Role Models

When I was younger, I thought stand-up was for unfeminine women with bad clothes and terrible relationships. (Sorry Paula Poundstone, you are very hilarious.) I much preferred sketch comedy shows where the  people were cute and just pretending to have problems. So when people started suggesting that I might have a future in stand-up, I sort of took offense. I didn't want to be an angry, lonely woman stand-up! I wanted to be pretty and demure like Claire Danes on "My So-Called Life."

I soon learned that demurity was not in my future. An Angela Chase I am not, so I looked for other role models who were more my speed.

The first time I saw Ellen Degeneres do stand-up, my world changed a little bit. She was so funny. Listening to her tell jokes was just like listening to a friend tell a really funny story, and it changed my impression of the whole business. If you have not heard her bit about gogurt, you need to check it out.

Ellen will forever be my favorite stand-up, but here is a list of other comics I enjoy. Most of them are obvious (Seinfeld), but maybe there's someone on here you haven't heard and should check out.

Jerry Seinfeld
Chris Rock
Jim Gaffigan
Louis CK
Eddie Izzard
Demetri Martin
Bill Cosby
Dave Chappelle
Paul F. Tompkins
Maria Bamford
Norm MacDonald
Zach Galifianakis
Jen Kirkman
Larry David (I've only seen one or two bits but they were funny...)


Any glaring omissions? Do you have some suggestions for me?