AAOOA #1: Dylan Moran

I'm half tempted not to talk about this first AAOOA*. He's a little bit of a secret over here in the States, and I'm not sure I quite want to share him with everyone.

And yet I must. Because I am spearheading a movement of more more more Dylan Moran. I want him never to stop saying clever things with a wine glass in his hand, and if he has to become a big American sellout to make that happen, then by God, it's the price I'm willing to pay.

I stumbled upon him by way of "Run, Fat Boy, Run". Yes, I considered his bare bum the highlight of the movie. Also there was his smoking while biking and shouting things at the alleged "fat boy". Certainly, I was wooed by the hair. (You will be too.) Serpentine? Thicket-y? I'm at a loss to describe.

I proceeded from there to hunt down his BBC series "Black Books" -- which has the distinction of being the only thing near to as funny as "The IT Crowd" (which if you haven't watched that -- well, you're also missing out on another AAOOA, Richard Ayoade. Or do I mean, Moss?)

And then it became serious. With the assistance of an enabling friend (blessings be upon you, luzcruz), I began importing Region 2 DVDs of his standup routines. DVDs that can only be watched on the special machine. (Luckily, at luzcruz's house, the special machine happens to be hooked up to a Texas-sized TV.)

And I have to tell you -- Dylan Moran is the funniest thing since early Eddie Izzard. I can quote out of context -- "And then the cage came down! Full of Spanish fighting spiders. And she struck a match on her forearm and lit her cigarillo and sent you out to the living room to dance for the money" -- which is silly enough on its own, and even funnier when embedded in the long and winding context that is his casually intense delivery.

And he's sweet and self-deprecating and cranky and hostile and gregarious and the opposite of gregarious and without even a speck of ruth. He is never afraid to look ridiculous, and often does. He's been with his wife since his early 20s, near as my cyber-stalking can tell, and his take on parenting is clear-eyed and absurd, so he's also a keeper. And yes, it may complicate your adoration to know that you can never, ever have him, because he's not single. (Yes, that's the only reason why.) But think of it as the Tom Hanks factor -- don't we all like him better for having been with Rita Wilson so long? Yes, we do. Dylan's like that.

He's a bright, funny, oddly graceful man with mischievous hair. With an Irish accent. What more do you need?

* What's an AAOOA again? Oh, right.