Daily Show–Affiliated Men I Feel Bad For

Why can’t these guys catch a huge break?

Rob Corddry

On this former Daily Show correspondent’s final show, Jon Stewart asked if he realized he was “going out on a poop joke.” (I don’t remember what the actual comment was.) “Well Jon, I have to stay true to my roots,” Corddry retorted. Still, when Daily Show people leave, it’s usually for bigger and better things. Steve Carell’s the shining example, starring in the 40-Year Old Virgin (among other shittier flicks) and helming The Office, alongside, well, Ed Helms. And we all know Colbert’s almost as big as, if not bigger than, Stewart on the Colbert Report.

But it seems Corddry’s comment wasn’t that far off. Since leaving the show, he’s enjoyed bit parts in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Blades of Glory, Semi-Pro and most recently Harold & Kumar 2 and What Happens in Vegas. All broad comedies; all put this actor’s nuanced affable sarcasm to ill use.

What Corddry needs is another sitcom. He tried to front The Winner, about a middle aged guy who still lives with his parents, but it wasn’t all that well written and couldn’t garner enough viewers on a post–Arrested Development Fox. Corddry shined, though, flipping even the most bland lines into laugh-out-loud gold. I’m hoping he goes the Chris Parnell route (see ABC’s Miss Guided) and lands a recurring role on some single camera sitcom—or, at least steer clear of the frat pack films for a while.

John Oliver

An accomplished stand-up from the UK, Oliver might be the best thing about the Daily Show right now. He seems to have taken over the coveted go-to guy slot from Colbert and Corddry, and his stuff always kills. How much of that is Oliver himself? Check out his new stand-up special Terrifying Times on Comedy Central and see for yourself.

But now he’s finally bursting into movies. And it’s on the Love Guru. Playing a guy named Dick Pants who I can only assume makes a lot of forced British jokes. Now, I haven’t seen the movie, but in the trailer, he and Mike Myers (the titular guru) enter the office of a midget where—get this—all the furniture is…small! Ok, so he’s sitting there next to Mike Myers, and Myers stands up really quickly, and he breaks the ceiling with his head. I saw this trailer in the theater, and it was clear that everyone else was watching Myers flail about…evidenced by the huge laughs! (Seriously. What’s so funny?) But I was watching Oliver, who looked confused, distraught and vaguely disappointed. I’m gonna assume he couldn’t hide his shame.

Lewis Black

Black’s own Back in Black segment on the Daily Show is hysterical; he gets away with blatantly saying what Jon Stewart typically only hints at. Things like “Republicans are fucking morons.” (Paraphrasing.) His stand-up comedy is equally as pointed—he’s perfected the art of angry-guy. So what’s he up to when he’s not doing the Daily Show, which is pretty often? Well, he still tours as a comic, and he’s got a new book coming out called Me Of Little Faith, but he’s also been branching into movies. First there was a small role in Man of the Year, ironically about a comedian on a political comedy show who decides to run for office. It was terrible. And then there was Unaccompanied Minors, where a bunch of kids run amok, much to the chagrin of Black. And then there’s his new show Root of All Evil, where comedians make lame jokes about vast topics like the pope and Oprah’s vagina.

He needs something juicy—a role where he can be bitter, but also act a bit. After all, dude graduated from the Yale School of Drama. Maybe a Father of the Bride remake?

Tags: Daily Show, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, Lewis Black, Rob Corddry