Dane Cook is one of those guys who is always trying too hard and you're just never really comfortable with him. I guess you could say that I tried to like him, but ultimately I decided that he isn't funny and he does suck.
Cook has dominated the Comedy Central Presents block for years now, but there has been something missing...maybe jokes for one? Dane Cook may enthrall the audience with his manic presence, but he doesn't tell jokes. Cook's own "material" is hacky observations about airports and how men and women are different, something that should be left to Jerry Seinfeld---sure it may be hacky, but he has established it as his signature style. The rest of Cook's routine is made up of jokes he has stolen from other comedians and tried to pass off as his own. click here to listen to him ripping off a Louis CK bit, and then another Louis CK bit.
The issue is not whether or not Cook is talented, because he clearly is. He has a knack for impressions and can keep an audience enthralled. The issue is, is Dane Cook actually FUNNY? and the answer is no, he is not funny at all. Other comedians hate him.
Comedian Jim Breuer, a veteran of the stand-up circuit, and host of his own radio show had this to say:"Everyone hates this guy, not one comedian comes on my show and says `I'm so happy for him,' which is weird. ... They can't stand this poor guy."
Breuer also says that he admires Cook's talents, but claims that other comedians hate how Cook takes other comedians' material and passes it off as his own. All comedians face the same trials in their careers: they write material, try it out, take it on the road, deal with harsh crowds, and eventually win a following or at least the respect of other comedians. Essentially, Dane Cook created a Myspace page and convinced people he was a comedian using base-level jokes and other people's material.
But I, John Finn, am not the only person who thinks this way. I am not a jealous college student surrounded by people enamored by Dane Cook. (well, actually I am). But respected media outlets have criticized Cook's terribly unfunny stand-up.
Rolling Stone Magazine made a list of things that are funnier than Dane Cook, and this list includes:
- Cookie Monster
- A prune Danish
- Cooke City, Montana
- that Great Dane that lives next door
3 comments:
I commend you for ripping on Mr. Cook. I do not find his variety of comedy too entertaining. I feel as though I live in a society where he is exulted as the most high comedian, where every uttered word commands milk to spew forth from your nose. I have watched his routines; I admit that some of his impersonations are comedic and spot on but for the most part are not in themselves funny.
On a side note, jim brewer's stand up act, "hardcore" is funny to me for many of the same reasons that cook is funny. While I attribute brewer as the better impersonator due to his incredible versions of "ac/dc, sand people from star wars, and of course, women", i think that his actual material isn't that strong either.
Overall, the lesson to be learned in all of this is that we should all retreat to sinbad, who is the king of all things comedic.
haha I agree completely..Sinbad rules. I think my next post will be about him.
Thanks for the comments
I agree man. I actually like to listen to Dane Cook, but not because his material is very strong. His jokes aren't very original. He basically just very likeable, and it's good background noise.
The best comedy is stuff that can be read dead-pan and still be funny. Like Seinfeld and Mitch Hedberg. If you can email a one-liner that makes you crack up, that's good shit. And Dane's got nothing like that. But I don't get the whole Dane Cook backlash, as if there is so much hate for a guy who knows how to self-promote. Hell good marketing will get you a long way. He's should be the spokesperson for MySpace
And you gotta admit his bit about the Nothing Fight is a fucking riot.
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