Ten Favorite Stand-Up Comics
(My criteria seems to who makes me laugh, charms me, and surprises me the most, with a general aversion to the angry, the overenergized, and the desperate, cackling, watch-me-grin-at-how-funny-I’m-being quality that’s comedy poison to me. I’ve arranged these in alphabetical order, with thanks to Matt Baker for broadening my field of reference.)
Jimmy Carr
Anthony Jeselnik
Norm Macdonald
Kathleen Madigan
Bob Newhart
Emo Philips
Richard Pryor
Brian Simpson
Sheng Wang
Steven Wright
— February 18, 2023