Top 5 Comedians I discovered in 2009
(Note: None of these are actually new comedians, but they're ones I either discovered in 2009 or had heard of, but started to get into in 2009. Most of them are podcast related.)
Honorable Mention: Chris Hardwick
5. Paul F. Tompkins
4. Maria Bamford
3. Jesse Thorn and Jordan Morris
-These two have to go together. The comedy they present on their podcast 'Jordan, Jesse, Go' makes you feel like they are meant to be. Yes, they can seem a little immature at times, but with segements like "Momentous Occasions', how can you not love this upbeat duo?
2. Jimmy Pardo
-This man could easily be number one, but I get a little more excited for the actually number one's podcast, so I had to make this man number two.
1. Doug Benson
-Alright, I am not a fan of pot and, therefore, I am not the most likely candidate for being a Doug Benson fan. Yet, his podcast "I Love Movies" is the best of all of the podcast I discovered this year. I find him consistantly hilarious, even when he's just being dumb. I appreciate the comedy he's brought into my life this year, and most importantly, I'm glad he has given my friends and I the Leonard Maltin game.
Top 5 Songs
(Again, please remember that these are songs that I heard for the first time this year, they may not actually be new.)
-"Ashamed" by Deer Tick
They opened up for Jenny Lewis this summer and their lead singer had a 70's porn mustache. It was love.
-"Dead Generation" by Cockney Rejects
Thanks to my new interest in punk/Oi! music, I've brought Cockney Rejects into my life in 2009 and don't plan on looking back.
-"Back Seat" by Terminus City
Again thanks to the new punk interests and wanting to find American punk/Oi! bands. Plus, this is actually a well done song all about sex, which entertains me.
-"Dirty Glass" by Dropkick Murphy's
I never thought I'd have much interest in Dropkick Murphy's, but during a visit to see my friends in Chicago, I was turned on to their music. I like exchange between the two singers in this particular song especially.
-"Map of the World" by Monsters of Folk
It's a well known fact that I think M. Ward is THE indie rock god. But it's also a well known fact that I'm VERY iffy about Conner Oberst, so I was worried about their collaboration (along with Jim James and Mike Mogis) into some sort of indie super group. Well, my fears were unfounded. This is one of the best acts of the year (at least for you indie fans) and I definitely recommend them. This song especially struck me, as it is an eerie representation of my life, right down to the map. It was depressing to hear at first, but it's still an excellent song, but an excellent group.
Top 5 Podcasts
I'm not going to go into explanations on this one, since most were covered in my comedian edition.
5. The Adam Carolla Podcast
-I know I said that I wasn't going to go into explanations, but this one is necessary. I'm not a huge Carolla fan and I probably never will be, but he does make an effort to put out a good product. I enjoy many of his guests and I like the fact that his show is daily. I have a terribly boring job, but thankfully one that allows me to listen to my iPod all day and I always need something to listen to. A daily show provides that for me.
4. Comedy Death Ray Radio (with Scott Aukerman)
3. Jordan, Jesse, Go (with Jordan Morris and Jesse Thorn)
2. Never Not Funny (with Jimmy Pardo and Matt Belknap)
1. I Love Movies (with Doug Benson)
This concludes my tops 5's. I know Luci wanted a book section, but I honestly don't remember what I read this year. Plus, I don't really read non-fiction and for me to review that for everyone would be horribly boring. I'll be back eventually with movie reviews of what I've seen so far in 2010.
