Laugh Out Loud Funny

There are plenty of funny people around. Lucky for us, a sense of humor isn’t a precious commodity. Lurking among every crowd of comedians, though, are a few who are laugh-out-loud funny. The kind who can connect the barest threads of semblence to a topic and come up with a joke. Ambush jokes: the kind you never saw coming. Here are a few of those individuals I’ve had the pleasure to have worked with.

Rusty Potter, USS Elliot. The military is full of smart alecks, but my old division – the OZ Division of the USS Elliot – had some of the sharpest. Rusty could hold his own with just about anyone. His relentless humor could drive you up the wall. Rusty specialized in sarcasm, which got old at times. When he was in his element, though, he’d easily have you rolling in the aisles.

Scott Severson, USS Elliot. Another OZ Division lunatic. A Scott versus Rusty matchup would be the irresistable force versus the immovable object. Scott showed no mercy when it came to off-the-wall comments. I’d rank him up with Robin Williams on improvisational skills. On a ship loaded with funny guys, Scott was responsible for more spewed coffee than anyone else.

Bill Nealis, Indelible Blue. Indelible Blue was a fantastic place to work, mostly because of people like Bill. He had one of the driest senses of humor I’ve ever been around. Many days I’d be at my desk shaking my head and wondering why he didn’t have his own syndicated radio show. Last I heard, he was in Chapel Hill somewhere. Hopefully onstage.

Wade Minter, Netraverse. Back in his “young buck” days at Netraverse, Wade used to drive me crazy. Stubborn as hell! Fortunately, I soon realized just how sharp a noggin that boy has. He sharpens that already razor-sharp wit by moonlighting as a comedian – at ComedyWorx.

Shane O’Donnell, Oculan. What’s really funny about Shane is that the first time I went with him on a business trip, I watched him absolutely mangle a familiar joke in front of the audience. The joke was on me, though, since Shane is at his best when he’s unscripted. It was great working with him because you never knew what you’d hear that day.

Justin Ley, Oculan. Justin’s humor tends towards more of the droll. He savors his jokes, and tells them like they’re as much for his benefit as yours. He wouldn’t try to make you laugh for the sake of a joke, but instead had a knack for quick reaction. Given an opportunity, he’d pounce with a zinger which always was a perfect fit the situation. Having Justin and Shane in adjoining cubicles made for the funniest dialogue. I’d leave work with my face aching, I’d laughed so hard. I’ve always thought Justin is another guy who should take his show on the road.

There are many others that could go on this list, of course. Look for a second edition soon.