Obscure with Michael Ian Black cover art

Obscure with Michael Ian Black

Obscure with Michael Ian Black

By: Misfit Toys
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About this listen

It's a book club, but funny!

Comedian Michael Ian Black is tackling a great work of literature: Wuthering Heights.

Join Michael's weekly book club as he reads aloud from a classic and asks people like Jen Kirkman, Mike Birbiglia, Michael Showalter, and even his teenage kids to weigh in with their perspectives.

Season 1: Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure. The book is bleak, but Michael does a lot of accent work.

Season 2: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's alive, and it's just a big buddy. Also, more accent work.

Season 3: Wuthering Heights. It's a love story? Who knows

Season 4: American Tragedy. Also a potential title of this podcast

Support this show and access bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/michaelianblack


© 2021 Michael Ian Black
Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • S4 Episode 99 - Dithering and Dickering
    Aug 5 2025

    Perhaps we are at the moment of no return. Hard to say, of course, and lo we have had the rug pulled from under our feet so many times over these last almost 100 episodes. Clyde Griffiths is possessed now, a demon steadying his hand as the deadly moment has now arrived. Or has it???

    Support Obscure!

    Read Michael's substack

    Follow Michael on Twitter

    Follow Michael on Instagram

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    31 mins
  • S4 Episode 98 - What a lousy Independence Day but a fine day for a MURDER
    Jul 29 2025

    An airport adventure begins this week's episode but your host is happy to assure you that, while his family's was waylaid in NYC attempting to return home to the Deep South. An overnight stay at JFK ensued, with a detour to Minneapolis, before heading, finally to Savannah. And yet... AND YET! Our trip was still better than Roberta Alden's elopement.

    Support Obscure!

    Read Michael's substack

    Follow Michael on Twitter

    Follow Michael on Instagram

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • S4 Episode 97 - We Don't Have Swiss Cheese, We're Waffle House
    Jul 22 2025

    Some thoughts on Waffle House and some heavy breathing kick off this week's episode. Meanwhile, all kinds of trouble await poor Robert Alden as she decamps for what she believes to be her elopement. But, of course, you and I know no such elopement is forthcoming. The only event Roberta has to look forward to is... MURDER!!!

    Support Obscure!

    Read Michael's substack

    Follow Michael on Twitter

    Follow Michael on Instagram

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
All stars
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Michael Ian Black is just SO GOOD! I loved his How To Be Amazing podcast and ended up here afterwards, and his reactions to the text are just excellent. I think he's very underrated, and he shouldn't be. Listen to this, you'll love it.

Hilarious and heartbreaking and heartwarming

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