Why are most stand-up comedians so bad?

It's not exactly a secret that for a very long time I haven't been happy about the state of stand-up comedy. In my opinion most of the stand-up comedians are genuinely bad when it comes to making you laugh or think.

It's not really even that close when it comes to judging the abilities of today's stand-up comics. Unless you're willing to set the bar pretty low, it's rather difficult to think much of these performers and their abilities.

For example, I have never understood what people see in a supposed 'funny man' like Louis C.K. What's so awesome about a guy who's act is mostly based on being a bitter, resentful, fat, divorced middle-aged man?

What's really funny about him more or less hating, not understanding women and not liking being a parent for your children? What's so unique about it, especially when he's supposed to be this some sort of an intellectual?

It's not easy to like a comedian like him, when you consider that he's not very good at setting up his jokes and that his storytelling abilities are weak. He mostly rambles aimlessly and doesn't know how to make good points in his act.

Who can honestly live with the fact that he doesn't have a decent stage presence either? How can anyone be excited about him, when it's obvious that he's not that good at expressing himself, doesn't look good or doesn't have a good enough voice either?

I mean, if you're a stand-up comic, I thought you were supposed to know what makes you good: basic qualities like having a good voice, being able to do physical comedy, ability to make faces, make solid impressions and perhaps even be able to sing.

If you can't do any of those things and don't know how to tell a story and use punchlines well, then what's the point in being a stand-up comedian? You're pretty much humiliating yourself and not setting the bar higher for others.

I mean, maybe it's just me, but if you're not even trying to be as good and as entertaining as Jerry Seinfeld, the late Bill Hicks or the late George Carlin, then perhaps stand-up comedy isn't something that you should be doing.