Tom Stade picks his comedy favourites

Sam Kinison

The first guy on my playlist is easy. Without a doubt would be the late great Sam Kinison. The first time I heard him was back in ’86 with my friend Rob who was also a comedy connoisseur and who had introduced me to him.

To me he moved comedy in a completely different direction. He was unlike anything I'd ever heard before loud, obnoxious, and ex preacher rallying against religion. There is no way he didn't influence anyone who had seen him yell the truth right in your face. ‘Ohhhh Ohhhh she put a fuckin gun in my suitcase as I crossed the border!’ Too much.

We must have played that album a million times. What else would you want out of your comedy and for me numero uno on the El Tom Stadeo playlist.

Carey Marx

The next person I would want on my list probably inspires me as a comedian every time I see him and we get to hang together. It’s Carey Marx. Yes he's from this country and not a household name. Sorry he should be soon, if the God he tries prove isn't there has anything to do with it.

He is just one of those naturally funny people with a quick wit who, I believe, if given any topic he would take it in a direction I would never see coming at least three times out of ten. Teehee.

The albino snowman! Classic. I know he has moved on from there but if you have never heard of him I'll let you discover him on many of his YouTube (Jesus saves) appearances. I'd listen to Carey any day of the weekend.

South Park

Now for something completely different? Monty Python? Nope South Park. Easily a game-changer in the the world of TV comedy shows. I raised my children on this show as I always saw it how the world news should be told. With reckless abandonment and probably the funniest shit I'd ever seen. Matt Stone and Trey Parker are comedy gods.

If you've never seen it or think it isn't funny, we have nothing to say to each other ever. If you have seen it you know as well as I do how great this show is. There is not just one episode that's funny, they all are. South Park is like that album where you love every song but if I had to pick one it definitely the ‘Did he touch you here?’ episode but any one would do.

Foster Brooks

Now let's go old school. That's right, bitches. Character actors.

Now a lot of people loved Dean Martin, which is completely understandable as did, I but I loved who Dean Martin would hail as the best best sober guy to ever play a drunk, and that was the great Foster Brooks.

Even to this day I have never seen or laughed at a better drunk character. If it's from his Dean Martin roasts of Slappy Davis Jr or the airplane pilot having a few drinks this guy could do no wrong. In fact before I write what's next in my play list I need to watch him. My father loved Foster and could do a great impression of him. Maybe that's where I get it (hic) from.

The Bob Newhart Show.

Now for a double whammy. A comic and also the name of his own sitcom, The Bob Newhart Show.

Let's start with the comedian first. Now I am not positive but it is the first time I never ever wanted to hear who was on the end of his absolutely hysterical phone calls. I have always liked the idea of you imagining the set-up, and then whatever his punchline is would floor you and nobody could do that like Bob. Plus his sitcom with with his ‘this my brother Darryl and this is my other brother Darryl’ will stay with me until I die! I'll take either stand-up or show... toss a coin.

Ron Vaudry

And my final pick for Tom Stade's playlist is my good friend Mr Ron Vaudry. The Vaud Warrior has been slugging it out for years making friends all along the way but one thing is for sure when Ron is on Ron is on.

Now it’s only my opinion, but nobody lives and breaths the dark art of comedy better than Ronny. Dark is very hard to do but I don't think there is any one out there that has as much love for it as ole Ronny boy. He's stuck to his guns, he lives by the quotes of John Lennon (Working-class hero is something to be) .Ronny comes in at number 6 on the Tom Stade playlist.