Dane Cook.. What's The Problem?

Hey folks,

So i was watching some dane cook stuff on youtube, and i noticed the negative vibe he tends to spark. I mean among the youtube'ers, the comments are so "against" him. What's wrong? I've read complaints of everything from plagiarism to attitude.

Now i don't know a lot of comedians, the good ones i've seen so far would be, among others, Robin Williams, Dave "Rick James Bitch" Chappelle, Greg Giraldo, Bobby Slayton and Dane Cook.

So would someone explain to me if it's just a matter of taste and "to each his own", or is Dane a really shitty comedian who steals his jokes and kills little kids?

One more thing, since i'm new to this whole stand-up comedy thing, recommend me some good comedians, preferably name the bits so i can get an idea of the style.

Dane Cook is a joke stealing hack. First off, he isn't funny. Like, at all. I think you have to be half retarded to find his twitching amusing. And yes, he's a thief. The man's entire career is basically lifted off Louis CK and many, many others. He -sucks-. He's worse than Carlos "Ned" Mencia.

You got Chapelle, but he'd probably kill you for using that nickname. Robin Williams was solid. But you're missing the obvious ones. Carlin, Pryor, Mitch Hedberg, Patton Oswalt, Lewis Black, Ron White. Just a handful of actual comedians for you to ponder over.

Dane Cook? Jesus H Christ. Go back to high school.

Most comments on YouTube seem to be negative from what I've seen. I'm not a huge fan of Dane Cook... he's made me laugh a couple times (I have no idea what he has/hasn't stolen like Deni does), but I don't think he's bad enough for me to rant a negative comment on YouTube. I was surprised to see that Bill Cosby wasn't on either of your lists. I love dirty jokes, but when you can make people laugh without swearing and being dirty... well it's just something I don't think a lot of comedians can do. Bill Cosby is a talented man, and can make you laugh infront of your parents, or with your kids or whatever. It's good quality humor.

Denicalis nailed it.

Dane Cook eh? I heard that he was funny a while back and turned on HBO to find his special on. I watched in utter horror. Worst 10 minutes of my life. Any more would have been testing my patience.
There weren't any 'jokes' perse. Just Dane Cook jumping around on the stage and talking about virtually nothing (ie, "I went to the Grocery store today. HAHAHA! THE GROCERY STORE< isn't that CRAZY??!! DRRRRRR") Cook was just dancing on the stage like a mannequin with hemorrhoids whose operator has both ADHD and tourettes. There are certain things even a jester won't do... and Dane Cook has no problem doing them.

I can see why young children might find him funny, but there seems to be a drop-off. I wasn't very impressed. How can someone so terribly unfunny do so well in this day and age?

Dane Cook is a businessman first and a comedian second. He knows how to market himself as 'hip' to 13 year old adolescents, who don't yet have a clear idea of what funny actually means and therefore are much quicker to buy into a fad. That's all that Dane Cook is, IMO. There is little substance in a comedian who tries to pass other people's jokes off as their own.

Take this for instance.

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I think he's done well for himself, despite being relatively unfunny.

Dane's "hilarity" seems to come solely from his ridiculous antics and delivery. I appreciate the few things he says that are actually funny, but half the time I'm laughing in embarrassment and I can't figure out if I'm embarrassed for him or for me and the rest of the people listening. Robin Williams has got some decent material and his own niche, but I don't find most of his stuff incredibly funny, just somewhat humorous. I'm a pretty big fan of Flight of the Conchords and Demetri Martin, who seems to have a pretty good grasp of the lost art of one-liners.

Black, Carlin, Oswalt, Hedberg, Cosby, Galifianakis... they're the reason people realize that Dane Cook really isn't that funny. Because those guys really ARE that funny, and more.

Ok aside from the fact that deni just accused me of being retarded for laughing at the guy's good jokes (The Christ Jaks bit was pretty good you big hairy fuck), i just viewed some of his stolen bits and yeah, lost some respect for the guy.

But give him credit for the delivery (not the retarded jumping around on stage, i mean the way he phrases his material), "Your move holy man", god i laughed till i cried at that line.

Fuck Cosby though.

Anyway i'll be checking out the ones you listed. Btw I happen to find Latino comedians pretty funny, recommend any?

I don't know any latino comedians, but if you like Dane Cook, You may want to check out Andrew Dice Clay and especially Bill Hicks. Dice Clay is probably one of the biggest chauvinists in the business and Bill Hicks was all about stickin' it to the man. Quality stuff.

Also, check out Eddy Murphy "Raw" if you can, it's pretty damn hilarious.

Originally Posted by Rychord

I don't know any latino comedians, but if you like Dane Cook, You may want to check out Andrew Dice Clay and especially Bill Hicks. Dice Clay is probably one of the biggest chauvinists in the business and Bill Hicks was all about stickin' it to the man. Quality stuff.

Also, check out Eddy Murphy "Raw" if you can, it's pretty damn hilarious.

If you like Dane Cook, listen to Bill Hicks? What? If you like Dennis Leary, listen to Bill Hicks. O wait. You already did. Because he's impersonating Bill Hicks.

And Delirious was so much better.

Yeah i watched Eddie Murphy's Raw and it was good. Also i've seen Hicks, but his aggressiveness just doesn't fit his face, i dunno, he looks like that kid from "Married With Kids" and i hated that kid. So yeah, he might've been good but i was too distracted being angry at his face.
Youtubin' Andrew Dice right now..

I just recently ran into this bit from Russel Peters. Thought it was hilarious.

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This video is a little raw and I apologize for that, but Andy Kindler says everything about Dane Cook that I could ever say, better than I ever could. In the second half, he compares Dane Cook to Hitler (and guess who comes out favorably in that comparison!), but you'll have to click on that "related video" for yourself.

And then he makes fun of comedy forum angst... So yeahhh...

As for comedians that I like are good (aside from Andy Kindler), there's too many to name: Robert Schimmel, Louis CK, Ron White, Sam Kinison (especially older material), but even "goofy" stuff like Brian Regan, Bill Bailey, and Jake Johannsen. But my all time favorite DVD ever has to be Lewis Black - Black on Broadway. So if you only own one comedy DVD, that should be it.

Oh yeah, here's an interesting (and hilarious) interview with Louis CK about Dane Cook's alleged stealing of his jokes:

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EDIT: Added YT links to all the comedians I mentioned. See for yourself!

Thanks man, yeah i saw that interview with louis about dane, i really respect this guy CK he's a true showman and pretty fucking mature compared to all those idiots out there.

Watching the links now, thanks again.

Originally Posted by CryHavoc

Fuck Cosby though.

How intelligently put... you are Dane Cook's target audience.

Lewis Black's voice/delivery makes his jokes that much more awesome. If you want something a little different, check out Stephen Lynch.

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Yeah i love stephen lynch, he's pretty awesome, even from a compositional view..

Originally Posted by Denicalis

If you like Dane Cook, listen to Bill Hicks? What? If you like Dennis Leary, listen to Bill Hicks. O wait. You already did. Because he's impersonating Bill Hicks.

And Delirious was so much better.

Wanna lick, wanna lick? Psyche!

Originally Posted by CryHavoc

...for laughing at the guy's good jokes (The Christ Jaks bit was pretty good you big hairy fuck)

What the fuck is Christ Jaks.
Do you mean "Christ Chex," the joke he made about a holy breakfast cereal?
Geez, at least get the joke right if you like it so much.

Dane Cook had a great 1st album, a somewhat bearable 2nd album, and then SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT.

He had so much time to work on his first run of jokes that by the time he got famous he started scraping the bottom of his no-talent barrel and ended up with "stories" and "funny ways to say normal words" that only make mentally-deficient frat boys laugh.

And joke stealing... and being a pompous asshole on his reality comedy tour show... and "starring" in some really shitty movies.

I still find his early material funny, it's just that he's revealed himself as a horrible human being and there's just no going back.

lol so he might be , jazz, i don't think his new material is on par with his older shit.

And fuck you btw, so what if i didn't get chex right, it ain't a big deal you anal whore. At least you got what i meant. Remember i only know it by said-name, we don't have the actual cereal over here i just know it's a popular breakfast cereal in america.

Anyway, I now know what's wrong with dane cook, or at least why people hate him so much. Material or lack-thereof i already noticed, but plagiarism i didn't know the whole story about (listen to me Yoda'in it). But please do proceed with hammering/slamming Dane, and/or suggesting actual good comedians.