I love watching good stand-up comedy- it never fails to raise a smile and brighten my day . Really good stand-up can also raise and deal with important issues, IMO. So, who’s your favourite??
I’m no expert in this field, but I can confidently say that there can be few funnier men on the face of the Earth than the divine Eddie Izzard
I just love the surreal world he creates in his shows- cats drilling behind the sofa, then staging a Great Escape style breakout, dogs who aren’t happy with their wash, Moses zooming about in a speed boat with all the animals with big ears down the side- I could go on all day. Plus, he also manages to slip in a few interesting serios points here and there, like the difference between life philoshophies (sp?) and religions, for example.
I also like the little I’ve heard of Billy Connelly, and Jack Dee (Brit. comedian famous for acting very grumpy- may not be well known across the pond.) And I know Bill Hicks is a name that crops up a lot when this topic is brought up- I’ve heard a little of his stuff, and liked it a lot- but what would you recommend? and why exactly is he so darn good?
O.k, so lets sort it out, right here, right now- who are the funniest stand-ups ever?
I really like Stephen Wright and Fred Stoller, for their deadpan, downcast, lonely-loser schtick. And Wright makes excellent “Deep Thoughts”-style observations.
Seconds on Hicks and Rock. Lewis Black, too. John Stewart mentioned his new CD after Black’s piece on The Daily Show last night. I’m going to have to pick that up.
FWIW, I never understood why people like Izzard so much. I saw a special of his once and barely cracked a smile. Eh, different strokes, I guess…
Amen, brother. Bill Hicks is without a doubt the funniest standup comic I’ve ever seen, and his political agenda is dead-on. Seriously, check out this site and listen to some of his work.
Another vote for Eddie Izzard. Not only is he a master of delicious absurdity (“I poked a badger with a spoon.”) and a stellar storyteller (“So I went to France with a table, a mouse and a monkey.”) he also comes across as an interesting and “normal” sort of person – normal inasmuch as he doesn’t seem affected or ego-ridden. I can see having an extremely enjoyable dinner party with him as a pleasant guest, interacting and adding to the atmosphere, not dominating it or bringing everyone down with his need for attention, rampant zaniness, downer cynicism or unchecked sarcasm.
