I have a confession to make.

I'm a "stand up" junkie.

It started many moons ago when I would stay up late to watch "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson". I would always be psyched when they would have a comedian on because I adored stand-up comedy so much, I would buy and play comedy albums repeatedly until I could repeat the act verbatim.

That which I couldn't buy, I would record. On cassette tapes. Right from the television set.

From George Carlin to Gilda Radner to old SNL bits, I could launch into a half a dozen routines at any given time.

In ninth grade drama, I even performed Bill Cosby's "Noah" routine for an assignment.

You see the depths of my sickness.

I've watched the masters (Robin Williams, George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor) and was there to see the very first efforts from the likes of Eddie Murphy, Ellen Degeneres and Jerry Seinfeld. And while several of those will no doubt end up on the lists of other "best of" in this category, I prefer to highlight the performances of those who may be a little less well known (for now).

Besides, any "best of" list is purely subjective; and I can tell you without any reservation that the following comedians have had me laugh so hard I either a.) fell out of a chair and/or cried with laughter b.) got a stitch in my side or c.) had some sort of fluid escape any number of body orifices.

Yes, folks. It's going to be that kind of ride.

1. Hal Sparks

Most people recognize the name from his stint as pop culture commentator on VH1's various "I Love the" shows, or Queer as Folk or even as Zoltan (Z!) on Dude, Where's My Car?. But this guy has to be the funniest stand up comedian I've ever seen. He has this unstoppable energy on stage that is contagious. While he can get physical, his comedy is also quite smart and unapologetic he challenges the status quo - like all good comedy should. His act is definitely rated R, but his take on NASCAR's Coors car, paint guns and sexually frustrated dinosaurs is guaranteed to make you bust a gut. "Escape from Halcatraz" is his comedy DVD, available on Amazon.

Buy it. Learn it. Commit it to memory.

2. Bill Engvall

Most people know Bill from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and now he even has his own sitcom on TBS aptly titled "The Bill Engvall Show". Being from Texas myself, I have to tell you that a lot of his humor hits right where I live. From his famous "Here's Your Sign" bit to "Dorkfish", his home spun comedy delivered with a likable southern

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