Top Six Stand Up Comedians

I've been a hardcore fan of stand-up comedy for my entire life....
As a young boy, I cackled at the zany antics of such clean comics as Bill Cosby, Sinbad, and Dave Coulier. In my teenage years, I discovered the more sophisticated musings of George Carlin and Dennis Miller. Moving into my 20s, I became hooked on the political humor of Bill Maher and the oddball deadpannisms (is that a word?) of Mitch Hedberg. And on into my 30s, I've been venturing further out into the world of internet and television looking for comedy, hoping to discover that next big, brilliant thing.


I view stand-up comedy as a performance art somewhere on par with stage acting (because, really, that's what it is), and I've always harbored a secret dream to try it myself. Of course, that'll never happen, as I am a big dumb coward who lacks that certain something which many refer to as "talent."

STILL, I admire these brave souls who, as George Carlin once put it, sit around all day thinking of goofy stuff to tell others about. It's time to recognize them with my TOP SIX LIST OF STAND-UP COMEDIANS!


Now, here are the ground rules: I'm trying to list my personal favorite stand-up comics here, not necessarily the "GREATEST," OK? So, please no one get offended that, say, legends such as Richard Pryor or Rodney Dangerfield don't appear. I understand that they're among the very greatest of all-time, but I just personally never got SO into their stuff that I'd put them on my Top Six. This here countdown is for ME, understand?

And, why SIX, you ask??? Simple -- because six is one more than five, of course!

Now, let's begin....


Ah, Dave Attell. He's an out of control, often-vulgar, comic perhaps best known to American audiences for hosting the great Comedy Central series, Insomniac with Dave Attell.

But on stage, he's an absolute riot, firing such an unrelenting barrage of weird, sick jokes at us that we're totally disarmed by the time he's through his first three minutes. Dave Attell leaves no taboo untouched; he's definitely willing to go there, and in an always funny way.

It's almost impossible to imagine this guy in a bad mood, even though his act does often have a dark edge to it. Dave may joke about things like alcoholism, but gulldangit, he makes it seem like so much FUN!


Any fan of stand-up comedy has surely come across Dave Attell at least once or twice. If you haven't, I say check him out, sit back, and enjoy the ride.

Now here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHrtkCC9rnE



Probably the most obscure comic to make my list, I can't help but love Arj Barker. When he's doing well, he's brilliant; when he's doing not-so-well, he's absolutely terrible. I mean, I've laughed heartily at some Barker bits, only to have no idea what he's talking about in the next one. Arj Barker kind of reminds me of myself.

My favorite Arj moments are when he's got an audience that GETS what he's trying to do -- a sort of tongue-in-cheek absurdism; a guy saying "Look how stupid I am!!!" and hoping that you understand he's not REALLY that stupid (...or, IS he?).

If I were to actually try stand-up, it might very well turn out something like Arj Barker. That's either a really good thing, or a really bad thing. Know what I mean?


Eh, whatever. Fans of comedy ought to give Arj a chance.

Now here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IXAPnNle10



Oh, goodness. Louis C.K.. If you already know of Louis C.K., then you already know why he made this list.

I'll tell you a story: when I was a young man of about 22, I journeyed to the famed metropolis of New York. While there, I several times hung out at a small club called The Comedy Cellar, where a variety of comics could be seen performing every night. By far, the funniest of them was Louis.

Now, I'll let you in on a little something about myself: for as much as I love comedy, I don't actually LAUGH a whole lot in day to day life. I mean, sure -- I'll grin, and maybe I'll chuckle....I UNDERSTAND when something is laugh-worthy; but I rarely will engage in a genuine, full-on, laugh.

That wasn't the case when I saw Louis C.K. live, though. Seriously -- the dude had me laughing deep, hard, and uncontrollably. I swear, I couldn't even breathe hearing this hilarious man talk about things like his banking problems and the difference between insanity and stupidity. He totally knocked me for a loop. I could RELATE to him, man!


I'm glad Louis C.K. has become more successful since then. He friggin' deserves it.

Now here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzbURUrgQao



Hey, we've all heard of this guy -- Saturday Night Live alum, movie star, TV show host....Yeah, Chris Rock has done it all.

And he's HILARIOUS. I'm always amazed by the quality of Chris Rock's material, as he covers things to which we can all relate (racial differences be darned), while painting each topic with his own flavor of common sense skepticism. Take his bits about the media, for example. The guy is so REAL.

One of the great things about Chris Rock is that he continues to produce full-blown comedy ALBUMS, which are less common these days. Any one of them is worth checking out.


I hope he never stops making them.

Now here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7P4iFg048k



Bill Hicks fans often find that watching his stand-up is almost like a spiritual experience. He means that much to those who get him.

Yeah, the late-great Bill Hicks. He died in 1994 at the age of 32 from pancreatic cancer, a loss to the world of comedy that certainly stung. Hicks was a deep comic, covering topics like political corruption, religion, and even the very meaning of the universe. A man who wasn't afraid to speak his mind, Bill was often bumped or outright banned from TV shows (his infamous booting from The Tonight Show is a perfect example of the stuff he dealt with), and occasionally heckled by outraged idiots in the audience.

Bill left behind an impressive body of work, with new stuff still being unearthed to this day. Dedicated fans keep the memory alive with websites and services that send out his more obscure material to those who really want it. For instance, his ultra-low-budget, shot-on-videotape action-comedy film, Ninja Bachelor Party can be seen on Google Video.


Strap on your happy helmet, and expand your mind with the comedic stylings of Bill Hicks. And remember -- Denis Leary friggin' ripped him off, man!

Now here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ySCcnoo3c



Oh, George Carlin, you will always be my hero. A man who helped teach me to both think and laugh, George stands tall among all other comedians.

How could anyone argue with The Master? Carlin went through several phases in his long career, going from straight-laced TV comic in the 1950s, to hippy dippy counterculture icon in the 1960s, to dirty joke machine in the 1980s, to curmudgeon philosopher in the 90s and 2000s. So many things George had to say changed my life, and I still get a kick out of his routines, even though I've seen all of them dozens of times.

One has to stand in awe of how much Carlin evolved.


I mean, he was like the Beatles of stand-up comedy!


George Carlin's material was always well-polished, outrageous, and incredibly intelligent. Whether he was spinning words like it was a science, lambasting the American corporate culture, or simply making bodily gas jokes, George always tuned his act into perfection.

No one should miss out on the things he had to say. I love ya, George!

Now here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvF1Q3UidWM


And as long as we're talking comedy, here's a Troma film.

Troma's War (1988)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096310/


Netflix description:
In this unrated director's cut of the cult favorite, a small group of Tromaville residents are stranded on a desert island following a deadly plane crash. The lone surviving crewmember along with disparate group of fellow survivors -- yuppies, car salesmen, elderly people, and housewives -- must now work together to battle a band of terrorists who are plotting to destroy the United States by infecting the nation's citizens with HIV.


I've written before about Troma. It's a production company that's been churning out low-budget exploitation schlock for decades now.

Well, Troma's War was, like, the company's ultimate effort to break the bank. See, this picture right here here is a spin on over the top action flicks of the 1980s that must have drained all of Troma's resources to produce. It's got countless explosions, a massive cast, and gun fire up the wazoo. Was it worth the effort?

In a word, not really...but STILL, Troma's War IS kind-sorta a little fun.

It's about a group of tourists whose plane crash lands on a remote and mysterious island. Turns out this place is inhabited by a guerrilla army led by some kind of communist cult hero. He has a plan to destroy the United States by infecting its citizens with AIDS. Now, it's up to our ragtag band of misfit heroes to stop 'em. CAN they do it???


What unfolds after our initial premise is established are a series of battle scenes, chocked full of splattering guts, naked bodies, and vulgar language. Yes, Troma's War ain't for the high-brow sort of audience. It's just a bunch of stuff exploding.

I suppose the most important thing about this picture is its huge cast of characters. Let's see -- we've got a wussy punk rocker and his groupies, a middle aged woman, a sleazy businessman, and a bunch of other caricatures. It would seem pretty ridiculous that they could outwar a well-oiled unit of terrorists, but if you're going to watch something like this, you should have checked your skepticism at the door in the first place, right?

So, a bunch of battles happen, a lot of people die, and the credits roll. There's really not a whole lot to say about this sucker.

I mean, it's just a really low-rent version of the standard 80s action-war flick. We don't see any personalities develop, and there's no lesson to be learned from this. In fact, I'd say that, even though its production levels are slightly higher than most of Troma's other efforts, Troma's War may be the most pointless of the company's releases. It's not scary, or even especially funny!

Clearly, Troma's War is a just the Troma folks patting their own backs for the heck of it; an inside joke. We can KINDA enjoy the ride, but why bother? If you want a Troma picture, just check out Class of Nuke Em High, instead. It's a lot more fun.

2 out of 5.

b.