Michael Schur — Lessons from "The Office" and SNL, Moral Philosophy, Storytelling, and More

TL;DR

Michael Schur, creator of "The Good Place" and writer for "The Office," discusses his experiences in comedy and the valuable lessons he learned along the way.

Transcript

hello boys and girls ladies and germs this is tim ferriss welcome to another episode of the tim ferriss show my guest today is michael sure sure depending on who you ask on twitter at ken tremendous we're going to ask about that mike michael created the critically acclaimed nbc comedy the good place and co-created parks and recreation brooklyn nine... Read More

Key Insights

• 🛝 The Harvard Lampoon serves as an important learning ground for aspiring comedy writers, providing insight and connections to the comedy industry.
• 🤲 The audition process for the Lampoon is based on meritocracy, where talent and skill determine who gets accepted.
• 💦 Working at "SNL" trains writers to be less precious with their material and make constant improvements to enhance comedic experiences.
• ✍️ Greg Daniels, the showrunner of "The Office," offered invaluable teachings on long-form TV writing, character growth, and storytelling.
• 📔 Michael Schur's fascination with book collecting and first editions stems from his love of collecting and the tactile experience of books.
• 🤔 The internet identity "Ken Tremendous" originated as a funny name that Michael Schur thought of and eventually became his online presence.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Michael Schur become a member of the Harvard Lampoon?

Schur became aware of the Lampoon through movies and comedy shows that referenced it. When he applied to college, he expressed his desire to join the Lampoon in his application essay.

Q: What was the audition process for the Harvard Lampoon like?

The Lampoon had a meritocracy-based audition process, where aspiring writers and artists had to submit their work for consideration. The selection process involved multiple rounds of cuts and voting by existing members.

Q: How did "Saturday Night Live" shape Michael Schur's comedy writing skills?

"SNL" taught Schur to be less precious with his material and to constantly improve it. The show's immediate audience feedback allowed him to make quick adjustments and polish his comedic writing.

Q: What were Michael Schur's initial thoughts about adapting "Infinite Jest" into a television series?

Schur initially thought that adapting "Infinite Jest" would be a great creative challenge. He secured the rights to the book but eventually decided not to pursue the adaptation due to various reasons, including the complexities of envisioning the near-future world described in the book.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Michael Schur discusses his time at the Harvard Lampoon and the importance of joining the humor outlet to learn about comedy at an early age.

• He shares insights into the audition process for the Lampoon and his experiences as a writer for "Saturday Night Live" and "The Office."

• Schur reveals how working at "SNL" taught him to be less precious with his own material and the importance of making constant improvements to enhance the comedic experience for the audience.