Lefty04

With the passing of Rodney Dangerfield, I started thinking about the history of stand-up. Give me your nominees for the best of all time.

My favorite - Steve Martin. I saw him live in his banjo-playing, juggling, arrow-through-the-head days, and he was great. I'd also add Robin Williams for being jaw-dropping insane.

Side note - I once saw Heni Youngman walking down the street in Manhattan, and I've always regretted that I didn't ask him how to get to Carnegie Hall.

braisler

I would nominate George Carlin. He does tend to get a bit political at times, but he can really bring out the laughs. I really like his style. SOme people find him too harsh, but his in-your-face observational humor is a favorite.

How about Richard Pryor? He's been around for a while and his body of stand-up comedy is impressive.

Steve Martin is also a good choice. I don't care for Robin Williams in stand-up. His routines are a bit too frantic and random to follow and enjoy. I have really liked Williams in some of his movie roles. I suppose that his talent is best for me when it is focused by a director into a particular vein.

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bendsley

I personally like Pablo Francisco.

But George Carlin is another good one.

All time favorite though is Robin Williams

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braisler

Yeah, he is another great one. I am not sure that he has been around for long enough to qualify as the "History of the World" category. "Pablo, I have to shave my huevos for my job, alright?" He's got the funny.

How about Steven Lynch? We saw him live and he had people laughing until they cried. Really offensive to some people, but really, really funny too.

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astrahl

Robin Williams's history of golf puts the HA in HA-larious. Stephen Lynch is awesome. Dane Cook is also great to watch.

docbungle

Richard Pryor is the best comedian of all time. Nobody ever has been in his league.

Currently, I'm digging Carlos Mencia.

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Redjake

Mitch Hedburg - his stuff is so incredibly stupid it's funny.

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Pellaz

How a "best stand up" thread can be up for 12 hours and not have a single mention of Bill Hicks, I'll never know.

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kiwiman

Maybe not the funniest, but i'd say the best. My favourite, at least. Everybody can relate to his act, unlike most stand ups today where they cater for a particular group (I'm looking at you, Chris Rock.)

EDIT: Am i allowed to post big pictures like that?

coash

how did you get an avatar...94 post boi :P

KellyC

I fully agree with George Carlin and Robin Williams. Both are excellent comics. Did any one see them on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno recently? Carlin was on yesterday to promte his new book "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chop?" and he was brilliant (Click *HERE* for a sample of his book [I think] on aduio, it's very funny ), his use of word rendered me a helpless laughing fool for the remainder of the show. Williams was on sometime ago, last month I think, and he made fun of George Bush, his impressions and the way he act--so damn goofy--also got me laughing really hard.

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wolfpack0102

tie between Denis Leary and Chris Rock

Lefty04

Richard Pryor was a real pioneer. I think he made today's comedy possible.

djflish

I'm gonna big up the Brit comedians Billy Connolly, Eddie Izzard and Lee Evans!

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Charlatan

Socrates.... you did say History of the world

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paddyjoe

Sam Kinneson

Tralls

I would have to agree with Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby. Without Pryor, there is no Eddie Murphy or Chris Rock...man he was a funny muthafucker!!

Cosby for the longevity of his act. He has been able to maintain his act for so many years and he supposedly does extremely long shows as well.

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K-Wise

That George Carlin 10 Commandments thing is old...been around for a while now...years even. Ha Pablo Francisco..he's funny..do you guys get SiTv? He has a show on that channel called <i>Latino Laugh Festival: The Show</i> that they show every day at around 10 A.M, and 11 P.M. I dunno who the greatest of all time is. I like Carlin except for the religious jabbing. Other than that he's probably my favorite. George Lopez had me laughing my ass off on Latin Kings Of Comedy...I'll always hold a soft spot for him, Paul Rodriguez, and Cheech...I'm mexican so I can relate to a lot of what they say which makes it all that more hilarious.

Asta!!

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Fremen

I nominate Lenny Bruce.

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Coppertop

Definitely. Bill Hicks is my own personal god. RIP Bill.

Suave

Carlin went from awfully funny in his earlier years to just plain awful later on (at least from what I saw of his later stuff). I agree with Robin Williams, and would add more, but I can't remember the names of most of the really funny ones (they're not "big name" standups).

tropple

Rowan Atkinson -

Yes, he does standup, too. Insanely funny.

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wwcd101

Those mentioned are all great answers to this question. The guy who cracks me up most lately is the Amazing Johnathan.

Also, I've not seen Dave Chappelle do a standup routine, but his tv show is awesome.

Thanks for listening.

fugue_life

As far as acts I have seen live, Dennis Leary back in his hey day was the funniest thing out there. But Pryor should be crowned King

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The5thCandidate

I've always been a fan of Peter Ustinov.

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LeviticusMky

Yay! I was hoping that I wouldn't be the only Izzard fan!

Intelligent humor, that's where it's at. I can really respect Cosby and Carlin and folk because they are really smart cookies, they have a real reason behind their comedy, not just making fun of the mob or something...

I agree that Rowan Atkinson should also be up here, I saw a live show he did, way too funny. Best slapstic I've ever seen.

K-Wise

He's funny. I remember he was talkin something about how unreasonable women are in arguments and start mentioning things that aren't even relevant to the argument he was like

"The other day we were arguing and I was like 'Baby why can't you wash a dish instead of just leaving it in the sink?" "Pre-mature ejaculator!" "Hey hey baby why you gotta go there? You know I don't even believe in that. As far as I'm concerned when I cum it was RIGHT ON TIME!" "They look at you like yer a muderer...'HOW COULD YOU DAVE?' 'HOW COULD YOU?!'" "I was fuckin! I dunno what the fuck you were tryin to do"

Asta!!

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FlatLand Flyer

Richard Pryor - made comedy what it is today
George Carlin - Great specials. He is just different than everybody else.
Dave Chappelle - His HBO special (Killing 'em Soflty, I think) is hilarious, as well as his show
Denis Leary - I love pissed off comedy
Dennis Miller - Maybe not great, but I always enjoyed his comedy and rants. Maybe because you had to be at least somewhat intelligent to follow it.
Lewis Black - His HBO special was also great. Another pissed off comedian.
Bill Cosby - Grew up watching his clean yet very funny "Himself" special
Ray Romano - Kind of the same funny family type comedy in his acts as Cosby. Good stuff

I am only 25, so I have not seen much of the "older" comedians.

Gortexfogg

Steve Martin...my friend lent me one of his comedy albums and it was hilarious (of course, it's comedy!). I haven't given it back yet either...

Lefty04

I wouldn't give him "historic", but the Amazing Jonathan was one of the funniest I've seen on Comedy Central.

bond007

Chris Rock.

Paradise Lost

Steve Martin
Brian Regan
Jeff Foxworthy/Bill Engvall
Bob Newhart
Stephen Wright - the king of one-liners.

Newer guys I really like:
Stephen Lynch
Mitch Hedberg
Carlos Englesias (Spelling probably. A very Large, AND FUNNY comedian.)

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cartmen34

That's a great link.

That's straight from his HBO hour long show from several years ago. I watched that several times when it was on.

Back on topic... I think Robin Williams and Mr. Carlin would top my list. Insert the double Dennis' in there for good measure. (Leary and Miller)

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pinkie

Word, yo....

absorbentishe

Too hard to compare. There's this guy I used to work with, he had some funny shit that made all the other look bad, but he never did anything with it.

All the names listed so far are very good, and all have their own style, so I can't nominate just one.

j8ear

Aside from Richard Pryor, and George Carlin, I don't think anyone has mentioned:

Robert Schimmel.

He is one funny dude.

-bear

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abscondo

I can't believe that no one has brought up Rodney Dangerfield since the beginning of this thread! Now he was the king of one-liners.

Steven Wright is hilarious, yes.

Lewis Black has the angry man thing going well.

Bill Cosby has gone through several periods of being funny and less funny.

George Carlin was funny. Now he's just angry and not so funny. Ditto Dennis Miller.

Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld and Tim Allen all seem funnier on their sitcoms than their standups, if that makes any sense.

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TexanAvenger

Definitely Carlin, Pryor, and Cosby. My first reaction was true surprise that more people haven't said Newhart, but then I realized that I'm something of an oddball for being so young and knowing his work as well as I do.

In way of newer comedians, Stephen Lynch is (I hope) going far. Yes, he can be offensive. Yes, he can piss people off. But he's genuinely funny all the time, and doesn't just rely on preplanned ideas for a show. One of his best attributes is that he plays a crowd so well. He acts like he's on the same level as them. Sure, they've paid to see him, but he treats them like he does his friends, not like comedians usually treat an audience. I think that may be a large factor in separating good comedians from great ones, the abilty to relate to the crowd. And, on the few occasions I was lucky enough to meet up with him for a while, I really got to see that he is just a guy who loves making people laugh and letting them feel better than the humdrum of everyday life lets them.

Ace_O_Spades

This thread is not complete without mention of young Dane Cook

I've never laughed like that before... ever

Dane Cook... check him out... He's always fresh and funny.

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Lefty04

For the younger folks - Heni's response would have been -
"Practice, practice, practice."