There's a key lesson here:

Dave Smith and Doug Stanhope both were libertarian comedians. The difference is Smith stuck to his views, while Stanhope switched to support Obama

Although I think Doug Stanhope is far better at crafting though-provoking punchlines that are more related to the heart of libertarian philosophy,

While Dave Smith's actual standup routines are barely related to the core political positions in an academic sense. And on Smith's podcast, the majority of the time, it's just going over the news without punchlines.

In the end, sticking to principles won out, when you compare their fanbases, societal relevance, and financial success.

The lesson is:

Being an epic genius doesn't mean you'll be a legend, without integrity.