See also: - The Dairy Center developing a standup comedy scene in Boulder - Ron White got personal in Denver about sex, pot and Osama Bin Laden on Friday - Comedian Josh Blue on the pros and cons of being an "inspiration"
10. Drew Carey After becoming the nationally recognized crew-cut and horn-rimmed chubster of The Drew Carey Show and Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Drew Carey went on to drop a Chevy's worth of weight and host The Price Is Right. Since he's still a strong draw as a standup comic, Carey's Comedy Works appearance should be a sentimental time-warp to a pre-alt comic world of fun-loving, wholesome wonder.
Friday June 21 through Saturday June 22 at Comedy Works South, $26. For more information visit www.comedyworks.com.
9. Masters of the Universe: Comedy Commentary at Comic Con Get a double dose of ironic kitsch by sitting through a laughably bad Dolph Lundgren film about He-Man, while enjoying some comedic tribute/mockery from Fine Gentleman's Club's Sam Tallent, Nathan Lund and Chris Charpentier. This event is presented by Mile High Sci Fi, and while the film might not be suitable for any cultured human being, the comedy will be suited only for mature audiences.
8 p.m., June 1 at the Colorado Convention Center. The event is free with a pass to Comic Con. For more information visit www.denvercomiccon.com.
8. Uhh, Yeah Dude Often ranked in the top 100 of Podcast Alley's 50,000 surveyed podcasts, Uhh, Yeah Dude is a go-to resource for earbud hilarity and insightful commentary. And after Maria Bamford's sold-out performance last month and with a new Lucha Libre comedy and wrestling event on the roster, the Oriental Theater is quickly becoming Highland's best venues for comedy. On June 8, you can catch a live recording of the UYD podcast and get a headstart on the crew's worldliness long before their thousands of listeners get a chance.
8 p.m., Saturday, June 8 at the Oriental Theater, $20. For more information visit www.theorientaltheater.com.
7. Capitol Hilarity While the '80s comedy boom was dominated by bro-down misogynists and homophobics, a large slice of today's funny pie is owned by the LGBT generation. Featuring Jordan Weileba, Mona Lott, Timmi Lasley and Patrick Hesse, this standup event is a great warmup for Pridefest in Civic Center Park the following weekend. Twenty percent of all proceeds will be donated to The Center.
8 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, at Bush & Blu, $5. For more information, visit blushblubar.com.
6. Tracy Morgan Rising out of the ashes of a crack-soaked Brooklyn ghetto to become one of the most recognized comics of his time, Tracy Morgan is not only an inspiration to afflicted minorities, but a damn funny man. From his years on HBO's Def Comedy Jam and Martin, to his unique style on Saturday Night Live and as the self-referential Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock, Morgan is an unstoppable voice spanning two generations of comedy.
8 p.m. Saturday, June 15 at the Paramount Theatre. $27-$35. For more information visit www.paramountdenver.com.
5. Too Much Fun with The Fine Gentleman's Club Probably the best weekly comedy show in Denver, Too Much Fun has become a go-to resource for both local comedy fans looking for a Wednesday night laughter-fix and touring comedians in town for a week of shows. Hosted by the four horsemen of the guffaw-polis -- Sam Tallent, Nathan Lund, Chris Charpentier and Bobby Crane -- the gentlemen are some of the most recognized faces in the new generation of Denver's upcoming standups. But be sure to get a seat early and claim it with teeth bared, because this show fills up quickly.
Every Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. at Deer Pile, free. Visit Deer Pile's Facebook page for more information.
4. Josh Blue After winning the fourth season of NBC's Last Comic Standing, Josh Blue is one of the most successful comedians to not only come out of Denver, but remain based here. Often slaughtering audiences with his self-deprecating humor about his cerebral palsy, Blue is an unmatched voice in a medium dominated by mediocrity and duplication. And he'll be quick to remind you that "you're going to Hell" for laughing at him.
Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29 at Comedy Works South, $24. For more information, visit www.comedyworks.com.
3. Arguments and Grievances Hosted by Kevin O'Brien and winner of Best Comedy Night in the Best of Denver 2013, Arguments and Grievances is an intense night of comedy debates on mostly trivial subjects, presented with an ironically serious tone and competition. Like Grawlix or Too Much Fun, A&G has become a regular pit-stop for national comics in town to marvel at the top-shelf comedy Denver has to offer. June's battle of the comedic minds will pit Mara Wiles against Adam Cayton-Holland, hashing out the merits of family vacations against the pleasures of summer camp.10:30 p.m., Sunday, June 16 at Vine Street Pub and Brewery, free. For more information visit www.mountainsunpub.com.
2. Dave Attell Gruff, unapologetic, yet an ultimately lovable guy, Dave Attell is an unmovable institution in standup comedy. After years of sharpening his craft in the New York comedy scene alongside Marc Maron and Louis C.K., Attell exploded into the national consciousness with Insomniac on Comedy Central, only to end the show once frat-boys and the unreality of reality TV became too much to bear. He's maintained his relevancy in this decade with his insightful standup and Showtime tribute to vintage erotica, Dave's Old Porn.
Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 at Comedy Works South, $32. For more information, visit www.comedyworks.com.
1. Sklar Brothers Anyone can get up on a stage and unload their opinions on the world -- but few can do it with grace and wit, and even fewer can maintain that rhythm while bouncing off another person. Performing together almost since birth, the Sklar Brothers -- identical twins - not only deliver hilariously nerdy factoids and anecdotes, but pull it off with a metronomic timing as if they were sharing one mind. Whether performing as dueling standups or hosting the Freakonomics style-History Channel show The United Stats of America, the Sklar siblings are a pair of novel novices who will leave your diaphragm doubled over.
Thursday, June 27 through Saturday, June 29 at Comedy Works Downtown, $17-$25. For more information, visit www.comedyworks.com.
For more comedy commentary, follow me on Twitter at @JosiahMHesse.
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