BRENT BUTT (September 23 at the Red Robinson Show Theatre) It's mind-boggling to think that we used to be able to see long-time Vancouver resident and standup comic Brent Butt at all the intimate rooms in this city on a weekly basis for the cost of a beer. Now we willingly shell out big bucks to see his unique brand of observational humour in big theatres. Our little Brent is all grown up.
The Draw: With the workload of producing, writing, and starring in a hit sitcom (Corner Gas), Butt doesn't hit the stage as often as we'd like, but he's still one of the best anywhere.
Target Audience: Like his series, Butt's live act appeals to virtually every demographic.

DAVID SPADE (September 29 and 30 at the River Rock Show Theatre, Richmond) His movies may suck, but there's something intrinsically funny about the cocky and sarcastic comic. (“And you are…?”)
The Draw: We northerners don't get Spade's weekly skewering of A-list celebs on his The Showbiz Show, so we have to get the dirt dished live and in person.
Target Audience: Fans of Saturday Night Live, Just Shoot Me!, 8 Simple Rules…for Dating My Teenage Daughter, his numerous talk-show appearances, and his standup TV specials. We know there are no fans of his films.

DENNIS MILLER (October 13 at the River Rock Show Theatre) Some will argue that Miller jumped the shark on September 11, 2001. That's when the universally respected political comic with the arcane references got into bed with great white George W. Bush and seemingly lost his sense of humour. But Miller has recently shown signs that his funny bone has been reattached (although his politics remain laughable).
The Draw: Comedy's premiere wordsmith can still leave you reeling and breathless with his encyclopedic knowledge, even when you disagree with his opinions or don't understand what the hell he's talking about.
Target Audience: It's changed in recent years from the liberal literati to the conservative commoner.

DON RICKLES (October 14 at the River Rock Show Theatre) If you can't laugh at this legendary putdown artist, how did you get this far into the article? Despite seeming like an equal-opportunity bigot, it's all an act—Rickles is famously one of the nicest guys in the business.
The Draw: The chance to be insulted by the King of Contempt before the 80-year-old monarch retires.
Target Audience: Both masochists and sadists.

GILBERT GOTTFRIED (October 12 to 14 at Vancouver's Funny Bone) The voice behind Iago the Parrot in Disney's Aladdin and the Compulsive Dog in Dr. Dolittle, Gilbert Gottfried has a voice reminiscent of fingernails on a chalkboard, delivering off-colour material (Gottfried performed one of the best versions of the title joke in The Aristocrats) through a scrunched-up face.
The Draw: If not to witness one of the true originals in standup comedy, then at least to check out the city's newest comedy venue.
Target Audience: Animal lovers.

MIKE MacDONALD (October 12 to 14 at Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club) The comedy wars are heating up. With the new guys in town introducing competition, Yuks steps up to the plate with one of Canada's favourite comics to help celebrate the club's three-year anniversary.
The Draw: MacDonald is a pro's pro whose sardonic take on life never fails to extract every last ounce of funny from a topic.
Target Audience: If you haven't seen him live before, mark this one on your calendar.

TIM CONWAY and HARVEY KORMAN (November 19 at the Orpheum Theatre) For 10 years, these two funnymen were reason enough to tune in to The Carol Burnett Show. The duo will reprise some of their most famous roles from the top variety show of its day.
The Draw: Can Conway still make Korman crack up in the middle of a scene? We want to know.
Target Audience: Nostalgia buffs and fans of Dorf, the world's shortest golfer.

Dana Carvey (September 29 and 30 at the River Rock Show Theatre, Richmond) One of the longest-running and most irrepressible cast members of Saturday Night Live, Carvey is known for his numerous sketch characters and impersonations (Church Lady, Garth Algar of Wayne's World, Hans of Hans and Franz, Ross Perot, George H.W. Bush, and Johnny Carson) but the former winner of the San Francisco Standup Comedy Competition has lately returned to his roots. The Draw: The chance to see if he deserves being named in Comedy Central's list of top 100 standups of all time. Target Audience:: Old-timers who remember when SNL was funny every week.

Pauly Shore (October 8 and 9 at Lafflines, New Westminster) Shore comes from solid comedy stock: his father, Sammy, was Elvis Presley's opening act (and he's still going strong) and his mother, Mitzi, is the cofounder of L.A.'s renowned Comedy Store. So why isn't he funnier? The Draw: A live performance is always superior to television and the movies, so we'll give his standup act the benefit of the doubt until we see him. Target Audience:: Weasels, stoners, and the comedically curious.

Craig Ferguson (November 2 at the River Rock Show Theatre) The second-most-famous late-night talk-show host coming to Vancouver this fall, Ferguson is practically a regular–it's his third appearance here in just over a year. The Draw: His nightly, often-improvised monologues are the best on television. Charm oozes from this guy like innards from a haggis. Plus his Scottish accent is just inherently funny. Target Audience:: His TV ratings may be lower than his competitors', but Ferguson's fans are fiercely loyal.

Dennis Miller (November 9 and 10 at the River Rock Show Theatre) His detractors say he has long since jumped the shark with his neocon support for George W. and the war in Iraq, but politics aside, Miller knows how to write and deliver a joke. The Draw: Miller's well of arcane references is as deep as Alcyonian Lake. Why go for the Mr. Ed analogy when Xanthus confuses way better? Target Audience:: Jeopardy! fans, Roget's Thesaurus fiends, right-wingers, and open-minded lefties.

The Just For Laughs Comedy Tour (November 16 at the Orpheum Theatre) The world's largest comedy festival continues the tradition of bringing its gala shows to the people who can't make it to Montreal. Greg Behrendt hosts the all-star lineup of John Wing, Louis Ramey, Fiona O'Loughlin, Kevin Brennan, and Tom Papa. Okay, so you've never heard of them, but they're all-stars in the comedy world. The Draw: The experienced folks at JFL know how to produce a solid, professional show that delivers the hilarity. Trust 'em. Target Audience:: Comedy fans who don't like Kathy Griffin. Why did they have to schedule this the same night?

Kathy Griffin (November 16 at the River Rock Show Theatre) The facile-tongued, redheaded D-lister is second only to Joan Rivers in dishing the dirt on celebs. Rivers also leads in face-lifts, but the 47-year-old is doing her best to catch up. The Draw: Griffin lives to shock, and will say anything to get a laugh. Target Audience:: "The gays", as she calls her most ardent fans. And anyone who spits on political correctness.

Jay Leno (December 1 at the Red Robinson Show Theatre, Coquitlam) This guy used to be the king of standups, but since taking over from Johnny Carson in 1992, the Tonight Show host has lost all street cred. However, his show remains the top-rated late-night talk show on the air. The Draw: Throughout his tenure on NBC's venerable institution, Leno has kept his chops up by performing live as often as he can. (He appears twice here: at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.) By all accounts, his stage shows exhibit glimpses of his former greatness. Target Audience:: John and Jane Q. Public, comedy fan or not. Leno appeals to the masses.