Long Live The State is the definitive documentary on The State and what this iconic sketch comedy troupe means to the world of comedy.

I’m not sure when I first heard about The State or even when I first watched the classic Wet Hot American Summer. What I can tell you is that I remember seeing Michael Ian Black perform twice in person. The first time was back in June 2010–a time when I was still set on a career in comedy, before weirdly becoming a film critic along the way–and he told me that I had a great name for a comedy writer. Moments like this are moments that you don’t forget.

As a result of the double-strikes, The State reunited for shows in late 2023. They would later perform on a live tour in 2024, utilizing their greatest hits of classic material. But when they weren’t performing on stage, members were sitting down in front of the camera to talk about The State for Long Live The State. How did they join, when, and why? The comedy troupe had a meteoric rise and even to this day, they have a lasting influence on comedy fans.

Prior to watching Long Live The State, I was vaguely familiar with members of The State and their work in TV and film. But their history before I started becoming a student of comedy? Not so much. Everybody had to start somewhere and for members of The State, they first formed as The New Group at NYU in 1988 as an offshoot of The Sterile Yak at the time. The initial lineup was not the complete lineup as we know it today. The New Group was initially something of a JV Squad. Only David Wain and Todd Holoubeck had been members of The Sterile Yak, later joining The State.

What I found so fascinating about watching Long Live The State, as far as learning how they joined is that most of them were studying at Tisch. Michael Showalter, who later started directing behind the camera, was an Arts and Sciences student after transferring from Brown University. Had Jo Lo Truglio not lived across the dorm all, who knows just how different life would be. If none of them had seen flyers for The Sterile Yak, it becomes an even bigger what if. It’s one of those right place at the right time kind of thing. You know, the thing that makes for great comedy.

Following the short-lived You Wrote It, You Watch It, hosted by Jon Stewart, they created and starred in the short-lived The State on MTV. The sketch comedy series was critically panned and they took advantage of it to make a commercial utilizing the negative pull quotes. It’s exactly the type of a commercial that should be aired in response to such horrid reviews. It goes without saying that comedy is subjective and it’s not for everyone. What appeals to me might not necessarily appeal to you and vice versa.

Long Live The State isn’t a film that is game-changing for the documentary genre. But for comedy fans, it will be like hanging out with old friends. It’s not quite hanging out around the campfire but it’s plenty enjoyable. Between interviews and archival footage, it’s definitely worth spending almost two hours of your time.

Long Live The State is a must-watch for any fans of The State, let alone comedy in general.

DIRECTOR: Matthew Perniciaro
FEATURING: Kevin Allison, Michael Ian Black, Todd Holoubeck, Robert Ben Garant, Michael Patrick Jann, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Michael Showalter, David Wain

Long Live The State holds its world premiere during the 2025 Tribeca Festival in the Spotlight Documentary program. Grade: 4.5/5

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