Aziz Ansari and Paul Scheer as the street-magic "Illusionators."   (Photo: Courtesy of MTV)

“We really agonize over, Has someone tackled this type of idea before?” says Scheer. “We’ll think, Wait, in 1994, this one sketch had a reference that’s kind of similar.” So much so that when a sketch was about to be filmed, the group suddenly got worried it might be too close to a Mr. Show bit. So they phoned that show’s co-creator Bob Odenkirk. “He said, ‘That’s totally different. Do your idea,’ ” says Huebel. “Then he said, ‘If you start doing this for every idea, you’re never going to get your show done.’ ”

As for MTV’s image problems, well, in this transitional age of cell-phone-content synergy, does it really matter if you share a channel with Date My Mom? “MTV’s probably not the first place you think of when you think of comedy,” Huebel says. “What we’re hoping for is, funny is funny.” In a way, Human Giant is arriving at a strange time for a sketch show: Ten years ago, they might have landed a late-night network gig and been heralded as the new Kids in the Hall; ten years from now, they’d probably skip TV altogether and instead be beamed holographically into your brain. But in the here and now, Human Giant is happy to have a platform to spread their patented DUIY aesthetic.

There isn’t, of course, such a thing as a “DUIY” aesthetic, at least not until Scheer accidentally coins it at the Half King. Weirdly, it fits.

“What’s DUIY?” says Woliner.

“Yeah, yeah!” says Ansari. “Do It Under the Influence Yourself! That’s what we’re shooting for! Get drunk and make your dreams come true.”

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• Articles by Adam Sternbergh
• Table of Contents: Apr 2, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!