Comments on: Make me laugh

Question: Make me laugh

about_time — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:16:33 -0800

Short: What's the funniest audio album you've heard lately that I can give as a gift?

Long: I am good friends with a co-worker who is doing a lot of work that benefits all of us in my org, and he is really being run ragged by others outside our organization. Recently, he told me he is so overworked that he is beginning to lose his sense of humor. So I thought it I would buy him a funny standup comedian record or the like. Something he can listen to in his car and laugh outloud to relieve stress (and feel appreciated)

So, what is the funniest audio record you've heard recently? It can be adult, but it's a work relationship, so I would say nothing odd, but dirty words are ok for sure. Perhaps Lisa Lampanelli is over the line. This isn't a christmas gift.

By: cashman

cashman — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:20:10 -0800

Mitch Hedberg. I don't know the names of his releases, but really - Mitch Hedberg.

By: gnutron

gnutron — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:22:26 -0800

Patton Oswalt's 'Werewolves & Lollipops' is pretty damn funny. And it's hard to go wrong with Bill Hicks.

By: TurkishGolds

TurkishGolds — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:24:03 -0800

I love all of the David Cross albums.

By: inconsequentialist

inconsequentialist — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:26:33 -0800

My favorite is Brian Regan. More recently Daniel Tosh.

By: Nelsormensch

Nelsormensch — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:27:43 -0800

If you think that Lewis Black wouldn't be too much, Rules of Enragement is great.

By: inconsequentialist

inconsequentialist — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:28:10 -0800

And, yeah, throw some Mitch his way.

By: saladin

saladin — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:28:43 -0800

Seconding Mitch Hedberg. Strategic Grill Locations and Mitch All Together are both sensational.

I love Bill Hicks and David Cross with a nearly creepy intensity, but they can be polarizing, and aren't for everyone. I've yet to meet someone who didn't like Mitch, though.

By: TurkishGolds

TurkishGolds — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:29:34 -0800

Also, the original Tenacious D is a must-listen. Much moreso than their latest.

By: tristeza

tristeza — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:35:13 -0800

Season One of the podcast Never Not Funny is for sale as a download, and is the funniest thing EVER.

By: about_time

about_time — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:35:49 -0800

David Cross is what I'm looking for. I should have thought of him immediately. I listened to Mitch, and he was funny, but Cross makes me laugh out loud and laugh hard. Feel free to keep posting just for the sake of others. Thanks to all that responded!

By: fluffy battle kitten

fluffy battle kitten — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:39:04 -0800

True Stories I Made Up by Daniel Tosh really is a thing of beauty.

By: drjimmy11

drjimmy11 — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:39:08 -0800

It's not new, but nothing will ever top Steve Martin's comedy albums. Anyone who fails to laugh at "Let's Get Small" has no soul.

By: phil

phil — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:39:26 -0800

seconding Patton Oswalt's 'Werewolves & Lollipops'

By: luser

luser — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:40:16 -0800

I'm not sure if this is for sale anywhere, but the Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant/Karl Pilkington podcasts I got off BT are so funny that I nearly -- literally -- drove off the road the other day.

By: beagle

beagle — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:47:06 -0800

An oldie but goodie: This album by Lord Buckley, which includes the classic "The Naz".

By: thisisnotkatrina

thisisnotkatrina — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:55:46 -0800

Demetri Martin. I can't listen to him on the bus for fear of being "that crazy girl."

By: cusack

cusack — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:56:58 -0800

The Best Show

By: thebrokedown

thebrokedown — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:02:17 -0800

I had to pull over once listening to Kevin Kling on NPR. His is not a biting humor, by any means, but his delivery knocks me out. He tells real-life stories such as the incredible tale of how he ran Grandma's Marathon in Duluth MN. And along the "real life, exaggerated" lines, of course don't forget David Sedaris.

By: thebrokedown

thebrokedown — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:03:08 -0800

Wow, on re-read, my Kevin Kling example doesn't sound gripping in the least. Trust me, though.

By: slavlin

slavlin — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:09:58 -0800

I would suggest Stephen Lynch. His comedy music is awesome, but a bit over the top. If you like David Cross, you would probably like it.

By: Andy Harwood

Andy Harwood — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:13:26 -0800

Everything on AST Records. Especially Impersonal by Paul F Tompkins.

By: Andy Harwood

Andy Harwood — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:15:34 -0800

Also, Comedy Death Ray.

By: R. Mutt

R. Mutt — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:30:11 -0800

If he hasn't heard it ... the Ricky Gervais podcasts have been made into an audio book you can get through itunes.

By: pdb

pdb — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:34:06 -0800

Seconding drjimmy - Comedy Is Not Pretty is the gold standard to me, but his first three albums (that one, Let's Get Small, or Wild and Crazy Guy) are all unbelievably funny.

By: fishfucker

fishfucker — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:37:04 -0800

David Cross' best is "It's Not Funny", but there's some extended political stuff on there that may be offensive to the passionately conservative.

Patton's "Werewolves and Lollipops" is brilliant, but may be a bit blue -- there's a great bit where he's talking about how he wishes Paris Hilton would get AIDS and die, and a segment on buying the 'day after' pill so take that into account.

You can't lose with Greg Behrendt -- yes, he's known the author of the unfunny-sounding 'He's Not That Into You' (which I haven't read) -- but his "Greg Behrednt Is Uncool" album is friggin great, and probably close to as PG-13 as you can get with a decent comic.

Brian Regan, "I Walked On The Moon" (I haven't heard his most recent) is not quite as good as Cross and Patton, but is still pretty excellent, and would probably be difficult to offend anyone with .. unless he had that bit about the transexual prostitute on this album (although maybe that was Stanhoppe, see below).

Most recently I've enjoyed Doug Stanhoppe's work, but his schtick is pretty much being as offensive as possible.

then again, unoffensive comedy is pretty much bad comedy, unless it's cosby, so take that as you will.

By: Mayor Curley

Mayor Curley — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:41:12 -0800

Eddie Izzard's shows are available as audio. "Dress to Kill" is the most accessible, but they're all quite good.

By: shallowcenter

shallowcenter — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:46:35 -0800

Nthing Patton Oswalt. Mrs. SC and I listened to a couple of his CDs traveling to and from Boston over Thanksgiving and for the first time, I wished the ride would last longer so I could hear more. The dude had me literally crying.

(Note: Not recommended when you have children sleeping in the back seat and you're trying like hell not to wake them.)

By: carefulmonkey

carefulmonkey — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:39:55 -0800

I would suggest Mike Birbiglia, especially" Two Drink Mike"

By: Arch_Stanton

Arch_Stanton — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:08:21 -0800

Dave Attell is the funniest guy around IMO

By: CwgrlUp

CwgrlUp — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:36:18 -0800

Second Mike Birbiglia. Also, if you like a little hick country comedy - Rodney Carrington.

By: the duck by the oboe

the duck by the oboe — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:38:19 -0800

An Evening With Tom Lehrer.

By: Sticherbeast

Sticherbeast — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:40:59 -0800

Comedians: Mitch Hedburg. Eddie Izzard. Bill Hicks.

Radio shows: Firesign Theater. Harpoon. Blue Jam.

Podcasts: Ricky Gervais. It's popular for a damned good reason.

Audiobooks: Areas Of My Expertise, as read by John Hodgman (with the invaluable and brave assistance of Paul Rudd).

By: Sticherbeast

Sticherbeast — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:42:25 -0800

Oh, also, in the radio show vein: On The Hour and further Chris Morris wonderfulness.

By: wemayfreeze

wemayfreeze — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:02:03 -0800

The Flight of the Conchords records are pretty great. Musical comedy at its finest!

By: hummercash

hummercash — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:08:17 -0800

The Brian Regan LIVE album is my all time favorite... and the most amazing part is he's 100% clean. My 9 year old cousin has the album memorized and leaves people cracking up with Regan's material. Take luck finding a suitable gift!

By: bricoleur

bricoleur — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:41:58 -0800

Old but not at all dated: Emo Phillips. Sample bit on YouTube.

By: Large Marge

Large Marge — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:30:58 -0800

all of these are great suggestions. I would like to throw in a suggestion for some of the This American Life compilation cds, which have some hilarious bits. The story told by the cop about the house call to remove a squirrel from a newlyweds house (at the request of a beautiful bride) always gets huge laughs.

By: pantsrobot

pantsrobot — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:35:27 -0800

Seconding Flight of the Conchords. They have a couple of albums, and they're full of catchy songs.

By: futility closet

futility closet — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:44:54 -0800

Nthing Patton Oswalt, especially 222, a two-disc set he recorded at the 40-Watt in Athens. He went up and did literally all his material in one set -- two hours and 22 minutes. The discs aren't even indexed, just cut into four solid sides of the most consistently brilliant standup comedy I've ever heard. There's no one else even in the same ballpark with that guy.

By: futility closet

futility closet — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:54:10 -0800

Make that two solid sides.

By: fuse theorem

fuse theorem — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:52:33 -0800

Ron White. They Call Me Tater Salad and You Can't Fix Stupid.

By: not_on_display

not_on_display — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:11:42 -0800

Steven Wright's "I Have a Pony" is ageless. Like Mitch Hedberg's uncle.
"I put instant coffee in the microwave and nearly went back in time."

By: ifjuly

ifjuly — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:29:56 -0800

scharpling and wuster's show on wfmu. my favorite is the one with "the gorch" and "the music scholar" on it (chain fights, beer busts, and service with a grin) but "the gas station dogs" is super funny too, and that's on new hope for the ape eared.

By: Doctor Suarez

Doctor Suarez — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:08:47 -0800

Bill Cosby's album "To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" actually starts off kinda weak, but the last track, from which the album gets its title, is brilliant. It's a half-hour about sharing a bed with his little brother and I could honestly listen to it every day.

By: spooky car

spooky car — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:39:31 -0800

maria bamford!