Tomorrow Netflix is releasing the fourth special from Aziz Ansari (famous for playing Tom Haverford on Parks and Rec). I love his stand-up deeply so this got me thinking about my other favorite comedians in the realm of stand-up which spawned this top-10 list. For each comedian I will address their stand-up work as well as giving my personal favorite albums and bits for you to start checking out. I'll also provide a few thoughts on why they have a place in my heart and what makes them unique speaking of them on a first name basis because I consider them my friends. With that, we're off!
10. Kevin Hart- Some of you are probably surprised that Kevin Hart isn't higher on this list, and I can see that comment. Honestly I think Kevin is a super unique comedian who I respect greatly in terms of what he brings to stand-up, but to me personally, he doesn't fit my style as well as these others. Don't get me wrong I still watch his specials on Netflix, but I find myself choosing others when I really need a laugh. Also I find it very difficult to purely LISTEN to Kevin without watching him, and I generally prefer comics I can listen to on Spotify or iTunes and still get the full effect. Kevin Hart is really a wild card that could easily go anywhere on this list, but I tend to think of him as second tier in my estimation. In terms of my favorite material of his I would say Grown Lil Man is my favorite album with anything about his kids (like his son's birthday party) being favorite bits.
9. Anthony Jeselnik- It takes a special kind of morbid, dark humored individual to enjoy Anthony but I am that person, I guess, because he makes me laugh in a unique way. His brand of comedy is much more one-liners than lengthy stories, but I think I prefer that. His Comedy Central show is called The Jeselnik Offensive I promise you he is that indeed. He is not for the faint of heart and will definitely make you uncomfortable at times, but not in a mean, biting way like Daniel Tosh (who is nowhere near this list). His best album is Caligula which is basically 60 minutes of comedic gold. My favorite bit probably relates to stories about his (not actual) girlfriends. He will make you cry and then laugh so hard you cry in a big jumble of emotion.
8. Demitri Martin- I'm torn whether Demitri or the guy up at number 4 is the most intelligent comedian on the scene today, but I'm confident it's one of those two. Like Anthony his jokes are quick-hit one liners, but Dimitri uses extensive word play and puns to communicate his jokes. He is noted for a 220 word palindrome, so the guy is seriously a linguistics master. He had a brilliant show called Important Things that I highly recommend if you get the chance to see it. I don't have a favorite album or specific bits of his but his Stand-up Comedian album is especially good containing wonderful musings on words and death.
7. Patton Oswalt- I was slow catching on to Patton only discovering him late last year, but I will never let him go again. I might place him higher on this list the more I listen to him. His style is based around story, but the stories are just insane and perfect. He lives a very normal life in a lot of regards, but thinks about it an amazing way similar to Dan Cummins (who barely missed the list). He's very down to earth without sounding fake which makes him memorable and unique. My favorite album is My Weakness is Strong (available on Netflix) and my favorite bit is about Obama and time travel.
6. Mike Birbiglia- Mike Birbiglia is not the funniest man alive. In fact he probably isn't one of the 100 funniest guys out there, but he IS one the absolute best story tellers. I have to be in a certain mood to appreciate him. He wont deliver a ton a huge laughs, but he will deliver amazing, unforgettable stories. I'm really not sure how else to describe him. Mike is a very different breed of comedian, but he doesn't feel out of place. All his albums are incredible but my favorite is probably My Secret Public Journal. Many of his best stories are on that album. It's on Netflix so go watch it.
It's at this point that I pull a fast one on my dear readers and cut the list right there...until tomorrow. I promise I will post the remaining top five comedians tomorrow (probably after I finish the new Aziz special). Please use this time while you wait for the rest of the list to seek out these comedian mentioned above. I would suggest Mike Birbiglia and Patton Oswalt if you don't know them already since they are on Netflix and somewhat obscure. Happy watching, and I'll see you all tomorrow to finish the list!
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