One of the simplest, truest statements about me is this: I love to laugh. It's something that most people agree on, and I've written about my preferred comedic stylings before. Recently I've developed a new Netflix obsession that I think others should get in on, and that is watching stand-up specials. They're short, and even the crappiest filmed stand-up special is inevitably going to make you laugh. There's such variety out there in this genre (a genre which I previously thought was fairly narrow) which goes to show that the comedic well is far from tapped out. For example, Bo Burnham is a young comedian who has risen to fame through his use of music/props in his comedy along with his precocious talent for stand-up and performing. Another who fits into this "prop comedy" category is Demetri Martin (watch Person, it's great and random), who is best known for his sketch comedy show Important Things with Demetri Martin on Comedy Central.
Some comedy purists dislike prop comedians because they believe that they are less innately funny, having to instead rely on props to make the joke. These people are imbeciles. If, however, you are an imbecile, have no fear. There is a huge pool of comedians who you will too find entertaining. Daniel Tosh, the frat-minded writer and actor behind the hilarious Tosh.0, delivers his comedy like he's mocking everyone around him and wants you to hate him; for this I love him. Jim Gaffigan, a giant, pale, baby-faced man who most people know from things like My Boys and 17 Again, gives an amusingly bi-polar performance in Beyond the Pale (which I have watched at least 3 times). I anxiously await the addition of his other special King Baby to the instant watch list. Craig Ferguson, who I have written about before, also has some hilarious stand-up on Netflix that cannot be missed. The man is more concerned with making himself laugh than the audience, which makes his work better for everyone. I half expect him to ask the audience "was it as good for you as it was for me" at the end of every episode of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and that same feeling carries over into his stand-up.
Then there's Eddie Izzard, who I honestly couldn't describe if I wanted to. He's a difficult comedian to watch at first, though what he's saying is hilarious (if somewhat hard to understand because of his accent). He's someone I'd almost prefer to just buy the audio for, except I find him utterly fascinating. Just watch Dress to Kill in order to see for yourself. He's both bizarre and engrossing, and 100% original.
One final note before I send you off to waste and evening, afternoon, morning, whatever on laughing excessively (it extends your life so I think Netflix should be a medical write-off): female stand-up comediennes are not as funny as male comedians. I don't know why, and I really want to think that they're funny, but while men can be hilarious and crude, women doing the same sort of jokes just seem desperate for attention and approval, not unlike the slutty girl at the bar who you can just tell will do anything in order to feel wanted. That may be harsh, but it's honestly how I felt trying to watch anything with Sarah Silverman in it as well as any of the female roasters on Comedy Central's Roast of. . . specials. It makes me feel like I'm being sexist against my own gender, but some things I just can't help.
So go, watch some stand-up, laugh. And. . .
Now just try and get that out of your head.
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