# Vic Michaelis
**Vic Michaelis** is a nonbinary American-Canadian comedian, actor, and improviser, best known as the host of the improv interview show *[Very Important People](https://www.edgepedia.org/very-important-people-2023-tv-series)* on the comedy streaming service Dropout. On the show, comedians are given surprise makeovers that transform them into someone completely new, then conduct a fully improvised interview with Michaelis in character as a talk show host. They also appear regularly across Dropout's game shows and have built a parallel scripted acting career, most recently starring as Cheryl Symanski in the Peacock spy drama *Ponies*.[1](https://improvarchive.org/people/vic-michaelis) • [2](https://www.dropout.tv/shows/very-important-people)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Victoria Michaelis, known professionally as Vic Michaelis[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis) |
| Signature role | Host of *Very Important People* (2023– ), an improvised talk show on Dropout; also credited as co-executive producer[2](https://www.dropout.tv/shows/very-important-people) • [4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/vic-michaelis) |
| Improv training | Began formal improv training at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles around 2016; member of the Harold team Yeti[1](https://improvarchive.org/people/vic-michaelis) |
| Notable scripted roles | Cheryl Symanski in *Ponies* (2026); Mildred in *[Upload](https://www.edgepedia.org/upload-tv-series)*; Sadie Whitaker in *Murder in a Small Town* (2024); Rachel in *Round and Round* (2023)[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis) • [5](https://time.com/7346742/ponies-season-1-ending-explained/) |
| Dropout appearances | *Make Some Noise*, *Game Changer*, *Smartypants*, *Thousandaires*, *Gastronauts*, and *Breaking News*, among others[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21047514/) |
| Recognition | Emmy Awards ballot entry for *Very Important People*, listed as Vic Michaelis as Host Vic[7](https://www.televisionacademy.com/files/assets/ballots/performer-2026-v3.pdf) |
| Honorary title | Elected honorary Dropout president in 2025[8](https://bleedingcool.com/tv/interview-vic-michaelis-chats-ponies-vip-being-dropouts-president/) |
## Very Important People
*Very Important People* premiered on Dropout in 2023.[4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/vic-michaelis) In each episode, a comedian is put into elaborate hair, makeup, costume, and prosthetics without knowing what they will look like until a mirror reveal; they must then invent a character from first impressions and carry on a completely improvised interview with Michaelis, who plays a cable-access-style talk show host.[9](https://www.podscan.fm/podcasts/the-gist/episodes/vic-michaelis-improv-is-not-just-existing-live-in-front-of-an-audience-on-stage-1) • [2](https://www.dropout.tv/shows/very-important-people) The show has run for three seasons, with new episodes every other Thursday.[2](https://www.dropout.tv/shows/very-important-people)
Keeping a straight face is the host's central challenge, and Michaelis ties it directly to their improv background. In a 2026 interview with *Them*, they explained: "The more I can lock into sort of earnestly looking past a costume and trying to figure out who a person is, I think the easier it is to keep a straight face." The same interview describes an inquisitive off-stage persona, with Michaelis asking the reporter questions throughout the conversation.[10](https://www.them.us/story/vic-michaelis-very-important-people-ponies-comedian-interview) Guests across the show's run have included characters such as Princess Emily, Tommy Shriggly, Hayes Steele, and Zeke Aaron McKinley.[2](https://www.dropout.tv/shows/very-important-people)
The show has a longer lineage than its 2023 premiere suggests. Dropout CEO Sam Reich has said that *Very Important People* is based on *Hello, My Name Is*, a [CollegeHumor](https://www.edgepedia.org/collegehumor) series he created 13 years earlier starring [Josh Ruben](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-ruben), describing the Dropout show as a reboot of it.[11](https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/05/how-dropout-cracked-internet-comedy/687264/)
## Work at Dropout
Michaelis is a regular player on Dropout, the subscription streaming service operated by [Sam Reich](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-reich) that specializes in unscripted comedy.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis) Their credits there include the improv game show *Make Some Noise* and appearances on *Game Changer*, *Smartypants*, *Thousandaires*, *[Gastronauts](https://www.edgepedia.org/gastronauts)*, *Parlor Room*, and *Breaking News*.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21047514/) *Make Some Noise*, an improvisational game show spun off from an episode of *Game Changer*, asks contestants to build scenes from prompts delivered by host Sam Reich.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21047514/)
Reich has described Dropout's relationship with its cast as deliberately nonexclusive. In a 2026 interview with *The Atlantic*, he named Michaelis among performers with outside careers, saying, "Our attitude about folks like Jeremy or Vic Michaelis, who is in *Ponies*, or Lou Wilson, who is Jimmy Kimmel's announcer, is: We are very content to be your favorite second thing you do."[11](https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/05/how-dropout-cracked-internet-comedy/687264/) Michaelis was elected honorary Dropout president in 2025, a fan-facing title within the platform's community.[8](https://bleedingcool.com/tv/interview-vic-michaelis-chats-ponies-vip-being-dropouts-president/)
## Improv background
Around 2016, Michaelis began formal improv training at the [Upright Citizens Brigade](https://www.edgepedia.org/upright-citizens-brigade) in Los Angeles, studying under multiple instructors. They joined the Harold team Yeti and performed in sketch ensembles, developing the committed, character-driven approach that later shaped their work on *Very Important People*. The training emphasized two habits that define the show: full commitment to a character, and accepting and building on whatever a scene partner offers.[1](https://improvarchive.org/people/vic-michaelis)
Beyond Dropout, Michaelis performs live and is a regular guest on the *Comedy Bang! Bang!* podcast hosted by [Scott Aukerman](https://www.edgepedia.org/scott-aukerman), as well as [Matt Besser](https://www.edgepedia.org/matt-besser)'s *Improv4Humans*. They split their time between Los Angeles and Vancouver.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis)
## Scripted acting
Michaelis has maintained a parallel acting career in television and film. They appeared in a recurring role as Mildred, a young-presenting grandmother living in a cyber afterlife, in seasons 2 and 4 of Amazon's *Upload*.[1](https://improvarchive.org/people/vic-michaelis) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis) Earlier credits include guest roles on *Charmed*, *Bless This Mess*, *Speechless*, and *The Rookie*.[1](https://improvarchive.org/people/vic-michaelis) • [12](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/vic-michaelis/) They starred as Rachel in the Hallmark Hanukkah film *Round and Round* (2023), appeared in the indie film *D(e)ad* (2025), and played Sadie Whitaker in three episodes of *Murder in a Small Town* (2024).[1](https://improvarchive.org/people/vic-michaelis) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis) • [12](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/vic-michaelis/)
The most prominent scripted role to date is Cheryl Symanski in *Ponies*, a 1970s-set Peacock spy drama created by [Susanna Fogel](https://www.edgepedia.org/susanna-fogel) and David Iserson, starring [Emilia Clarke](https://www.edgepedia.org/emilia-clarke) and [Haley Lu Richardson](https://www.edgepedia.org/haley-lu-richardson) as CIA wives in Moscow who become spies themselves. Michaelis plays the office manager of the US embassy and the wife of a senior CIA agent; in the season 1 finale, Cheryl is revealed to be the mole within the CIA.[5](https://time.com/7346742/ponies-season-1-ending-explained/) Michaelis described the role as one that "change[d] my life," and has noted that conversations with the show's creators about how ego drives people to spy informed their performance.[10](https://www.them.us/story/vic-michaelis-very-important-people-ponies-comedian-interview) • [13](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/tv-shows/ponies-episode-8-vic-michaelis-interview/) A *Guardian* review of the series noted Cheryl's role in the embassy office alongside the leads.[14](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/22/ponies-review-emilia-clarke-spy-thriller-sky-atlantic-now)
Michaelis is also slated for festival and live appearances; they were among the performers announced for the 2026 SXSW comedy lineup, which includes UCB's ASSSSCAT improv show.[15](https://sxsw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-SXSW-Comedy-Announcement.pdf)
## References
1. [Vic Michaelis, The Improv Archive](https://improvarchive.org/people/vic-michaelis)
2. [Very Important People, Dropout](https://www.dropout.tv/shows/very-important-people)
3. [Vic Michaelis, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/139841/vic-michaelis)
4. [Vic Michaelis Movies & TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/vic-michaelis)
5. [Breaking Down the Shocking Ending of Ponies, Time](https://time.com/7346742/ponies-season-1-ending-explained/)
6. [Make Some Noise (2022– ), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21047514/)
7. [Television Academy Awards performer ballot](https://www.televisionacademy.com/files/assets/ballots/performer-2026-v3.pdf)
8. [Interview: Vic Michaelis Chats Ponies, VIP, & Being Dropout President, Bleeding Cool](https://bleedingcool.com/tv/interview-vic-michaelis-chats-ponies-vip-being-dropouts-president/)
9. [Vic Michaelis: "Improv is not just existing live in front of an audience on stage," The Gist, Podscan](https://www.podscan.fm/podcasts/the-gist/episodes/vic-michaelis-improv-is-not-just-existing-live-in-front-of-an-audience-on-stage-1)
10. [How Vic Michaelis Keeps a Straight Face on Very Important People, Them](https://www.them.us/story/vic-michaelis-very-important-people-ponies-comedian-interview)
11. [How Dropout Cracked Internet Comedy, The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2026/05/how-dropout-cracked-internet-comedy/687264/)
12. [Vic Michaelis, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/vic-michaelis/)
13. [Ponies: Vic Michaelis on Cheryl's Big Betrayal, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/tv-shows/ponies-episode-8-vic-michaelis-interview/)
14. [Ponies review, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/22/ponies-review-emilia-clarke-spy-thriller-sky-atlantic-now)
15. [2026 SXSW Comedy Announcement](https://sxsw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-SXSW-Comedy-Announcement.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Theater and dance › Stand-up comedy and comedians › American stand-up comedians, contemporary › Stand-up comedians born 1980 onward › Surnames A to M*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license