As a comedy troupe, Stella started in 1997 and played to sold out shows across the United States with a cult following.

The show blends sketch comedy with a sitcom format, featuring a central plot for each episode along with recurring characters, but it disregards continuity and often embraces surreal elements.

The shorts cover various topics such as searching for Santa, mustache growing, pizza eating, and other absurd situations.

The group cleaned up much of its material for the show, much of which had been often derived from taboo or adult topics like necrophilia and dildos.

Notable guest stars include Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Sam Rockwell, Topher Grace, Tim Blake Nelson, Alan Ruck, Janeane Garofalo, Elizabeth Banks, and Edward Norton.