It takes balls to convey what you feel without apology. As a comedian, being on a stage must be a great feeling because you get to say anything with an audience in front of you that paid so they're clearly eager to hear it. We can only sort of relate because, well, you are reading this right now.
Comedy styles are different and of course, that is A-okay. It's few and far between that people intentionally set out to offend someone and with that thought in mind, we know that's why some comics choose to keep it “mild” with their set. That's great for them and it works out perfectly for some but right now, we're not talking about them. We want to highlight the comics that grab “taboo” topics by the horns and ride them out like mother fucking champions. These people have a public platform and don't live in fear of having a “label” put on them should they happen to “offend” somebody. These people have the power of having proverbial balls. And when it comes to these comics, you can either choose to laugh along or you can choose to avoid them completely. With this list, you have the same choice. You can read it or you can click off of it. Ohhh the power of words…
]
Michael Che- Michael Che burst on to the stand-up comedy scene and with dedication and talent on side, his swift rise to the top has seemed somewhat effortless. Parlaying his skill into writing gigs on SNL, Jon Stewart, and then back to SNL to co-anchor at the Weekend Update desk, Che never once shied away spewing his words on social media the way that everyone does. Enter: the haters. The backlash that has come with that has to take a toll on a man (we're just guessing here) but the way he handles it gives us hope for all of mankind. Che knows the value of a great joke and if you don't get that he is joking, you can eat dick. (Calm down, those are our words not his.) Indeed people have and will continue to disagree with his views but such is life and when it comes to this man's life, we hope he never backs down and never changes. We also hope he gets back on Twitter.
Jim Jefferies- Being that this man's favorite word seems to be cunt, one can gather pretty quickly that his comedy might not be for everyone. And that's okay with him because his end game isn't having those types of people as fans anyway. Never one to conform to the public's definition of “PC,” Jefferies set has been known to include his raw thoughts on social issues, religion, being a functioning drunk, hookers, relationships and kids, disabled people, and the morbidly obese (his mom) just name a few. Real talk while being really uncensored is what Jim brings to the table and is why his loyal fans love him. All we know is, we want to belly up to “said table” alongside Jim.
Joe Rogan- Joe Rogan is a super intelligent man who never has a problem with saying exactly what's on his mind whether it is on stage or on his radio show. We think that's probably because he is tremendously informed and has no problem backing up his words with facts. Tackling topics that a lot of folks might not go for such as the universe, the president, feminists, asshole hecklers, and even Bigfoot, Rogan rants rationally while expressing his outlook wholeheartedly. Oh, and when on stage, he's getting laughs all the while. And who can forget when he exposed Carlos Mencia on stage at The Comedy Store for stealing material? Balls the size of melons is what Rogan is packing. Respect.
Chelsea Handler- There sincerely seems to be no topic that Chelsea Handler won't tackle. And boy oh boy are we grateful for that! We personally fell in love with her after reading her book “My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands” in which she rocked no regrets about her sex life in a “PC” world that seems to shame women about “getting theirs.” Shining in a largely male dominated field, Handler rarely keeps it “kosher” which has been made even more obvious by her newest venture, challenging that it's cool for men to go topless but it is “unacceptable” if women do. Her solution? Taking to social media and posting a bunch of topless pics while in various locations and when they get taken down, she has no problem standing up for her rights. Although not all of us gals choose to go topless, we're thankful that she fights for causes and we're also thankful that she has a nice rack. You. Go. Girl.
Ricky Gervais- Outspoken atheist Ricky Gervais has ZERO issue saying what he thinks while questioning things that many would just shut their mouths about while going on their merry way. We wholeheartedly admire the way he challenges people's “sensitivity” when it comes to a joke garnering “outrage” because after all, he completely understands that a joke is just that. A joke. We also happened to love him hosting the Golden Globes and loved him even more this year for his chutzpah in suggesting that “famous people are above the law.” (The man ain't lying!) And while not everyone is on board with Gervais's brand of humor all we have to say is, he's a huge animal lover and activist so at the end of the day folks, how bad can he really be?
Whether you agree or disagree with the things that come out of these comics mouths, you should be glad that at least some people aren't scared to speak their mind in this great nation that allows for freedom of speech. We also hope the next crop of up-and-coming comedians will be inspired by the actions that these comics exercise on a daily basis when they take the stage because we could use a few more people like them. Buck the system.
See also:
Steve-O Found a Way to Work Manginas Into His Stand-Up Comedy
10 Douchiest Guitarists of All Time
10 Douchiest Drummers of All Time
Follow us on Twitter @OCWeeklyMusic and like us on Facebook at Heard Mentality and follow the author on Twitter @AliNotAlli.
Ali Lerman knows much about comedy, basketball, and celebrating Wu-Tang Wednesday. She’s been writing for sixteen years and still calls her mom with grammatical questions.