Editing Christopher Guest (section)

=== 1990–present ===
The experience of making ''This is Spinal Tap'' directly informed the second phase of his career. Starting in 1996, Guest began writing, directing, and acting in his own series of substantially [[Improvisational comedy|improvised]] films. Many of them are considered definitive examples of what came to be known as "mockumentaries"—not a term Guest appreciates.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hogan |first=Michael |date=2023-03-05 |title=Eugene Levy: 'The eyebrows didn't hinder or help my career, I don't think' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/05/eugene-levy-reluctant-traveler-schitts-creek-interview |access-date=2024-06-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Together, Guest, his frequent writing partner [[Eugene Levy]], and a small band of actors have formed a loose [[repertory]] group, which appears in several films. These include [[Catherine O'Hara]], [[Michael McKean]], [[Parker Posey]], [[Bob Balaban]], [[Jane Lynch]], [[John Michael Higgins]], [[Harry Shearer]], [[Jennifer Coolidge]], [[Ed Begley Jr.]], [[Jim Piddock]] and [[Fred Willard]]. Guest and Levy write backgrounds for each of the characters and notecards for each specific scene, outlining the plot, and then leave it up to the actors to improvise the dialogue, which is supposed to result in a much more natural conversation than scripted dialogue would. Typically, everyone who appears in these movies receives the same fee and the same portion of profits.<ref name="crose03">{{cite web|url=http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2003/05/12/1/a-conversation-with-director-christopher-guest|last=Rose|first=Charlie|title=A conversation with director Christopher Guest|publisher=Charlie Rose LLC|date=May 12, 2003|access-date=August 6, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201094915/http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2003/05/12/1/a-conversation-with-director-christopher-guest|archive-date=December 1, 2008}}</ref> Among the films performed in this manner, which have been written and directed by Guest, include ''[[Waiting for Guffman]]'' (1996), about a [[community theatre]] group, ''[[Best in Show (film)|Best in Show]]'' (2000), about the [[dog show]] circuit, ''[[A Mighty Wind]]'' (2003), about [[folk music|folk singers]], ''[[For Your Consideration (film)|For Your Consideration]]'' (2006), about the hype surrounding [[Oscar season]], and ''[[Mascots (2016 film)|Mascots]]'' (2016), about a sports team [[mascot]] competition.

Guest had a guest voice-over role in the animated comedy series ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' as SpongeBob's cousin, Stanley.

Guest again collaborated with Reiner in ''[[A Few Good Men]]'' (1992), appearing as Dr. Stone. In the 2000s, Guest appeared in the 2005 biographical musical ''[[Mrs Henderson Presents]]'' and in the 2009 comedy ''[[The Invention of Lying]]''.

He is also currently a member of the musical group [[The Beyman Bros]], which he formed with childhood friend [[David Nichtern]] and Spinal Tap's current keyboardist [[C. J. Vanston]]. Their debut album ''Memories of Summer as a Child'' was released on January 20, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100007776|title=Beyman Bros: The Thinking Person's Americana|last=Moon|first=Tom|date=February 2, 2009|publisher=[[NPR]]|work=All Things Considered|access-date=August 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423113404/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100007776|archive-date=April 23, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2010, the [[United States Census Bureau]] paid $2.5&nbsp;million to have a television commercial<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-02-07 |title=U.S. Census Bureau - Preproduction Location Video from Ad Age |url=https://adage.com/videos/us-census-bureau-preproduction-location/436 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Ad Age |language=en}}</ref> directed by Guest shown during television coverage of [[Super Bowl XLIV]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/taxpayers-to-fork-out-2-5-million-for-single-census-ad-during-super-bowl|title=Taxpayers to Fork Out $2.5 Million for Single Census Ad During Super Bowl|date=February 3, 2010|publisher=Fox News|access-date=August 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005153828/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/03/taxpayers-fork-million-single-census-ad-super-bowl/|archive-date=October 5, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

Guest holds an honorary doctorate from and is a member of the board of trustees for [[Berklee College of Music]] in Boston.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shanahan|first=Mark|title=Christopher Guest parties for Berklee|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2011/10/18/christopher_guest_parties_for_berklee/|access-date=March 6, 2012|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=October 18, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728120346/http://articles.boston.com/2011-10-18/ae/30293257_1_christopher-guest-honorary-doctorate-big-talents|archive-date=July 28, 2012}}</ref>

In 2013, Guest was the co-writer and producer of the [[HBO]] series ''[[Family Tree (TV series)|Family Tree]],'' in collaboration with [[Jim Piddock]], a lighthearted story in the style he made famous in ''This is Spinal Tap'', in which the main character, Tom Chadwick, inherits a box of curios from his great aunt, spurring interest in his ancestry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/christopher-guest-from-spinal-tap-to-family-tree-8695950.html|title=Christopher Guest: From Spinal Tap to Family Tree|date=July 9, 2013|last=Rampton|first=James|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=September 18, 2019}}</ref>

On August 11, 2015, [[Netflix]] announced that ''[[Mascots (2016 film)|Mascots]]'', a film directed by Guest and co-written with Jim Piddock, about the competition for the World Mascot Association championship's Gold Fluffy Award, would debut in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Netflix Acquires Christopher Guest's ''Mascots'' Mockumentary|url=https://variety.com/2015/digital/news/christopher-guest-netflix-movie-mascots-1201567417/|website=Variety|date=August 11, 2015|access-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906022120/http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/christopher-guest-netflix-movie-mascots-1201567417/|archive-date=September 6, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Guest reprised his role as Count Tyrone Rugen in the [[Princess Bride Reunion|''Princess Bride'' Reunion]] on September 13, 2020.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ehrlich |first=Brenna |date=2020-09-14 |title='The Princess Bride' Cast Reunite for Hilarious Table Read |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/princess-bride-reunion-table-read-1058955/ |access-date=2022-03-01 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>