While your Kids in the Halls and your Monty Pythons prefer to make funny in large gangs, and your Flight of the Conchordses and your Little Britains prefer to work in more intimate pairs, Human Giant-currently launching the second season of their eponymous MTV series-constitute the rare three-man sketch-comedy act. “You alwaysneed a third guy to break the tie,” says Rob Huebel, 38. “It’s easier to split the drugs andthe money three ways,” adds Aziz Ansari, 25. “If you’re in the Polyphonic Spree, maybeyou get a hundred bucks a show.” But Paul Scheer, 32, best sums up his troupe’s place inthe pantheon: “We’re the blink-182 of comedy.” Since it takes one to know one, HumanGiant humbly present the three (natch) powerfulest power trios of all time.
ZZ Top
“ZZ Top is the best power trio of all time,” counters Huebel. “For a band to become famous solely because of their enormous beards is an achievement. And they have a drummer named Beard, but he only has a mustache.” “Plus,” says Scheer, “Back to the Future Part III proved they could rock just as hard in 1885 as they did in 1985.”
Motörhead
“You can’t get more badass than Motörhead,” says Scheer. “You’re never gonna see them do Leno like the Sex Pistols did-that was terrible. Even their website is permanently stuck in the ’80s; it’s awesome. Although Lemmy’s wart might count as its own person, in which case, they wouldn’t qualify.”
Los Trio-O
The indie asthete of the group has a more exotic pick. “Los Tri-O are like a three-man version of Los Lonely Boys,” says Ansari. “And they’re so dedicated to the concept of a trio, they even made it part of their name. They’ve got a smooth Latin sound, and the music transports you to another place.” “That’s true,” says Huebel. “A Latin place.”
