He’s been a Crank Yanker, a sock puppet, Stephen Hawking, Johnny Bluejeans and a bowling alley manager. But you probably know him best as a talking head on VH1’s “I Love the…” series.

He is Michael Ian Black.

But Black cannot rely on any of his characters to save him from a bad show during his stand-up routine Friday at Stephens Auditorium. Fortunately for Black, he has a sure-fire plan.

“[I’ll] be making blatant passes at all the girls,” Black says.

He is known primarily for his dry wit and sarcastic tone, and most remarks leaves some audience members a bit curious if he’s being serious. For Black, disapproval doesn’t affect him like some might think it would.

“I tend to cry a lot; I brood, become despondent,” Black says. “I check my bank account obsessively. I try writing poetry like Sylvia Plath.”

He says he was able to overcome his fear of a disappointed audience after getting a nice call from Iowa State.

“[Iowa State] called and offered me money,” Black says. “I said I’d come, largely as a result of the money they offered.”

Black admits he was working hard to entertain the crowd in Ames with his show — until he found out the performance was free to students.

“That removes all the pressure,” Black says. “Now I don’t feel responsible to do anything. I might just stand there for an hour, eyes unblinking, pants to the floor.”

All kidding aside, Black says playing in Ames will be challenging because it will be one of his first solo performances.

“Iowa will be my guinea pig,” Black says.

“[But if it’s bad], word might spread like wildfire. I could be dead in Story County.”

Black has considerable experience on stage, performing heavily in the comedy group “Stella,” made up of Black and two fellow cohorts. They used to host alternative comedy shows, but the group just started their own tour, playing to crowds in the thousands. Black describes “Stella” as a three-man comedy trio, since that’s the most pretentious way to describe it.

“It’s not exactly skits, but it’s not exactly stand-up. It’s professional bickering,” he says.

“Oh, and we make filthy videos, too.”

And “Stella” is only the tip of the iceberg. Most of Black’s resume features work in television and on-stage, though very little movie work. He says the main reason he isn’t a big movie star is because of one little obstacle.

“I don’t do movies primarily because no one wants me to be in their movies,” Black says. “Literally, that’s the only thing standing in my way.”

Through all the work he’s done, he is most commonly recognized nowadays for his part in VH1’s “I love the…” series. That’s not too surprising for Black.

“I’ve been on TV for 10 to 12 years now, and whatever I’m doing currently is what [people] recognize me [from],” Black says. “That’s not too bad because I’m pretty funny on that show.”

Looking over his upcoming show, Black says he has the highest of expectations for his performance.

“In the worst case scenario, the show will be at least terrible,” Black says.

“In the best case scenario, well, it will be something better than that.”