This is something I think a lot of people fail to understand about comedy: As long as it's funny, it's good. That's it. Doesn't matter how offensive, dirty, clean, esoteric, or even "obvious" the joke is. As long as it's funny, it's a good joke.
I think a lot of big name comics think they're "owed" the laughs, and some people think that their personal taste is the only comedy. It's all subjective, but if you get the laugh, that's the only thing that matters in comedy.
I enjoy watching Seinfeld's "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" to really understand what makes a comic, and you pretty much described what they all say. They just are trying to get a laugh 24x7. They all have different styles but the goal is the same. It really made me appreciate different types of comedians and that most of the successful ones really have a love for their craft.
Not true. Ricky Gervais makes the case that making animal jokes (e.g. where you tell a funny story, but the characters are animals having people-like problems) is too easy and so doesn't count as much.
(Actually, I'm not sure he said this on Comedians in Cars, or in a different show)
Maybe comedians are people too and have varied points of view on comedy gasp
I think a lot of big name comics think they're "owed" the laughs, and some people think that their personal taste is the only comedy. It's all subjective, but if you get the laugh, that's the only thing that matters in comedy.