Draft:Very Important People (2023 TV series)

Very Important People is an American improvisational comedy talk show on Dropout hosted by Vic Michaelis. The show features comedians being placed in extensive makeup and costumes, then participating in an in-character interview with Michaelis. The series premiered in December 2023, and has been greenlit for a second season.

Format
The opening sequence of each episode features one or two comedians having extensive makeup and prosthetics applied to them by the makeup team, along with accompanying costume pieces, to alter their appearance; the comedians are not aware in advance what they are being turned into, and are prevented from seeing themselves before the process is complete. Once preparations are finished, the comedians are allowed to see themselves in the mirror for the first time, and they are given a few minutes to improvise a character based on their new look. Similarly, Michaelis is not given any details of these characters beforehand beyond their name and appearance.

When the episode begins, the comedians join Michaelis on the main talk show set, where they introduce themselves in character. The episode then proceeds with Michaelis interviewing the characters, asking them questions about themselves and the reasons they have been brought on the show. Interviews will frequently be broken up by segments in which props are brought onto the set, prompting the characters to explain how the object relates to them; the interview also frequently cuts away to photos or footage of the characters, which are shot on a green screen after the episode and added in post production. A recurring segment features Michaelis asking the characters a series of rapid-fire questions, concluding each time with "What is the meaning of life?"

Production
Very Important People is a reboot of the 2010 CollegeHumor series Hello, My Name Is..., which featured Pat Cassels interviewing a different guest each episode, all played by Josh Ruben. Michaelis had previously been featured in minor roles on a few prior CollegeHumor productions before appearing as a contestant on Make Some Noise in 2022; their performance on the series led executive producer Sam Reich to cast them as the host for Very Important People.

A week after each episode airs, a "Last Looks" behind-the-scenes video is released, featuring director Tamar Levine and makeup department head Alex Perrone explaining the creative decisions and technical process behind creating each guest's appearance.

Reception
Very Important People was the People's Voice Winner in the video comedy category at the 2024 Webby Awards.