Two really good current comedians are Andy Kindler and from the UK Jimmy Carr. I am shocked Kindler hasn’t made it big.
I didn’t build the guy’s reputation. I’m pretty sure that is the stuff most people are talking about when they talk about Bill Hicks. Tell me if I’m wrong, I don’t know.
As hard as it is to believe today, there was a time back in the day when Jay Leno was the funniest stand-up comedian around.
I know other comedians always say Richard Pryor or Lenny Bruce but I’m willing to bet that every stand-up between the mid-60s and the mid-90s started off by doing Bill Cosby routines in front of his bathroom mirror.
I saw Kindler a few weeks ago. He started slow, the audience didn’t take to him, and it just went downhill from there. He might have funny stuff, but his performance that night was awful.
If he’s thin-skinned, that might explain why he hasn’t made it big.
I am in agreement with the high quality of many of the other comedians mentioned in other posts (especially Mitch Hedberg, John Pinette, George Carlin, Lewis Black & Steven Wright), but wanted to add two more:
"Uncle Larry" Larry Reeb - Kind of a local Midwest comic, but definitely THE funniest comic I’ve seen live.
Bobby Collins - Just plain hilarious. Briefly hosted a show in the early 90’s.
Bernie Mac for me
He’s definitely got a unique sense of humor, but if you happen to have that same sense of humor, he’s great.
George Carlin has such a body of hilarious work, it just seems natural to name him.
Mitch Hedburg was hilarious, really improving on Stephen Wright’s ideas.
No love for Dave Chapelle?
Well, I think Dave Chappelle is funny and all, but we’re talking best ever.
**George Carlin ** was the best. Everything from the HippyDippy Weatherman to all but the last HBO specials. He was pure Comedy Gold.
**Richard Pryor ** was damn close. He had a lot less material than Carlin though. I think he spent too much time with movies to be listed over Carlin.
**Bill Cosby ** had the best comedy albums. I still love his Noah routine and so much else of his early stuff.
I am glad someone else mentioned Robert Klein, he was and is a genius. Great routines.
Lewis Black seems to be the best right now, but he is not as good as the other four I mentioned.
Jim
Well if we are going to name everybody, Rodney Carrington is verrrrry funny. His song “Dancing with a man” is uproarious, if you tend to be politically correct you will want to avoid him.
I know, I guess I’m alone in thinking he’s up there then.
I’ve been trying to think of someone from the Jack Benny - George Burns generation of comics, but I’m hard put to place any of them on a par with the likes of Carlin - Pryor - Newhart - Cosby - Woody Allen.
I’ve never heard Allen’s stand-up but have seen several excerpts in books - mostly the essay on Allen in one of Steve Allen’s books on comedians. Steve also expressed amazement/doubt at Woody’s claim to be strongly influenced by Bob Hope, but I can see some of it in Woody’s early movies compared with some of Hope’s films. Basically, if you take Hope’s Cocksure Cowardly Lotherio and feed it some borscht, it becomes Allen’s early comedic persona.
I’m tempted to suggest a special catagory for Johnny Carson who, unlike most regular stand-ups, had to do new material every night (well, three nights a week) for thirty years.
!. George Carlin- Been funny for a hundred years
2. Richard Pryor
3. Buddy Hackett- long funny career
4. Woody Allen
5. Steven Wright-odd homor-I like odd
Today Lewis Black is the best
Chris Rock.
David Cross when he’s on, but he’s not always on.
Steven Wright, but he’s not really comparible, his stuff is very weird. He’s funnier than Emo Phillips, IMO.
Not best ever, but for my contemporary favorite comic, another vote for Brian Regan.
“You see weird things driving… I’ve never understood log trucks, sometimes you’ll be out on the highway, you see two big giant trucks loaded up with logs, and they pass eachother on the highway… I don’t understand it. I mean, if they need logs over there… and they need 'em over there, you’d think a phone call would save 'em a whole lot of trouble.”
Well even your legendary comics don’t end up with an enormous body of work available so I’ll add on Ricky Gervais. His live shows Animals and Politics are hysterical and the bonus commentary is like another routine.
I chimed in for him as well up above in this thread.
-FrL-
Yes, all alone. It’s kind of sad really.
Regan slays me. I’m always hassling my wife with a bit of his, where he talked about needing an eye exam but he kept putting it off: “How can ‘instantly improved vision’ not be at the top of your priority list?”
Louis CK is one of the best working today. He has perspectives on common experiences that I guess just don’t occur to most people, and his delivery is spot on.
My all-time favorite is Bill Cosby. I still think he has the best delivery of any comedian, ever.