Dane Cook has a lot of comedic talents, but traditional joke-telling isn’t one of them. The setup/punchline approach to stand-up is “not my strong suit because I have this physical element,” he told ...

Kerry Louise laughed when she recalled a night a generation ago when she and three other fledgling comics bombed during an open mic showcase in Boston. None of the young humorists had much material.

Dane Cook rarely, if ever, tries out his new comedy on family and friends. “My wife was just telling another couple the other night that I don’t bring home my comedy or share what I’m working on for ...