The Best of the Rest

ego trip

23 This New York City collective are best known for their two books, Book of Rap Lists and Big Book of Racism!, which dissect two of their fave topics in a format that mixes the geekiness of a Harper's index with the sarcasm of a Letterman Top Ten list. Look out for their one-hour special, TV's Illest Minority Moments, now airing on VH1. WE LAUGHED AT Racism's list of ''20 Famous but Average-Looking White Girls Who White People Think Are Hot Just Because They Are White,'' which includes Kirsten Dunst and Tara Reid.

Sarah Silverman

24 The Lenny Bruce of the 21st century might be this hot, foul-mouthed, button-punching stand-up best known (thus far) for getting in a heap of trouble for using a disparaging word to describe Asians on Conan O'Brien. Silverman is ruthlessly funny about topics like sex, the Holocaust, and 9/11, which may be why the former Greg the Bunny star is still waiting for her big break. WE LAUGHED AT Her downright nasty 2002 one-woman show, Jesus Is Magic.

Dave Attell

25 Remember that time on Insomniac when the unrepentantly loathsome (and oddly cuddly) Attell got drunk, bantered with strippers, and had a surreal conversation with someone? Sure you do -- even if he doesn't. Before Attell took his beery, blue humor to the streets, he established himself as the Zen master of the cerebral dirty joke -- no small feat. And you know what they say about feat size. WE LAUGHED AT ''I'm sensitive, I like to cuddle. But there's a fine line between cuddling and holding somebody down so they can't get away.''

Kelly Ripa

25.5 Before sending angry e-mail, hear us out. When ABC hired her to replace Kathie Lee, most wrote off the perky soap star as artificial sweetener to Reege's bitter brew. Turns out Ripa is the Conan of the coffee klatch, cleverly winding up her cohost and taking square aim at herself. WE LAUGHED AT Ripa's SNL ad for shampoo fortified with crack. ''I'll highlight my hair three or four times a day,'' she marveled maniacally. ''Look how silky it is!''