TOP TEN TUESDAY: Stand Up Gold

With the 4th of July weekend upon us again, we have some early release films coming out this Wednesday including Despicable Me 2, a sequel to the surprise 2010 hit Despicable Me, and The Lone Ranger which marks Johnny Depp's return to Disney film since the flop that was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. I pretty well figure that each of these will follow its predecessor but it is certainly possible that either of these films could be hits or misses. Both of these films have plenty of publicity though, so I wanted to focus our attention on this Tuesday, to Friday July 5th's release of Kevin Hart's stand up special, Let Me Explain. Hart has been doing this quite often recently, putting his stand ups out into the theaters every couple of months and then subsequently releasing them on DVD. I don't think previous to this, I ever saw a stand up go to the theaters except for something like The Original Kings of Comedy. That being said, I don't think there has been a comedian quite as well liked as Kevin since somebody like Dane Cook, who no longer seems to be able to draw a crowd as he once could. So I thought I would take my time today to list my ten favorite stand up comedy specials, because it's hard to find a good one out there anymore that you feel is worth watching without a prior opinion. Sure, all of them are funny to an extent and there's plenty to randomly choose from on Netflix and other streams, but there are a few that stand out above the others to be recommended and shared. Today, my job is to point my favorites out to you in hopes of delivering you to some laughs that you've never had before.

10. Amazing Johnathan: Wrong on Every Level (2006)

When I first saw The Amazing Johnathan it was on a Comedy Central Presents episode, and I was pretty young at the time. The point being, that I was still young enough to be amazed by magic, and it was something I always interested in from the time I was a little kid. Though I was beginning to age and not be as taken aback by magic, The Amazing Johnathan did something I had never seen before and that was to make magic funny. Sure, there's tons of birthday party magicians and street magicians that try to blend a little humor into their magic, even professional big-time magicians at times use jokes to lighten the mood. The Amazing Johnathan however, is predominately a stand-up comedian with a blend of magic, optical illusions, childish gags and tricks. I was so wowed the first time I saw this guy, I did all kinds of research to find out what other shows he had done and what I could watch. I think I've seen everything the guy has ever done, and though I've seen some of the same skits twice it's always hilarious. This guy is a one of a kind comedian in the sense that not only is he doing stand-up on the stage, but he does magic too. It's pretty good magic, and he has an assistant usually that comes in and helps on a few funnies too. If you're looking for something different than just straight up comedy, this is your guy because he puts on a hell of a show, even though I've got him at #10.

9. Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious (2007)

Daniel Tosh is definitely a comedian that's not short of fans, especially ever since his show Tosh.0 came out in 2009. He's been a force to be reckoned with, as steadily over the last few years he's amassed quite a following. His show, where video clips are taken from all over the internet and made fun of by Tosh himself, has become a popular format for many shows on different networks including Rob Dyrdek's Ridiculousness and other imitations. This is a great point of evidence to show just how many viewers Tosh.0 has, and I can't say that I understand that it took this show to make him popular. I'm not a huge fan of Tosh's show, as I believe that doing what he does on the show is something just about anyone with a few funny bones is capable of. Most of the humor comes from the videos anyways, but Tosh always has a nice joke or two to go along with them. Now, this isn't any discredit to his comedy, because the guy is funny as hell. I just wish his rise to fame wasn't because of his TV show, which seemingly any comedian or anyone could have done, and that more people noticed his stand up work prior to the popular Comedy Central show. Tosh is a comedian that strikes at anyone, anything, and at anytime. There is no too soon, and there is no insulting the wrong person. Despite all of that, you can take a look at him and he's one of the least threatening people you've ever seen, but he has a knack for being as offensive as possible. How can you not enjoy a comedian that says everything you've always wanted to say but can't?

8. Dane Cook: Vicious Circle (2006)

 

Part of me wishes that Dane's performances of Harmful If Swallowed and Retaliation had good video releases outside of the chopped bits you can see on special edition CD's of those same performances. I fell in love with Dane Cook's comedy shortly after I heard Retaliation for the first time, which is when I started getting into performance comedy as a whole. Then I heard Harmful If Swallowed too many times to count, and every single time it had me lying on the floor wishing there would be more. Then Vicious Circle came out in 2006 as an HBO special, and it was Cook's first big special put out specifically in a video format. What you see in this special is his particular brand of stand-up, as he does his entire set from a stage the size that a small band could probably use, if not a big band. Dane Cook is the only stand up comedian that I've ever seen, that completely does not have enough room on a typical theater stage for his show. When I saw his Comedy Central Presents bit for the first time, I was in shock when he did his imitation of one of the aliens from Alien. Taking water into his mouth, crouching down and spitting and making noises towards the audience, getting them wet all throughout. It really was something I'd never seen before, and thus one of the biggest comedians of my lifetime was born. There's no one who utilizes physical comedy on stage like this guy does, and if you've never seen him artificially flip himself into a ravine, you're missing out. While Vicious Circle may not be his best stand-up in my opinion, the HBO special definitely proved why he's one of the most popular and most sought after comedians today. His comedy is in a class of its own, and even though he's fallen off the map a bit in 2013, he represents a very prestigious group of comedians that have a unique style that made them popular upon arrival.

7. Demetri Martin. Person. (2007)

If you've never seen a Demetri Martin stand-up, I can believe you. I was actually introduced to this comedian from a friend, at which point he showed me his Comedy Central Presents bit. Demetri Martin has a very special sense of humor, one of which that isn't quite for everyone. He uses a lot of supplementary things to get his jokes across, or to illustrate them, and without these methods his jokes would probably come off a little silly. In Demetri Martin. Person., one of the skits makes use of an easel which mostly have pre-drawn charts, diagrams, and pictures of his. This is one of the funniest bits I have ever seen, as things from the breakdown of Hummer owners, to the levels of awesome achieved in different kinds of pillow fights, are something that just a straight up joke can't do justice for. His awkward stage presence and very quiet demeanor also make his humor that much funnier, because he seems like a guy you could bump into on the street and never think twice of. He's a nerdy little guy, and his jokes often come off the same way. I think one of my favorite stand up jokes I've ever heard is one of his, where he talks about the thoughts of ice cubes in the bottom of a glass when trying to get the last sip out of it. It's really corny humor, but enjoyable and mostly family friendly too, which is always a sign of a truly funny person.

 

6. Joe Rogan: Live (2006)
 

Yes, Joe Rogan is on this list. Not only is he the previous host of Fear Factor, twice and commentator for the UFC, he also moonlights as a comedian. Popularly known for his outlandish ideas and opposing viewpoints to the popular opinion, his comedy special Joe Rogan: Live displays just that. This is one of those stand-ups that is greatly solely because of the person that is delivering the comedy. One would not take a look at Joe Rogan in any one of his spots on TV and say, "hey I bet that guy is hilarious!" But he truly is a very funny guy, and it's in a very loud and forward way. It's because of his anger and attitude, that his jokes get as many laughs as they do. As he talks about relationships, beliefs in life, and daily annoyances, he brings about a very relatable stance on a lot of things, at least for me. He has a very open mind, and I think he's experimented with a lot of drugs so he has a unique take on the universe and all that is in it. He's definitely a character that speaks his mind, and at the same time is very smart and thinks outside of the box. These personality traits of his make for a very entertaining type of comedy, and I think his special is definitely one worth watching if you're not offended by open-minded, yet offensive viewpoints. His jokes in this special where he does an impression of a mentally retarded kid learning about the Bible, are one of the greatest things I've ever heard and it honestly makes a ton of sense. But I wouldn't say extremely religious people would find it as funny as say someone like me, but it's a very interesting and comedic point he makes, all the same.

 

5. Zach Galifianakis: Live at the Purple Onion (2006)

Zach Galifianakis, the name that hardly anyone can say correctly, let alone spell correctly. Zach G. became really popular after the hit comedy The Hangover in 2009. His almost moronic sense of humor was really what got people going about his roles in the films, but he's so quirky and weird it's hard to think he's actually like that in real life. When I saw Zach Galifianakis: Live at the Purple Onion on Netflix one day, I decided to give it a watch to see what kind of a person Zach really was. Come to find out, he's even weirder in this stand-up special than he is in any of his films. I'm sure that there is a degree of acting in his performances, but I don't think his personality or sense of humor is too far off from the Galifianakis we've all come to love in a really special way. A lot of people buy into his characters because he's so hard not to like in any of the movies I've seen, as he always comes off as this innocent little guy that doesn't try to be funny, but just is so stupid that he is, or so oblivious to the world that it's hard not to laugh. When I finished this stand-up special however, I started to wonder whether or not it was a real performance, and whether or not he was messed up on any sort of drugs or alcohol. He does order a beer during the show, and shamelessly sips at it while playing his piano and doing other things. His jokes are very simple, but it's his odd personality that sells every bit of it. There's something mesmerizing about the Purple Onion once you realize that it is indeed a show, and he's there to entertain people. It's really hard to explain what makes Zach G.'s performance here so special, but I would advise anyone who likes the guy to watch it because it's unlike any stand-up I've ever seen.

4. Louis C.K.: Chewed Up (2008)

Louis C.K. is probably frontrunner for the most popular comedian in the business right now, ever since his show on FX, Louie, finally hit its stride. An obviously hilarious guy, Louie has a unique connection with the world that not all of us can share because of our families, friends, and lifestyles. That is, that he hates everything, and is self-deprecating beyond all belief. It's a famously used technique for a lot of comedians, to make fun of oneself because it's often very easy to get a laugh. For Louie, there are no limits to how far he'll go in making fun of himself, or even making fun of another person he doesn't even know. Louis C.K. has no boundaries, and he has no limitations to his comedy. I could see him going as far as joking about killing his own children, or even joking about never having sex ever, or even just telling the most embarrassing stories possible. Whether his comedy comes from his actual life, or just his mind, remains to be seen, but Louie does provide a backdrop for his comedy that makes it seem like all of his material is derived from some sort of real life experience. Whether any of it is real or not doesn't matter, because one of the special qualities of Louis C.K. is that he seems completely genuine on stage. Even when he makes fun of himself, it doesn't seem artificial. He always seems to connect with his audiences on a very human level, and I think a lot of people can relate to his brand of comedy because people simply just don't think perfectly of themselves or their surroundings, and Louis C.K.'s stand-ups draw attention to that fact. I doubt there are many of you out there that haven't had an experience with any of his comedy, but if you haven't he's definitely worth checking out because right now he is on the top of his game.

3. Chris Rock: Bigger and Blacker (1999)

Chris Rock: Bigger and Blacker was my favorite stand-up for the absolute longest time, ever since seeing it on the Secret Stash on Comedy Central one night. Chris Rock has always been one of the funniest dudes out there, but this special is one of the greatest points of evidence to prove that fact. As a comedian, Chris Rock is truly fearless as he'll even call out his own race, gender, and friends at any cost, and he does it with a smile. Part of Rock's style is being loud and pointing out the stupidity in others, but in Bigger and Blacker he was at his best. Some of the funniest jokes I've ever heard are contained within, and I particularly like his joke about guns and bullets. Mentioning that if a bullet cost upwards of a million dollars, that there wouldn't be nearly as many random shootings and such. It's all his attitude and explanation of the idea that shows his execution for real and true to life comedy is on point. Obviously, Rock has a voice for comedy as he's recently done a lot of voice work in family animated films and cartoons, and as far as I know hasn't done too much comedy since back in the day. Really he hasn't gone back to comedy film either, or anything like he used to do and it's probably because he's older and has a family now. But Bigger and Blacker is not only a gem of stand-up comedy, but comedy in general and it's a classic that deserves as much recognition as any other.

2. David Cross: Bigger and Blackerer (2010)

Now just for your information, I used to think David Cross was a total weirdo and I didn't like him in anything. Then I saw the guy on Arrested Development and just had to change my mind. HIs obliviously gay character on the show rivals some of the greatest morons in media, and there is simply no one out there who could have done it any better that he does. His subtle brand of humor really works in the role, and it exemplifies his strengths as a comedian. He's always been a goofy and laughworthy guy in movies like Scary Movie 2 among many others, but he never stood out to me as someone who could hold a stage. Boy was I wrong, when my friend showed me his latest stand-up special Bigger and Blackerer which obviously seems to be a play off of the stand-up title of a similar name I have ranked at #3. The reason I think I enjoy Cross' comedy so much is that he seems a guy kind of like me, a nerdy dude that's got a lot of problems with the common world and wants to make fun of them. There are so many jokes from this stand-up that I still think about at least on a weekly basis, that being him making fun of addicts sleeping in the park, to him talking about his experiences on drugs. He's definitely one of the few comedians I can't see myself recommending to everyone because I don't think his comedy is for everyone, but there are those who I recommend this to all the time in hopes that they'll watch it. It's easily my current favorite stand-up and I hope that David Cross continues his phenomenal comedic work as he comes off of the recently released fourth season of Arrested Development.

1. George Carlin in anything (1966-2008)

 

My selection for #1 just had to be George Carlin. There is little to nothing I even need to say to explain my choice, other than there is simply no one like him and probably never will be anyone like him. A guy that would say anything on any given day and genuinely not give a shit about what you think, he proved throughout his career that he was a comedic force to be reckoned with. From his multiple stand-up specials to cameos in popular films, he was never not funny. Carlin was a guy that definitely didn't care to be offensive, and it's always surprising when you introduce him to people who aren't familiar because they see an old guy and think, "oh this guy must have done comedy for PBS for the last 50 years." That assumption would definitely be wrong, as I don't think I've ever discovered a comedian as downright filthy as he was. He never refrained from cursing, and never bit his tongue or cared about saying the wrong thing. To him, everything he said was the right thing and he had very strong beliefs about many of things. This is a guy I truly miss in the comedic world, and I am sure there are quite a few comedians out there that feel the same way. No one will ever be able to do it like George did it, and I can almost guarantee there will never again be a comedian so old, that is so downright fucking hilarious. R.I.P. Mr. Carlin.