Generally, hecklers are awful. They mess up timing and pacing for the comic, and tend to throw the entire show off balance–therefore ruining the show for all other paying customers.
SOMETIMES though, hecklers add a great new element to live comedy. Given that the person they're ripping on makes fun of shit for a living, there's always a good chance that heckler will get thoroughly owned.
With that, here are 6 great instances in which hecklers were properly put in their place. Note that there are many, many more great takedowns, but (a. comedy did in fact exist before the invention of Youtube, and (b. a lot of times, these things tend to be taken off the internet.
1. Joe Rogan owns a UFC Fan
Joe Rogan explains the tragedy of what happens when you take yourself too seriously. Probably the most impressive component here is how long he manages to keep it up.
2. Bryson Turner Destroys Heckler's Sex Joke
Based on the crowd's reaction, it's pretty hard to believe that anyone would be able to come back from that. Turner's restraint in waiting till the cheering died down–building on both his own humilation and his own incredible punch–drives this one home quite excellently.
3. Jamie Kennedy Rips Restaurant Girl
Jamie Kennedy, the main homie of the illustrious Malibu's Most Wanted, is not happy when a heckler interrupts his special taping over a technicality. He proceeds to take her down in pretty impressive fashion. Kennedy and hecklers have had an interesting relationship, which manifested itself fully in the 2007 documentary “Heckler.” (It's on netflix.)
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4. Louis CK and the Boots
There are a ton of great instances of comedy's golden man taking it to hecklers. Here's just one example of why you don't mess with an all-time great.
http://pshared.5min.com/Scripts/PlayerSeed.js?sid=281&width=560&height=450&playList=517704175
5. Bo Burnham Heckling Compilation
The young comic/actor has gotten quite a bit of flack from certain corners of the entertainment scene for rising to the big-time in a quick, unconventional manner. He's thus had to deal with a ton of hecklers. And he's gotten really good at saying “shut the fuck up.”
6. Bill Burr Owns The Entire City of Philadelphia
The legend goes something like this–Burr was the third act at a show in Philadelphia. Because it was in Philadelphia, the first two comics were treated to a ruthless chorus of boos. When Burr opened to the same treatment, he completely abandoned his act and tore into the audience for eleven minutes straight. The range and depth of his tirade is nothing short of remarkable, and this whole thing deserves to forever be preserved in some sort of museum.
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