes, "and then I give him one of these looks." These moments detract from his routine for listeners. He should have realized that, since he is completely aware that he is being recorded.
All things considered, Black stays relatively strong until the end, which does not deliver. Instead of continuing his routine, he mechanically reads entries from his deceased blog. They flop, and Black goes out as he came in: without a bang.
Maybe Black was just nervous about beginning and ending his set, or maybe he just doesn't have the energy to care anymore. He is one of those comedians that some listeners will understand and some won't.
But what seems to be more of a problem is the fact that this comedy album is, by its very nature, lacking a visual element. "Stella," the one-season Comedy Central show that Black did with pals David Wain and Michael Showalter, is utterly hilarious with its crazy skits, stunts and dance numbers. If you put it on a CD, though, so much would be lost that listeners might not even crack a smile.
Michael Ian Black's debut comedy album is a somewhat successful attempt at showing his versatility among mediums. It's not the best album, but it is by far not the worst. Black's time really would be better spent making sketch comedies, and money would be better spent buying them.
