So, without further exposition, watch the clip below, wherein Tosh predicts the outcome of hypothetical fights between him and the likes of Dane Cook, Zac Efron, Betty White and more!

I just listened to Marc Maron’s incredibly enlightening Dane Cook interview from this week’s episode of WTF with Marc Maron. It got me thinking about my own experiences getting into comedy under the shadow of Cook.

Shortly after I started doing stand-up, I was talking shit about Dane Cook. It seemed, at the time, a rite of passage for new comics. It seemed that people, who, when they were 14 or 15 had seen his 30-minute Comedy Central special and loved it, had to – with the coming of adulthood – distinguish themselves as having matured, having moved past the high-energy style-over-substance salesmanship epitomized by Dane Cook.

Basically I was taking potshots at a silver-back because a critical part of the development of new authority is the challenging of the old guard. I also talked shit about him because I didn’t know who I was on stage, and it helped me carve out a sense of who I wanted to be, by making clear about who I wasn’t.

Dane was at the forefront when or the early aughts comedy boom. Along with Carlos Mencia, Larry The Cable Guy, and Jeff Dunham, Dane was one of the four horsemen of “Big Comedy,” people who had corporate sponsorships and fanatical devotees, and could fill stadiums.

Mass appeal is a tricky thing. Of course there’s always The Beatles or Steve Martin (one of Cook’s comedy heroes), artists who simultaneously appeal to both committed enthusiasts and the casual consumer. But more often than not, mass appeal equates to Britney Spears or Two and a Half Men—artistic representations that are so broad it’s deemed offensive by so-called artist snobs.

You see, snobs like me prefer doomed indie-esque gems like Arrested Development or tragic heroes like Elliott Smith or Bill Hicks. When someone is really good *and* an underdog it can be easy to get lost in the fanatical devotion of being on the right side of a good cause.

I can still remember the day my attitude changed. I remember because I was talking with Seaton Smith, a comic from the DC area who I respect tremendously and with whom I was performing in an Improv group. Seaton is just a few years my senior and had gotten into stand-up at a younger age than I did. What I remember is that when I first started doing stand-up, Seaton was already well-respected within the that community; by the way, he’s only gotten better since.

He’s also kind of an egotistical asshole, but in a really lovable way.

Seaton and I were in a CVS waiting for rehearsal to begin when I was talking shit about Dane, and saying how much I preferred Mike Birbiglia with whom Seaton had recently worked. What Seaton essentially said was, “Yeah I don’t bother focusing on the negatives. I try to find something I like in anyone I see. That way I can learn from them.”

The broader lesson is this: It’s not so useful to spend your time focusing on what you’re not; in the end it’s better to define yourself positively, by the things you love.

This five-minute conversation, was really kind of a revelation for me. I started paying more attention to things that were said by other people I respected, people like Louis CK and Jim Gaffigan, both of whom in talking about Cook said that while he wasn’t their cup of tea. Louis said “he just aesthetically bums me out.”

That’s not to say I stopped talking shit all at once, or indeed that I never talk shit these days. I still have really strong leanings in terms of my tastes; I’m still a snob. But these days I’m wary of not getting caught up in backlash or underdog fever. If I dislike something, it’s for my own reasons. It’s not to act with or against what the rest of the world is doing. That’s the difference between non-conformity and anti-conformity.

When you define yourself by what you aren’t, you’re not marching to the beat of your own drum, you’re marching to the off-beat of the other guy’s drum, and you’re still letting “them” decide who you turn out to be. These days I try to take Seaton’s advice to heart, to really focus on what it is that I like, what it is that’s working when someone is on stage.

Whether I like a comedian’s style or I don’t, if they’re being authentic and making it work, it’s always a good thing for comedy. And by that measure, Dane certainly is good for comedy.

Author Mike Blejer is a comedian. You can learn more about him at mikeblejer.com.

Which is why this Saturday marks the 26th year he’ll be running the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp— a free stand-up comedy program for underprivileged kids. Youngsters aged 9-16 are encouraged to audition for the Comedy Camp this Saturday, June 19 at 11 am at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.

The camp’s “counselors” feature well known comedians like Chris Tucker, Shawn Wayans, Jamie Foxx, Bob Saget and Dane Cook (who is taking part for the 12th time) – and all of which are featured in this promo for the camp:

The camp will be held every following Saturday for 8-10 weeks, and culminates in a final performance by each camper. Those interested are encouraged to RSVP and call or email with any questions: 323-656-1336 x1 comedycamp@laughfactory.com

According to IMDB, the movie goes like this: “A sister and brother, the last heirs of a family of acrobats, are called upon by a Buddhist monk sect to retrieve an artifact that their ancestors have protected throughout the ages.” Honestly, it sounds better than this.

I just watched video. I found it fucking funny. So there. And now, I’m sharing it with you. You’re welcome.

Eddie Izzard says there's nothing wrong with performing stand-up comedy in arenas.

In a new interview on WalesOnline, Eddie Izzard, in addition to asking us in the States to please believe that he’s a transvestite – despite his many manly roles in Hollywood the last few years – defends his decision to perform stand-up comedy in large arenas, as opposed to more intimate venues. Many comedy purists believe that stand-up comedy should always be presented in a room with no more than 300 to 350 seats, with excellent sight lines all around and where you can see the beads of sweat form on the comics brows.

Others, however, feel that there’s nothing wrong with “rock ‘n roll” comedy, wherein a comedian has a big enough audience to fill arenas, where, there’s a good chance a large percentage of the crowd will be watching most of the show on big screens flanking a giant stage, not unlike what you might see at a Dane Cook or Larry the Cable Guy show.

Izzard defends arena comedy thusly:

Six years ago, I did the first arena tour of the UK and that was a little scary because I didn’t know what I would be dealing with. People will say it’s not intimate, but … if people don’t want to watch it there, then don’t watch it there. But I definitely think it’s a good thing. It makes it more of an event. And why should rock and roll get all the arena shows? If you think of the first ever arena gig, when The Beatles did Shea Stadium in 1965, it was a crap gig. Great band, great event but a crap gig because you couldn’t hear anything.

People have had to learn how to play stadium gigs in music. And comedy has to go through the same thing, we just have to work out how to play arenas. No-one bats an eyelid when bands play arenas and if it’s a good thing for bands it’s a good thing for comedy.

So what do you think? Can stand-up comedy be performed effectively at an arena? Have you ever been to an arena comedy show? Did it suck? Was it awesome? Please share all of your experiences in the comments section.

They say the days of success in stand-up leading to big time deals could be on the decline. However, Comics on Screen, a new documentary airing on the Starz network, tells the stories of a handful of comedians who got their lucky breaks in Hollywood through live comedy.

The film features interviews with Tim Allen, Dane Cook, George Lopez, Rosie O’Donnell, Cedric the Entertainer, and many others. It premiered September. 8, but there’s still time to catch it on September 16, 24, 25, 28 and Oct. 5, 7 and 21. You can check out the times on the Starz official site here.

It was just announced that Dane Cook, Andy Samberg, Artie Lange, Mike Epps, Bill Burr, Patton Oswalt, and Mike Birbiglia have been added to the 2009 New York Comedy Festival lineup. These big names are joining an already impressive list of hitters, including Ricky Gervais, Bill Maher, and Tracy Morgan.

The New York Comedy Festival is taking place throughout NYC from Wednesday, Nov. 4 through Sunday, Nov. 8. For more info on lineups, venues and tickets, visit nycomedyfestival.com.

But we’re going to have a little fun first. To become a candidate to win: Take a photo illustrating why you deserve to win a pair of tickets to the show. Be creative!

Please email your photo to contest@punchlinemagazine.com with subject DANE and include your full name and mailing address. We will choose the best two pics. The pics will be posted on Punchline Magazine and you’ll get a pair of tickets to the show.

Finally, please know that we’re providing tickets only. Transportation, lodging and anything else is totally up to the winners. So make sure you live in the LA area or are willing to travel on your own to LA. Deadline for submission is Friday, May 27.