This Hilarious, Bizarre Comedy Show is the Best Thing You’re Not Watching

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CollegeHumor was a popular online platform that helped launch the careers of comedians like Pete Holmes, showcasing their talent in short web series like Badman. Similar to Funny or Die, it gave rising comedic voices a place to share their work. Now known as Dropout, it’s a streaming service – available on YouTube – focused mainly on improv comedy. You won’t find big-name movie stars here, but you will discover the incredibly talented Vic Michaelis, a comedian quickly gaining recognition.

Michaelis is a talented performer, known for their work on Peacock’s Ponies and as a panelist on Game Changer. However, they really shine as the host of Very Important People on Dropout, a revamped version of the 2010 web series Hello, My Name Is…. It’s a hilariously unpredictable show, and once you start watching, you’ll be hooked!

What Is Very Important People?

The show Very Important People features comedians being interviewed by Michaelis, who plays a fictionalized version of himself. However, the comedians don’t appear as themselves – instead, they’re portrayed by elaborate practical effects, transforming them into bizarre characters like a purple alien or a yellow, furry demon. This demon’s first task? To eliminate Michaelis, at the request of his stepdaughter, ideally using a shrimp…fashioned into a tampon.

The performer doesn’t know who they’ll be portraying beforehand, and isn’t initially assigned a role. They close their eyes while a team applies extensive makeup and prosthetics, then look in a mirror and develop a character based on the transformation.

As a movie and comedy fan, what really blows my mind is how quickly these comedians build a whole character – they’ve got just minutes! And everything you see in these short episodes, usually between fifteen and thirty minutes, is completely made up on the spot. There’s no script, no pre-planned details, just incredibly strange interviews. Honestly, it’s even more bizarre than that infamous moment when Crispin Glover almost kicked David Letterman back in ’87 – and that’s a pretty high bar!

The show’s playful energy comes from the fact that Michaelis, the host, doesn’t know who or what they’ll be interviewing, keeping things spontaneous for everyone involved. Even though Michaelis is a professional, the unexpected moments and funny mistakes are a highlight – and they make perfect sense given the circumstances. It’s really impressive how often the performers manage to stay in character and keep the show going smoothly.

The character of Michaelis, consistently seen in a brown suit, is quite compelling. We occasionally learn small details about their personal life—it’s unclear if these details reflect reality—such as their divorce and their ambition to be recognized as a legitimate journalist, a goal that consistently eludes them. A particularly interesting aspect is Michaelis’ relationship with their stepdaughter, Biance, who is part of the show’s crew and was responsible for hiring the person who attempted to kill the host.

One of the few consistent elements in each episode of Very Important People is Michaelis asking his guests about the meaning of life. While the show has a general format, it’s not overly strict, and everyone—the guests, Michaelis, and the audience—seems to be enjoying themselves. The answers to the meaning of life question are often unsettling, like the one given by a newly-made (and likely unstable) superhero, who demonstrated squeezing someone’s throat while saying it’s about “using your helpful hands.”

If you’re curious about Very Important People, I’d suggest checking out their Instagram Reels first. They’ll give you a good feel for whether the show’s your style. It’s an improv show, so quality varies from episode to episode – some are gold, others not so much – but honestly, the practical effects are consistently amazing.

The show features several memorable characters, including Denzel, a secret alien houseguest, and Pig #2 from the Three Little Pigs story. There’s also Zeke Aaron McKinly, a fourth grader mysteriously turned to stone, and Spencer, a recurring yellow character referred to as a ‘Hellion.’ Spencer especially stands out as a clever, spontaneous creation, demonstrating Lisa Gilroy’s talent for improvisational comedy.

Have you checked out Very Important People yet? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-12 01:43