Last month, we told you about Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle’s secret stand-up set in New York City, and how a potential co-headlining tour isn’t out the question. Since then, there haven’t been any updates about the comedian’s answer to Watch the Throne (our very own Maske did, however, see Rock shortly thereafter and said he was outstanding and back to doing routines that would make his Bigger & Blacker self proud), although EW reported:
At one point, Rock and Chappelle started to talk about touring together. Chappelle said, “After next Tuesday, I’m free for like 11 years.” Rock is filming a movie this spring, but said, “By Halloween I could do dates.” (Chappelle suggested the show could be “Fireside Chats with Chris Rock.”)
When asked about the possibility of [a tour], Chappelle’s rep said simply: “I can’t even say.” (Via)
In other words, who knows? Our hopes are up, but we shouldn’t expect anything, either. But a potential Rock/Chappelle tour does give us an opportunity to talk about other comedian (actor) pairings we’d pay good money to see live. Here are 10 such duos, and please leave your ideal two-person bill in the comments.
1. Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy
Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy were two of the biggest names in stand-up comedy in the 1980s, before they sold their soul to Disney and Dreamworks and starred in such dreck as Bicentennial Man and Meet Dave. Both men could use a career revitalization, especially Murphy because at least Williams still occasionally gives a sh*t, as seen in World’s Greatest Dad and on Louie. Let them hit the road together, to see if they have any An Evening with Robin Williams and Delirious left in them and to distract Murphy from making A Thousand (More) Words.
2. Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer
Voiceover “artists” rarely get the respect they deserve — hell, even I put “artist” in quotes. But Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer, who collectively have voiced 853,942 characters over the Simpsons 24-season run, are worthy of our admiration. Azaria’s been excellent in his live action TV appearances, including Free Agents and Friends, while Shearer’s had a fascinating life (was a child actor in movies like Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, before eventually hooking up with Christopher Guest), and they both could riff on what it’s like to be the voices of some of pop culture’s most indelible creations, but no one knows who you are. Invite Billy West, Frank Welker, John DiMaggio, and Tress MacNeille along, too, but NO SETHS ALLOWED.
3. Scott Aukerman and Marc Maron
As any Comedy Bang Bang fan knows, Scott Aukerman, a.k.a. Choctaw, a.k.a. Hot Saucerman, a.k.a. Scottabot, loves to mock Marc Maron’s WTF whenever he can, despite appearing on the podcast back in 2010. It’s not particularly spiteful or malicious — the two comedians just have very different podcast styles, with Maron’s Frost versus Aukerman’s inviting Paul F. Tompkins to impersonate Nixon. It’d be fascinating seeing these two perform together. The audience could place on bets on how quickly it’d take Maron to murder Soft Tacoman.
4. Tig Notaro and Louis C.K.
Two of the all-time greats, at the peak of their careers. C.K. was the one who spread the word about Notaro’s now-famous “cancer” set at the Largo, and made it available for purchase on his website. Mike Birbiglia can open.
5. Greg Giraldo and Patrice O’Neal
I asked Burnsy for suggestions for this piece, and he responded, “Greg Giraldo/Patrice O’Neal (in hell’s best night club, opening for Carlin and Pryor).” If there’s a Lenny Bruce (or as He’s know to some, “God”), He’ll not only make this happen, but also force Dane Cook to clean Hell’s toilets for eternity while Patrice is on-stage, doing his bit about f*cking Satan’s white mistress because Ol’ Bub can’t please the ladies anymore.
6. June Diane Raphael and Chelsea Peretti
I’ve always thought these two look a lot alike, so boom, perfect match. (I’m a simple, terrible man.) Plus, they both booked starring roles in pilots for the 2013-2014 season (June in ABC’s Pulling, Chelsea in Michael Schur’s cop comedy), so they’ll have plenty of “here’s why network TV is soul sucking” material to work with.
7. Alison Brie and Gillian Jacobs
SOMETHING’s going to STAND UP at their show. Our legs, after Alison and Gillian do a great job.
8. Matt Stone and Trey Parker
I have no idea if Matt Stone and Trey Parker would be any good at standup comedy. They’re two really awkward dudes, and they don’t craft bits so much as they do concepts, adding the jokes afterward. But considering even their fishing show sounds amazing, they can also do no wrong (their “worst” movie, Cannibal! The Musical, is still excellent), so I’d pay a whole bunch of money to hear them tell jokes or even just stories for an hour. Or they can pay me, and I’d quiet the people who yell “YOU BASTARDS” at them during the show.
9. Zach Galifianakis and Patton Oswalt
Honestly, there’s no good reason why these two guys are paired together (though they did record the Patton vs. Alcohol vs. Zach vs. Patton EP together), other than they’re both brilliant comedians and I couldn’t fit them anywhere else. They can call it the Slightly Overweight, Greatly Underpaid Tour.
10. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey
Obviously. They can rag on Taylor Swift for 90 minutes.
