Even Funnier Than Mariah

By Rebecca Winters

He sold more CDs than Gwen Stefani and Coldplay last week, without humming a tune. DANE COOK'S Retaliation is the highest-charting comedy album (No. 4 on Billboard) since Steve Martin's A Wild and Crazy Guy in 1979. Though his success surprised most of the off-campus public, "I kind of felt the rumblings of this happening," says the Boston stand-up star, whose college fans throw listening parties for his albums. Next Cook plays "in-your-face, misogynistic, rude cook Floyd" in the feature-film comedy Waiting. Sounds like a guy whose wait is over.