He was named one of the “25 Funniest People in America” by Entertainment Weekly Magazine. His caustic wit, rapid-fire delivery and his choice of material that can best be described as "very adult" has earned him the reputation as a "comic's comic." But if you ask Attell, he’d say, "I’m just trying to get some laughs and sell some drinks."

In 2001, Attell used this love of booze and laughter to create and host the hit series, "Insomniac with Dave Attell" for Comedy Central. A travelogue show in which Attell goes from city to city looking for late-night fun, The New York Times called the show, "a doubly rare beast, a comedy without rancor and a travel show about the virtues of the American underdog." To Attell, the Insomniac show is more of a cross between "Girls Gone Wild” and “Cops”.

After four seasons of “Insomniac,” Attell taped several hour-long “Insomniac” specials overseas in Japan, Germany, England and Brazil. Once back in the states, he headed out on a thirty-five city theatre tour ending in Vegas, where he hosted a two-hour special for Comedy Central featuring Sean Rouse, Greg Geraldo and Dane Cook, some of the biggest comics in the country.