About Michael

Michael A. Stusser is an author, inventor, and documentary filmmaker. His book, The Dead Guy Interviews: Conversations with 45 of the Most Accomplished, Notorious, and Deceased Personalities in History was released to critical acclaim by Penguin Publishing. Stusser’s essay for the Village Voice/Seattle Weekly, “Sleeping with Siri,” was recently made into an award-winning documentary.

MAGAZINES:

Stusser is a columnist for mental_floss magazine and Shambhala Sun and his work is frequently published by the Seattle Weekly, Law & Politics and the New York Times Syndicate. Stusser’s “Speak No Evil” essay (Seattle Weekly, Utne Reader) was included in the Best Buddhist Writing compilation, and his month-long organic journey for the Seattle Weekly won the SPJ Award and was included in the Best Food Writing anthology. Stusser’s “Accidental Parent” column (ParentMap magazine) won the prestigious Gold Award at the Parents Publication Awards.

BOARD GAMES:

Stusser is also the co-author of The Doonesbury Game with Garry Trudeau ("Best Party Game of the Year" by GAMES Magazine), and EARTHALERT, The Active Environmental Game (Parent’s Choice award-winner). His most recent board game, Hear Me Out (with Mike Schiller), was launched at Starbucks in 2005 and is now available at toy stores worldwide.

SCREENPLAYS:

Along with playwright Michael Neff, Stusser is the author of the screenplays for “Tabloid News” and “Freak Show.” His educational television series, “Twisted Scholar,” has been optioned by Nickelodeon.

THEATRE:

Stusser has been a featured playwright in 14/48 (The World’s Shortest Theatre Festival). His most recent play, Call Waiting, was produced at The Seattle Fringe Festival, and featured in American Theatre magazine. Other plays include The Real World, nominated as "Best of the Fest" at The New City's Playwrights Festival (1994), and Check Out (2002), and Houses in the Fields (2010).

FLUXUS?

Stusser brings an out-of-the-box approach to communications, activism and message, and his ideas promote world vision, achievement and fluxus collaboration. Beginning in the environmental movement at the University of California at Berkeley (BA 1986), Stusser has worked as a political organizer and lobbyist for the Public Interest Research Groups (CalPIRG, MASSPIRG and USPIRG), Greenpeace and Rock & the Environment. He was a CORO Fellow graduate in Los Angeles in 1989.

Stusser currently works with Twisted Scholar to bring Digital Blackout campaigns to high schools nationwide, challenging students to participate in digital detoxes, and ponder balance and real conversation in an era of multi-tasking madness.

The through line in Stusser's work is a desire to find new ways to increase dialogue about the critical issues of our times, empower individuals to make change, and, ultimately, take back the democratic process. And if they crack up along the way, even better...

Contact

You can reach Michael Stusser at michael@michaelstusser.com