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I've always believed that some comedians are like musicians - they do their best work when they are 'hungry'.
When they want (need) fame, approval, money - when they still have that anger...comedians, as a group, are a pretty angry bunch. Anger and self-righteousness and that weird combo of arrogance and insecurity give them that fire. Think of the greats - Bill Hicks, Pryor, Bruce. Angry men. They had the guts to stand on a stage with a mic and say the things we all wanted to say - and they made us laugh at the rage. A talented comedian can almost be a cult leader when his (or her) game is ON.
Case in point: Chris Rock. He kicked PC ass back in the day. I've heard both right-wing zealots and unapologetic Liberals quote his act. But now? He's rich, and happy, and bitching about his wife (oooo...how 'edgy', ::rolling eyes::), producing a sitcom and hosting award shows. Denis Leary - a talented actor in his own right - ran out of Hicks material to steal and had to get a real job. Rumor has it that comedians will not go on stage if he's in the audience. His stand-up career is done.
My current fear: Eddie Izzard is now doing a series for F/X (with Minnie Driver). I love him - but how much anger can a guy have when a limo is picking him up every morning and he's banking 7 figures a year?
