Metal Insider’s Top 5 is a column where we count down the top five of…well basically anything.
Earlier today, our buds at Metal Sucks discovered something fantastic. The same designer responsible for this amazing shirt has just released another two shirts in a similar vein. This time, they meld Louis C.K. with The Dead Kennedys and Sam Kinison with Samhain. You can check out an image of both shirts off to the side, while you can buy them at the designer’s website. However, seeing both shirts reminded us how metal and comedy truly go together splendidly. In fact, the worlds of stand-up comedy and metal have collided on many occasions. So with that in mind, we decided to list the top five most metal comedians.
5. Big Jay Oakerson
We’re including Jay on here more or less as one to watch. He’s gone on tour with the Jagermeister Music Tour opening for Korn, then got to reprise his time with them later that year on the Mayhem Fest. He fancies himself less of a comic and more of a storyteller, hence the name of his first album, An American Storyteller. He’s also appeared on the IFC show Z-Rock. If he keeps the ‘metal comedian’ thing going, who knows where else it might take him?
4. Jim Breuer
While some know him best as Goat Boy from SNL or as Brian from Half Baked, Jim Breuer is also a beloved comedian in the metal scene. In addition to doing stand-up comedy with a backing band, Breuer has also sang with Rob Halford and Sebastian Bach, and is also good buds with Metallica (who obviously enjoy his impersonation of James Hetfield as much as we do). While it turns out he’s not exactly on good terms with Mr. Zakk Wylde, he also does a great Ozzy Osbourne imitation, along with Rob Halford and Brian Johnson. So while his idea of ‘metal’ seems to stop around 1982 or so, he’s still spot on with his impressions.
3. Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson
Speaking of people whose metal frame of references run out around 1982, we feel a little bad for lumping these two together. but both co-host VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show along with Eddie Trunk. The similarities don’t end there, though. Both comedians are also signed to Metal Blade Records. As Jamieson puts it, they’re on the same label as King Diamond! Plus, each have opened their fair share of metal concerts (in fact, Florentine opened for Damageplan right before Dimebag Darrell’s death).
2. Brian Posehn
Though the title of his second album implies so, Posehn’s material isn’t only made up of fart and wiener jokes. In fact, he talks a great deal amount about metal (we still love his story about meeting W.A.S.P.’s Chris Holmes). On top of that, though, Posehn also gets cred for the songs he records with the likes of Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Lamb Of God’s Mark Morton, Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta, and numerous others. Plus, he was probably one of the first comedians to sign a recording deal with a metal label (Relapse Records). Fun little trivia fact: our column Metal By Numbers was named after his first metal tune of the same name.
1. Sam Kinison
Sam Kinison was the original ‘metal’ comedian. While he was a preacher, he rebounded from that with a vengeance. His level of acceptance from the metal community might best be on display in the video for “Wild Thing,” which not only featured his ex, Jim Bakker conquest turned Playboy model Jessica Hahn, but also members of Guns N’ Roses, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Poison and Billy Idol. You also might also know him from his signature scream, which was famously sampled in Anthrax’s rap parody “I’m The Man.” He also had all the coke problems that came with being an ’80s metal star. Sadly, while he hadn’t completely cleaned up, it wasn’t his fault that his car was struck by a drunk driver, killing him five days after he had gotten married in 1992.
Honorable Mention: Andrew “Dice” Clay
While Andrew “Dice” Clay is a footnote to most by now, he was legitimately huge in the early days of his standup career. Starting out as a character actor in the ’80s, he decided to do standup as “Dice,” modeled after his role in the movie “Making The Grade.” Signed to Def American in 1990, he appeared on the label alongside Slayer, Danzig, Masters of Reality and Wolfsbane. He was able to sell out stadiums doing standup in his heyday, which ran from around 1990 to 1993. His misogynistic routine and trademark leather jacket made him huge among the metal community. While some took him seriously, others just enjoyed the comedy. And though his material doesn’t necessarily stand the test of time, it’s still fun to bust out a dirty nursery rhyme every now and then. Plus, he’s regained a bit of popularity thanks to his recurring role on Entourage, and will even be appearing at this year’s Bamboozle.
