It seems the reason comedians travel through Podunk towns and put up with crowds of drunken, dirty degenerates on the nightly during the dawn of their careers is to finally snatch that half-hour on TV. All kidding aside, the following comics would light up the screen if given the chance, and they've proven it.
Chelsea Peretti![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, chelsea peretti]()
Once an intern on SNL, Chelsea Peretti is quickly becoming "One of the Greats." That is, after all, the name of her Netflix special. In fact, fellow comedian Ralphie May didn't get the joke last month and accused her of being "ostentatious" and "disrespectful." No doubt this would've been the case save for Peretti being, well, a comedian. Her
reaction to the Ralphie Twitter rant was simple, concise and one of the reasons she's on this list.
The "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star and unanimously admired comedian is bound to take the reins with yet another Comedy Central show with
"Chelsea" in the title. And well deserved. On a side note, her brother is the founder of Buzzfeed, so with a finger on the pulse of pop culture and connections up the wazoo, it's clear that Peretti has the unique ability to front a fresh, relevant and entertaining show.
Nate Bargatze![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, nate bargatze]()
Nate Bargatze is the most popular unpopular comic around. He's got so much Southern charm, it's basically oozing from his boyish, screen-friendly face. In 2012, he came out with "Yelled at by a Clown" -- a reference to his dad who worked as clown -- and it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Comedy Charts. The same year, he won the New York Comedy Festival and the Boston Comedy Festival.
If references matter in the comedy world, and they most certainly do, Bargatze has them handled. Marc Maron and Jim Gaffigan both gave him kudos in Rolling Stone and Esquire respectively, with Maron referring to him as a "comic who should be big." The Internet also cannot shut up with glowing mentions of his comedic prowess. Wait patiently for this ticking, twanging time bomb.
Brent Morin
Brent Morin is a regular on the Los Angeles comedy circuit, often appearing at the Laugh Factory. The 29-year-old Morin recently came out with a special on Netflix called "I'm Brent Morin," but don't be misled by the lack of originality in the title. He has a fresh twist on dating, guyisms and various other foibles of twentysomething life. You might hear a bit of Bill Burr in his cadence and delivery, which to any comedy lover, is music to the ears.
Tom Segura![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, tom segura]()
Tom Segura is a handsome Zack Galifianakis who does a stellar black guy voice. But that's not all. His new Netflix special titled "Tom Segura: Mostly Stories" came out in January, and it's mostly awesome. He also does a podcast with his comedian wife Christina Pazsitsky called "Your Mom's House," which was chosen as a finalist at the Stitcher Awards alongside "The Adam Carolla Show," "The Joe Rogan Experience," and "WTF with Marc Maron."
If you want a taste of Segura's Louie CK-esque conversational style, check out his
overdose story from Ari Shaffir's "This is Not Happening."
Pete Davidson![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, pete davidson]()
You might know him from SNL. You might've heard that his dad was a firefighter who perished on 9/11. But what you probably haven't heard is that Davidson is one edgy bastard (he'd appreciate my calling him a bastard, and that is why he deserves his own TV show). To wit, he threw perhaps the harshest zinger ever to happen at the "Comedy Central Roast at Justin Bieber": "I lost my dad on 9/11 and I always regretted growing up without a dad. Until I met your dad, Justin. Now I'm glad mine's dead." Political correctness is about to be dead, and if there's anyone to take the reins of the coming revolution, it's the young Davidson.
TJ Miller
Since basically narrating "Cloverfield," TJ Miller has been ascending the ranks in not just the comedy world, but the showbiz world at large. The Denver native has a magnetic personality and an instantly recognizable voice, which may have something to do with his success of late. People like him, and for good reason; he's massively funny and made for TV.
Moshe Kasher![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, moshe kasher]()
What separates Moshe Kasher from the pack is his relentless energy. And his hairy arms. Seriously, if anyone can get kicked out of four high schools and write a 307-page memoir titled "Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16," that person has to have an unending well of material ready for prime time.
Kasher is married to fellow comedian Natasha Leggero; he was named iTunes "Best New Comic" in 2009; and he has a Daniel Tosh-like arrogant charm that would fit nicely in between "Drunk History" and "Workaholics." Think "Important Things With Demetri Martin"... on crack. In 2013, it was reported that he signed a deal with Showtime to produce an autobiographical series, but it hasn't materialized, so here's to hoping he gets another shot.
Reggie Watts![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, reggie watts]()
Ever since Reggie Watts busted onto the scene with "Fuck Shit Stack," he's been making noise, quite literally, throughout the world of music and comedy. He currently leads the house band on the "Late Late Show with James Corden," leaving a coveted starring spot on IFC's "Comedy Bang! Bang!" for the gig. It's every comedy fan's dream to see his special "Why Shit So Crazy?" stretched to 10 episodes, so make it happen, suits.
Patton Oswalt
Patton, get a show already! You're witty, hilarious and the cutest geeky munchkin around. In all seriousness, Oswalt is due. His smart, piercing critiques of modern society and pop culture are only rivaled by his deep knowledge of these subjects. His 2015 memoir "Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film" and his starring role in 2009's "Big Fan" exemplify his artistic dexterity. It's time, Patton. We're waiting.
Dan Soder![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, dan soder]()
Sometimes the freshest faces are the most groundbreaking when it comes to TV (I refer you to Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla on "The Man Show"). Dan Soder -- odds are you haven't heard of him -- rises to the top with his impressive repertoire of impressions and superior likability. He's also one funny motherf--ker. You might've heard him on SiriusXM's "The Bonfire" alongside good friend Big Jay Oakerson, who would've been on this list if not for his new pilot. If you'd like a quick crash course on Dan Soder, check out his impression of
ISIS Macho Man Randy Savage.
Kyle Kinane![standup comedians who deserve their own show, funny obscure comedians, kyle kinane]()
Kyle Kinane doesn't look the part, or act the part, but that's the part that makes him perfect for the job. Sporting flannel, a gruff voice, and a large ginger beard that in all likelihood has chips in it, Kinane has been a standup globetrotter since his days of opening up for Patton Oswalt and Daniel Tosh. He's a prolific guest on podcasts and has recently starred in a viral hit from Comedy Central's
"Not Safe with Nikki Glaser."Donald Glover
Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Donald Glover announced last October that FX signed him to create his brainchild "Atlanta," a show about an artistic loner who travels back to his native Atlanta after thinking he failed to reach his dreams, only to learn that his cousin made it big in the local rap scene. Production for the pilot began in January.
As any fan of "Community" knows, it's thrilling to see Childish Gambino get back on TV. It appears "Atlanta" will be his magnum opus; Glover himself is from Atlanta and he wants it to be really good. If his success as a comedian, rapper, actor and writer is any indication -- especially at the relatively young age of 32 -- "Atlanta" will turn some heads.
