Dane Cook is Funny.

August 4, 2005 4:07 PM

Comedian Dane Cook's new CD Retaliation debuted this week at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart, which is the highest debut for a comedy album since Steve Martin's A Wild and Crazy Guy in 1978. One reason for this success has been his presence on MySpace.com, as well as his personal web page that is loaded with content (you can stream large chunks of his two albums, as well as watch a ton of video clips - make sure you watch the Shorties Watching Shorties clips near the end of his video's list). [more video].
posted by Quartermass (23 comments total)

Dane Cook's a cutie. I like him... in small doses.
posted by Rothko at 4:09 PM on August 4, 2005

Another reason is that he is crazy funny.

posted by jenovus at 4:14 PM on August 4, 2005

I saw what appeared to be a few-years-old gig of his on Comedy Central last week, and decided to check it out as I'd been hearing about him recently. Meh, wasn't all that funny. Lots of repetitive yelling and excuses to remove his shirt. But I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's tightened up his act since then. Must be doing something right to hit number 4.
posted by schoolgirl report at 4:23 PM on August 4, 2005

Jenovus, I came in to post just that picture. Goddamn that guy is good.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 4:23 PM on August 4, 2005

Hooray! I get to be the first pretentious snob to point out that Harmful If Swallowed was funnier. This one was still funny, but nothing on it was nearly as funny as "Not So Kool-Aid".
posted by Gary at 4:46 PM on August 4, 2005

I'll be a real pretentious snob and declare that he is way overrated, much like Family Guy.
posted by BigFatWhale at 5:08 PM on August 4, 2005

it's not pretentious, he's not that funny
posted by TetrisKid at 5:34 PM on August 4, 2005

Gary, I agree that "Harmful If Swallowed" was funnier. However, this new album kicks some serious ass too. It's something about the absurdity of what he says, in the midst of talking about something fairly mundane.

Plus, he talks about people being covered in bees. There's nothing funnier than a dude covered in bees.

/Your move, holy man
posted by elf_baby at 5:51 PM on August 4, 2005

it's not pretentious, he's not that funny
posted by TetrisKid at 5:34 PM PST on August 4

Thanks, TK; maybe you and Larry the Cable Guy can educate us on the finer points of wit.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 6:01 PM on August 4, 2005

I don't care who you are, that's funny, OC.
posted by jenovus at 6:11 PM on August 4, 2005

Interesting if the content-rich (freebies) personal site has really improved sales... you can get more than a taste of the man's work, there's almost enough stuff to develop a habit. This is the main argument for file sharing music, true?

Btw, excellently produced website technically speaking.
posted by scheptech at 6:42 PM on August 4, 2005

Slight aside:

Dennis Leary's comedy song Asshole got voted number one in a fairly prestigious annual national radio poll here in Oz. His acceptance speech was rather funny. Very humble. Very "I can't believe you crazy Australians" type thing.

http://abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1993.htm
posted by uncanny hengeman at 8:13 PM on August 4, 2005

i just wish he would stop screaming. stop yelling, and start being funny.
posted by jimmy at 8:41 PM on August 4, 2005

I just wish he would stop screaming. stop yelling, and start being funny.

Sam Kinnison used to scream.

"I was up to my knees in rice paddies, with guns that didn't work, going up against Charlie, slugging it out with him, WHILE PUSSIES LIKE YOU were back here partying, puttin' headbands on, doing drugs, and LISTENING TO THE GODDAMN BEATLE ALBUMS!!! AARGH!! AARGH!! AARGH!!"
posted by uncanny hengeman at 9:10 PM on August 4, 2005

seinfeld on chris rock:

"it's the yelling that makes it special."
posted by Hat Maui at 9:44 PM on August 4, 2005

Sam Kinnison used to scream.


Sam Kinison wasn't that funny either. If you want yelling and hilarious, buy The White Album.

I had never liked Dane Cook all that much but I bought the CD this weekend to give him another chance since my friends think he's great. It was about what I expected: a few scattered good bits, but otherwise just a lot of yelling and other spastic behavior. He's Robin Williams for a new generation. Do yourself a favor and pick up something like Skanks for the Memories or Doin' My Time instead.
posted by TunnelArmr at 3:18 AM on August 5, 2005

He can be pretty funny, but he won't reach the top, because you can't strive for the funny AND sex appeal (he likes taking off his shirt way too much). It's an either/or thing.

MySpace postings seem to draw attention to celebs who are slipping out of the limelight. Ever since Billy Corgan started posting his autobiography (he calls it his "Confessions") on MySpace.com he's been getting a lot of press.
posted by Devils Slide at 5:04 AM on August 5, 2005

I like hanging out in the back of Dane's CT2004 with all the watermelon flavoured Jolly Ranchers...
posted by longbaugh at 6:00 AM on August 5, 2005

I think he's OK funny. The problem is: He's "Robin Williams for a new generation." Uhoh.
posted by fungible at 7:03 AM on August 5, 2005

If we're suggesting comedy, Patton Oswalt's 222 is great. Just a long, wonderful, drunken monologue. With lots of audience participation.
posted by iron chef morimoto at 11:18 AM on August 5, 2005

Just to mention it: up until a few days ago, the page header for netcomic Something Positive was "Get back in the fiery water!"
posted by deusdiabolus at 12:19 AM on August 6, 2005

He's no Pretty Paul Parsons, that's for damn sure.
posted by dobbs at 2:23 PM on August 6, 2005

Sam Kinison wasn't that funny either.

I never said he was funny.

:)
posted by uncanny hengeman at 12:26 AM on August 7, 2005