When Lewis Black called MidWeek editor Dana Herra last week for a phone interview about his upcoming show at the Egyptian Theatre, he got caught in an automated phone system. When the two connected, the first thing he did was complain.

"Your phone system is a real (expletive deleted) treat," he said. "I can't believe I'm actually talking to an honest-to-God person."

It's that kind of irritated, says-what's-on-his-mind style that has won millions of fans for Black, 64. The man who began his career as a playwright who did comedy "on the side" has recorded nine comedy albums, been nominated for five Grammy Awards and won two. One of his two HBO comedy specials was nominated for an Emmy. He also has a Sports Emmy for a regular feature that aired for two seasons on Inside the NFL, and won Best Male Stand-Up at the American Comedy Awards in 2001.