Underground comedians revisit the past in ‘20 Years of Madness’
by Nicole M. Robertson | March 13, 2015
Originally published by The Daily Tribune, archived link here.

White’s roommate at the University of Southern California, Jeremy Royce, encouraged him to make a documentary, which they co-produced and Royce directed.
“I thought someday, maybe in 30 years,” White says. “And he said, ‘No. No. You have to do it now, because there’s a chance for some of these guys to turn their life around.”
Royce’s documentary, “20 Years of Madness,” is now part of the Freep Film Fest, getting its Michigan premiere on Friday, March 20, at the Detroit Film Theatre. The doc uses clips from the bizarro series to contrast sequences of the now-adult players’ lives and working relationship. It won honorable mention at the recent Slamdance Film Festival in Utah.
In the course of the film, we learn some of the friends have struggled with addiction, depression, personal failures and mental illness. Old conflicts that broke the group apart bubble to the surface. During an argument, Ryan calls White bossy, but later admits it takes a “boss” to complete the task. White cringes at that “ugliest moment” in the film — but that’s documentary. “This isn’t something I would’ve wanted to direct, because I couldn’t be objective,” he says.
While making “20 Years,” they return to a house in Waterford Township where White and Hornacek lived for a couple of years during the time they were making “30 Minutes.” It’s the place, they recall, where it all fell apart.
Despite those tensions, the players completed their 15th episode of “30 Minutes of Madness,” which White says is their best. It will be screened along with “20 Years” at the DFT.
“When we started (the TV series), I was 14 and 15,” White says. “In the very beginning, it would be improv sketches, and they would have a little bit of a story to them — it wasn’t just us running around and freaking out. But as time went on we tried to improve what we were doing … and the last show we did, every sketch was written out and storyboarded, so basically we were trying to learn how to make movies while we were making them.”
Royce found his college roommate’s story compelling.
“On one hand, ‘20 Years of Madness’ is a celebration of outsiders, making their own rules and redefining what success means on their own terms,” Royce says of his documentary. “On the other hand, It’s also an exploration of the role we play in the lives of friends who are lost between the cracks of society. I think those two themes are intertwined. …
“I set out to make the film because I see myself in many of the subjects of ‘20 Years of Madness.’ As a teenager I struggled with many of the same issues and I found a path out of those challenging circumstances through filmmaking. … I guess the goal is to reaffirm the belief that no matter what issues we are dealing with, it’s never too late to chase the dreams of your youth.”
Even so, “It’s not a social issue film,” he says. “It’s a character study. Although there are a lot of issues that come up along the way, my hope is that this film is merely the beginning of the conversation.”
Episode 15 of “30 Minutes” also contrasts the players’ youth, especially in a sketch where two girls discuss what they want to be when they grow up, then return to the question 20 years later. They taped at locations including the Silverdome in Pontiac, the former Ford Utica Trim Plant and a freeway underpass in Sterling Heights. It’s juvenile, goofy and surreal with an underground sensibility — complete with a parody TV commercial and DIY electronic music.
Royce’s documentary film, on the other hand, enjoys a lush original score composed and performed by Alexis & Sam.
A Q&A with White and Royce, moderated by Mike White of “The Projection Booth” podcast, follows the Detroit screening, and the “30 Minutes of Madness” reunion episode ends the presentation. Tickets are $10, $9 for DIA members, seniors and students, at www.dia.org.