Incognegro and Comedy.com

Comedy.com, which endeavors to curate the “funniest stuff on the web,” looks like your average round-up of viral videos, user-generated content, and forums, an amalgam of Funny or Die and the comedy channels on Break, Metacafe, and YouTube that’s been duplicated ad nauseum on the web.  But what sets the site apart from its predecessors – aside from an “LOL” rating system and an insult ticker that streams “Yo Mamma” jokes – are its actual comedian inhabitants and original programming.

Similar to straight up stand-up sites like EffinFunny, Comedy.com’s “Stand Up” section features real deal comedians and allows for those as yet unknown to upload their bits, which are sorted by category (i.e. “Topical,” “Gay & Lesbian,” “Real Life“). Viewers can rate, share and even “heckle” the performances (there a quite a few worthy of heckles). Comedy.com posts the top-ranked comedians with the most “LOLs” as a way to filter the talent.

Currently, the most popular user-gen bit is from comedian Sheng Wang’s snippet on car insurance.

Eh, maybe it’s funnier in person. If you’ve ever sat through a lousy comedian act, or the clip above, you’ll appreciate the swiftness with which you can click through the performances.

A better bet is to check out some of Comedy.com’s five original series.  Newest New News, “the only daily satirical newscast with a deaf music critic and Hitler book reviews,” is kinda like a less-funny ONN

. Make a Hot Girl Laugh (reminiscent of the short-lived game show Make Me Laugh on Comedy Central), pits two comedians against one another in a battle for a bimbo who would otherwise be outta their leagues. Then there’s Glitch in the System, a weekly series and a satire about video gamers.  Do Unto Others is a series in of montages in much need of edit with absurd suggestions for #$%&ing with people.

Incognegro is the only series worth a click.

In the show, Jordan Carlos is an uptight, nervous African-American guy who seeks help from a shrink in order to become “blacker.” During the first episode, his therapist suggests he go dog shopping…in Harlem. Anxiety-addled Carlos agrees only after a bit of fetal-position thumbsucking.

Edgier than the other content on Comedy.com, Incognegro is a well-balanced satire, blending scripted nonsense with man-on-the-street interviews.  It’s Dave Chapelle meets Christopher Guest in interesting comedic racial commentary where the main character’s exaggerated, but still believable.

It’s also the site’s best shot at a breakout series capable of some longevity and definition in a crowded space.  When dudes start getting tired of stand-up directed at bikini tops, Incognegro offers something smarter.