Ever since its inception 1988, Whose Line Is It Anyway has been a beloved and critically acclaimed improv-comedy show that features four performers doing a variety of unrehearsed sketches from prompts presented by the host with the occasional audience suggestions. The show originally came from British television with Clive Anderson as the host. Before the British version ended in 1999, the American version of Whose Line with Drew Carey as the host came out in 1998 on ABC. Along with Carey, three regulars appeared in the majority of the episodes, including Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Ryan Stiles.
The two latter stars have been an unstoppable duo and never fail to make millions of viewers laugh. Their chemistry is undeniable in whatever they are working on, whether it is Whose Line or other comedic projects. How did the two meet, and what is their friendship like?
How Did Ryan Stiles And Colin Mochrie's Relationship Start?
It's the 1980s and Mochrie visits New Zealand to a friend. While there, Stiles was doing comedy at Punchlines at the time, and the two met for the first time. The two eventually started working together at the Vancouver TheatreSports League. and later at The Second City in Chicago, where other famous comedians got their starting points including Dan Aykroyd, Chris Farley, Mike Meyers, and many others. In 1989, Stiles was discovered by Whose Line producers and when he debuted in the British show, he garnered critical acclaim from audiences and a dedicated fan following.
Mochrie auditioned in the same year, but sadly didn't make the cut at the time, he told Ross Carey in a podcast. He auditioned again and got in, only to get booted off after one taping. Third time's the charm as he tried again and finally, deservingly earned a spot as a regular. The two also worked with other American regulars such as Brad Sherwood, Greg Proops, and Wayne Brady. Both Stiles and Mochrie continued to appear in the British Whose Line before it ended, and then transitioned to the American version.
What Did Ryan And Colin Do When 'Whose Line' First Ended In 2007?
Whose Line ended its eighth season in 2007, leaving more possible opportunities for the regulars and their other commitments they have been doing along with the improv show. Before the show went off the air, Mochrie would join other Whose Line regulars in hosting a game show, being in the Canadian version of Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?. This occurred when Proops hosted Head Games, Wayne with Don't Forget the Lyrics! and Let's Make A Deal, Sherwood with The Dating Game, and Carey with Power of 10 and The Price is Right. Mochrie appeared in other Canadian programs, such as Degrassi and She's The Mayor.
As for Stiles, he provided the voice of Mr. Mustachio in the 2009 American adaptation of Astro Boy, which featured other voice talents such as Kristen Bell, Samuel L. Jackson, and Nicolas Cage. Unfortunately, the movie failed at the box office, but is considered one of the better adaptations of Japanese manga/anime franchises despite having mixed reviews. He also gained recognition for appearing in Two and a Half Men in a recurring role of Dr. Herb Melnick.
The two, alongside other Whose Line regulars, joined alongside Carey in GSN's Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza in 2011. Despite the show's cancellation after one season, confirmed by Carey, the show received critical praise and essentially made a Whose Line reunion with old and new performers. Two years later, Mochrie and Stiles would continue their work with each other again.
Continuing Their Work On 'Whose Line'
Whose Line came back on the CW with Aisha Tyler as the host due to Carey being committed as the host for long-running game show The Price is Right. Tyler has managed to be just as good as Carey as the host, but it's the chemistry between the regulars that made the show feel familiar but updated in years time. The two might be in their early 60s, but they are still thriving and killing it in the new episodes just like they have in the early '90s when they appeared together in the British version of Whose Line.
As the two continue to reprise their roles in the beloved comedic improv show, Mochrie announced in 2017 that his daughter Kinnley came out as transgender, which did gain the attention of trolls to harass his daughter, but it still garnered a lot of love and support for the family from fans and the LGBTQ+ community. Stiles even went through a parent's potential nightmare as one of his daughters was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, he shared a tweet at the end of 2021 with the good news that she is officially cancer free.
Alongside continuing their work on Whose Line, Mochrie has an upcoming show titled LOL: Last One Laughing Canada that is currently in pre-production. Stiles currently has nothing in the works for 2022, but we can expect something given his incredible talent.
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