My gal pals and I with "Seth-on-a-stick" at the Barrymore Theater to see SNL's Seth Meyers.

I’ve always thought it was unfair that premium cable channels like HBO and Showtime are included as Emmy candidates. Of course Sex and the City was hilarious and The Sopranos was intense drama– the writers had no boundaries. The story lines were controversial, the characters were allowed to curse, and the sex scenes rivaled softcore pornography. It’s the television writers who can make me laugh without being over-the-top naughty who get my vote. I’ve already dated myself with the HBO references, so I’ll go for broke and say that I miss Chandler, Phoebe, Ross, Will, Grace, Jack, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, George, and Newman!

The same goes for stand-up comedians. Last night my husband and I had tickets to the local Comedy Club. I had watched a short YouTube clip of the comedian before reserving my tickets to make sure we would enjoy his style of comedy. I thought he looked funny, so it was a date. A few Brandy Old Fashioneds for me and Whiskey Manhattans for Jon should have been enough for us to loosen up and prepare for some big laughs. The comedian started out strong poking fun at the ups and downs of parenthood, something to which we could truly relate. As the hour continued, he seemed desperate for laughs and the humor become offensive and for lack of a better term…icky. As his jokes became more vile, his physical appearance took a turn as well. His underarms were visibly sweating, his head mop was disheveled, and I was afraid one of the buttons from his ill-fitting shirt might pop off and strike me in the eye.

I tried my best to enjoy it, but found myself glancing at my watch and hoping it would be over soon. I wasn’t the only person who had grown tired of the crass entertainer. I looked around the room and saw plenty of people fidgeting in their seats and laughing awkwardly at the raunchy humor. Where was that cute waitress with the Jolly Rancher shots when we really needed her?!

The next time we’re looking for an evening of laughs, I’ll do a little more research before making reservations. There are still some wonderful comedians out there who I can always count on for a good laugh. My top 5 personal favorites would probably include: Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Jim Gaffigan, Frank Caliendo, and Seth Meyers.

Who makes you laugh?