# Best Standup Comic ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076 "2007-07-17T01:53:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![guppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@guppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guppy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/81 "2007-07-18T15:37:49Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] I chimed in for him as well up above in this thread. -FrL- [/QUOTE] I missed that. :smack: [QUOTE=BMalion] Yes, all alone. It’s kind of sad really. [/QUOTE] 😕 ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/82 "2007-07-18T15:41:16Z")
Bill Hicks, very sad that he died so young. Today, I’d have to say it’s Mitch Benn. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/83 "2007-07-18T16:16:45Z")
[QUOTE=guppy] 😕 [/QUOTE] It’s joke, son. I say a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/84 "2007-07-18T16:46:48Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] I am shocked [Andy] Kindler hasn’t made it big. [/QUOTE] Every time I’ve seen Kindler, he’s bombed. Finally, I got to thinking that his act was supposed to not be funny. Which is sort of funny. For me, it’s Carlin, Bill Hicks, and Rodney Dangerfield _(A girl called me up and said, “Come on over, there’s nobody home. So I went over. There was nobody home.”)_ And my friend and I love Brian Regan (just say “you, too”, and we crack up. _Have a nice trip. You, too…except you aren’t going anywhere_…I think the voice he uses has something to do with it). ---
**Author:** ![guppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@guppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guppy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/85 "2007-07-18T16:54:54Z")
[QUOTE=BMalion] It’s joke, son. I say a joke. [/QUOTE] Sorry, my sense of humor is slightly disabled today (I’m slightly hung over and tired). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/86 "2007-07-18T17:12:22Z")
Can’t believe I left out Chris Rock and Ricky Gervais (though Gervais is much better of he’s got someone to play off of). Still, Hedberg is the only one whose bits have over 100 play counts on my iTunes. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/87 "2007-07-18T18:58:29Z")
Eddie Izzard. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/88 "2007-07-18T19:00:16Z")
Bill Cosby and George Carlin get my vote, tied for 1st. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/89 "2007-07-18T19:02:07Z")
I forgot about Brian Regan- he’s gotta be about the best G-rated comic working today, although his recent Comedy Central special is nowhere near as funny as the previous one (the previous one being the one with the pop tarts, gym membership and worlds strongest man bits- see how many pianos filled with motlen lead you can throw throught that third story window in sixty seconds- good stuff!). ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/90 "2007-07-18T19:28:05Z")
Gary Shandling ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/91 "2007-07-19T08:08:10Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] Louis CK is one of the best working today. [/QUOTE] Previously mentioned bit about the asshole daughter: [http://youtube.com/watch?v=4evqM8eookM](http://youtube.com/watch?v=4evqM8eookM) I love this clip. [Why?](http://youtube.com/watch?v=4u2ZsoYWwJA) [Hello!](http://youtube.com/watch?v=DMUvrOZCk7s) ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/92 "2007-07-21T19:56:03Z")
I forgot Andy Kaufman who took comedy and the audience kicking and screaming and dragging it’s heals to a place it did not want to go. He did not pander to the audience to get love. He defied them and played them. When he missed it was a mile from comfortable. But when he hit it was hilarious. I loved how he played the wrestling fans. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/93 "2007-07-21T20:34:10Z")
As Rodney Dangerfield said, he don’t get no respect! He’s my first pick. George Carlin is my next pick Bob Newhart: Last but not least!! ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/94 "2007-07-21T20:48:16Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] To add a rare woman’s name, I saw Carol Leifer in the old days before Seinfeld. She did a fine set, mocking a lot of macho attitudes. “I have no children… that I know of.” That line had us on the floor. [/QUOTE] I could be wrong, but I’m pretty certain that’s a line by Margaret Smith. (who is also quite funny) ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/95 "2007-07-21T20:57:10Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Another vote for [Bill Hicks](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baeT3g7udho). (Video clip.) … [/QUOTE] I’ve been hearing about this guy for years but never saw any of his stuff, until now. I didn’t think that clip was that funny. But then I’m not high. I read somewhere that George Carlin has named Bob Newhart as one of his influences, something that I wouldn’t have guessed myself. I agree with whoever said Robin Williams at his peak was among the best ever. Also Carlin, Jonathan Winters and Bill Cosby. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/96 "2007-07-21T21:45:54Z")
A slight hijack, but how much money would it get to have a shabby, cliche premise and get Robin Williams and Jim Carrey in for a series of 20 weekly shows? Those two attention whores could feed off each other and possibly unearth some comedic gold. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/97 "2007-07-21T21:58:09Z")
I don’t know man, but if I ever get enough money I’m adding that to my things to do list! – IG ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/98 "2007-07-21T21:58:22Z")
My top 3: Carlin Murphy Williams Redd Foxx is hilarious, and surprisingly dirty and edgy if all you know him from is _Sanford & Son_. [QUOTE=It’s Not Rocket Surgery!] **“Uncle Larry” Larry Reeb** - Kind of a local Midwest comic, but definitely THE funniest comic I’ve seen live. [/QUOTE] I think I saw him like 10 years ago live in Buffalo. Is he the one who says, “Here’s a little tip from your Uncle Larry”? If so, he made me laugh my ass off. Margaret Cho is my favorite female comedian and she hasn’t been mentioned yet. I like best when she does her imitation of her mother. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/99 "2007-07-21T22:00:31Z")
Dennis Miller, before Sept. 11, was my favorite. I’d say George Carlin is very close. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076/100 "2007-07-21T22:05:19Z")
[QUOTE=Laughing Lagomorph] I’ve been hearing about this guy for years but never saw any of his stuff, until now. I didn’t think that clip was that funny. But then I’m not high. . [/QUOTE] It wzsn’t z very good clip. He was preaching more than he was doing comedy. His comedy is great, it jsut wasn’t on display in that clip. -FrL- [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-standup-comic-ever/412076.md?page=6)