Is any comedian having a better year than Kumail Nanjiani? He's been called a rising "Comedian to Watch" by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and New York magazine, wrote and starred in Michael and Michael Have Issues on Comedy Central, performed on Letterman and The Colbert Report, hosted the Gotham Awards, was chosen for Comedy Central's "Hot List," toured his stand-up act, and is developing a sitcom pilot for NBC. Kumail deserves the acclaim, as a very funny comedian who takes the time to step back and enjoy the wonderment of our bizarre society.

I am guilty of this crime, and I suspect Jackie got help from my girlfriend -- whose patience I test every day with what she considers my increasingly "middle-aged dad-like" sense of humor -- when writing this hilarious bit about being forced to laugh at her father's lame jokes. After all, doesn't the best comedy use a specific example to reveal a universal truth?

Riccadonna's story reminds me of my road trip to New Orleans a few years ago, where my friends and I were driven around by a local guy who was drinking steadily from an open six-pack in his front seat. It's frighteningly thrilling to get away with something like that.

Any well-rounded comedy list needs a good rant, right? Porter aims his righteous anger at people who selfishly disregard proper etiquette in public spaces. (Feel free to substitute subway cars, revolving doors, or the tops of escalators for the same effect.) Maybe now I can ride the New York City elevators and subways in peace, knowing that, somewhere out there, former Last Comic Standing contestant Chris Porter is standing up for me.

It's a rare and risky move when a comic invites a heckler to join him onstage, a ploy that almost backfires on Joe Klocek in this sometimes painful clip. But Klocek controls the stage and handles the situation like a pro, winning this awkward 8 Mile-style stand-up battle by making sure the audience is still laughing with him. For the record, I don't recommend taking this approach with every drunk audience member - but it sure is funny to kick 'em when they're down.