Comedian

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A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting the fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy. A female comedian may be known as a comedienne although this usage has been deprecated in recent years. A comedian who stands and addresses an audience directly is called a stand-up comedian.

Since the mid-1980s, a new wave of comedy, called alternative comedy, has been gaining popularity and delighting audiences with its offbeat style. This normally involves more experiential, or observational, reporting to get a laugh. Topics are wide and varied that a comedian will make jokes that are generally seen as a topic most comedians would not touch. Famous comedians often overstep the mark of what the public perceive as acceptable, such as the killing of Ken Bigley and the remarks made by Billy Connolly about his death.

Formats of a comedian's show are so flexible as they decide what type of comedy to do. Some comedians such as Brian Figarol speak about his day to day life, but Frank Skinner liked doing a song to evoke laughter, while other comedians such as Tommy Tiernan draw on their background to make fun of themselves, while others such as Bill Hicks have strong political and cultural undertones, challenging the status quo.

Most comics achieve a cult following while touring famous comedy hubs such as Montreal in Canada and Edinburgh in Scotland. Often a comic's career is made when they win a notable comedy prize, such as Perrier Award. Comics survive by continuous touring and foray into other areas of entertainment, when they have become famous. These include television (such as with Rowan Atkinson), films (such as with Chris Rock) and the usual release of DVDs of live shows.

Two common illnesses among comics are ADHD and depression (often bipolar depression which encompasses extreme mood swings, not to be confused with schizophrenia), which can explain a comic's desire to be noticed and accepted. Famous comedian Jim Carrey went public about his bouts with depression in a 60 Minutes interview.

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Types of comedians

Type	Description	Examples
Observational comics	Observational comics focus on the everyday life type of things.	Jerry Seinfeld, Janeane Garofalo, Ricky Gervais, Larry David, Chris Rock
Topical comics		Dennis Miller, Jay Leno, Andy Hamilton, Bill Maher, Ian Hislop
Character comics		Paul Eddington, Andrew Dice Clay, Tim Allen, John Gordon Sinclair, Lenny Henry, Sacha Baron Cohen, Christopher Ryan, Steve Guttenberg
Prop comics	These comics usually rely on props. The comedian Gallagher is famous for the "Sledge-O-Matic", a sledgehammer, that he uses to smash things.	Carrot Top, Gallagher, Timmy Mallet
Gimmick comics		Margaret Cho, Lea Delaria
Physical comics	Somewhat similar to slapstick, these comics use lots of physical movement and gestures.	Jim Carrey (pre-fame), Norman Wisdom, Jerry Lewis, Lee Evans, Max Wall
Impressionists	As the name implies, these comics do impressions	Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Mike Yarwood, Rory Bremner, Mike Hayley, Alistair McGowan, Jon Culshaw, Phil Cool
Improvisationalists	Improvisational (sometimes shortened to improv) comics rarely plan out their routines. Prime examples of this kind of comic can be seen on the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway.	Robin Williams, Paula Poundstone, Paul Merton, Tony Slattery, Josie Lawrence , Jim Sweeney, Steve Steen, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops, John Sessions, Neil Mullarkey.