I can understand your desire to look for comedy, for the blessed relief of laughter – some senseless, raucous outburst of noise and hormones just to make it ok once in a while to be in this crazy, messed up world. I’ve looked for it too, brothers and sisters. I know where you’re at.
Now, some of the places I’ve been to on the Internet whilst on this very quest are listed here, and you can go visit them too, if you want to. But for God’s sake behave, and tell them I sent you. It’s only polite.
Bill Hicks
Uncompromising and ferocious, Hicks took stand-up to new levels. His scathing diatribes got him into as much trouble as his hard living lifestyle. A political philosopher as much as a comedian, he used laughter like few others as a weapon against injustice. Dying young, his talent is sadly missed.
Eddie Izzard
The funniest action transvestite in the world. In the Izzard world girls play hopscotch, spiders make chutney, and elephants play banjo.
Goon Show
The Goon Show was a watershed in comedy. Built on flamboyant characters, surrealism and a purile eccentricity, their work far transcended traditional satire. Arguably it was the opening of the gates for the huge rise in popular satire and comedy in the latter half of the 20th Century.
Monty Python
The Pythons have become legends, even generations on. Their greatest legacy is perhaps in their film work, but their growing mythical status is without doubt the greatest and most bizarre achievement of any comedy team.
Peanuts
Charlie Brown and Snoopy’s relationships with each other, their friends and the world has a poignant, warm and funny handle on childhood, but it’s the futility of every effort that becomes the point of laughter in the end.
Rich Hall
It’s hard to find good coverage on this hugely underrated comic genius. He writes, performs stand-up, and appears on many TV celebrity panel shows, and in any form he’s consistently a spark of brilliance.
Simpsons
The greatest TV show ever?
South Park
This is an amazing achievement, whatever way you cut it. A true phenomenon, catchphrases from the show have been hewn into everyday speech across the English speaking world, and countless 10 year old children have learned to swear through beeps.
Terry Pratchett
Pratchett is one of the greatest humourists writing today. A genius, his Discworld saga is quite a legacy already, and still he produces great quality comedy literature.
The Young Ones
The Young Ones took sitcom by the ear and poured angry young comedic talent into it. Introducing a number of alternative comedy circuit stars to the screen, writers, performers and actors, TV was never the same again.