# Please recommend some Standup Comedians **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336 "2011-05-09T21:59:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/41 "2011-05-10T17:53:01Z")
Bill Engvall keeps his comedy relatively clean (relatively!) and I appreciate that. I know that a lot of folks don’t care, but frankly, I think it takes a lot more cleverness to maintain that kind of humor. It’s all too easy to be “funny” when somebody resorts to dirty jokes or toilet humor. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/42 "2011-05-10T19:01:11Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Bill Engvall keeps his comedy relatively clean (relatively!) and I appreciate that. I know that a lot of folks don’t care, but frankly, I think it takes a lot more cleverness to maintain that kind of humor. It’s all too easy to be “funny” when somebody resorts to dirty jokes or toilet humor. Well then you should like Brian Regan, it is one of the things I do like about his show. I feel I could take my teen daughter to his shows, which I couldn’t say for a lot of comedians! But Brian Regan’s stuff is pretty clean and everyday kind of activities and he does a good job with it. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/43 "2011-05-10T20:06:11Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] Or early Denis Leary, back when he was hopped up on coke all the time. [/QUOTE] I don’t think we can be friends any more. > [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > I’ll second most of the names mentioned upthread, and add [Dylan Moran](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY0A-15JQ8k&feature=related). I have to say, he’s my all-time favorite out of the lot. Jesus, how could I forget about him. He’s fantastic. And I had no idea he’d recorded a new show so thanks a lot for that. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/44 "2011-05-10T20:23:56Z")
I don’t think they’ve been mentioned, but as for comics in the vein of the OP, I’d recommend David Cross, Mark Maron, Bobcat Goldthwait, and a ton others mentioned, especially Patton Oswalt and Doug Stanhope. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/45 "2011-05-10T21:48:51Z")
I’ll add Katt Williams. He swears A LOT but he is funny as hell. Friends with Shaq [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-ASALoD3OO0/hqdefault.jpg "Friends with Shaq - Katt Williams: American Hustle") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ASALoD3OO0) and Poor Little Tink Tink [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_qlNEmpxQxI/hqdefault.jpg "Poor Little Tink Tink - Katt Williams: It's Pimpin' Pimpin'") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qlNEmpxQxI) ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/46 "2011-05-11T15:13:49Z")
Jeremy Hotz [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ePazKStdNPw/hqdefault.jpg "Jeremy Hotz") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePazKStdNPw) Jake Johansen (I haven’t seen him in years, but he _was_ awesome) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYvF6pBZAio) Daniel Tosh [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbrTeoDl0f4) Second David Cross [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JPuS1XoRoJs/hqdefault.jpg "David Cross - The "Redneck" Voice") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPuS1XoRoJs) ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Time\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/47 "2011-05-11T15:37:52Z")
I recently saw Dan Telfer open for Patton Oswalt, and he just slayed me. His act is a very nerdy, science-oriented comedy. I think Dopers would probably really appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/48 "2011-05-11T15:47:58Z")
[Victoria Wood](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZCIKjYDf1g) [Jo Brand](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHmZd6yVTS8) [Jimmy Carr](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YxAGx0Dq1E) [Russell Howard](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-weFBV7YmHA) [Lee Evans](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alDtWeSHOn0) [David O’Doherty](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi0LhopENCg) [Sarah Millican](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyuo9ZH3frE) Some material may offend. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/49 "2011-05-11T16:38:21Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Jake Johansen (I haven’t seen him in years, but he _was_ awesome) > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYvF6pBZAio](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYvF6pBZAio) Oh man I remember him. I love him. I was curious so I looked up his wiki page, which is fairly short, and it says he still does stand-up and headlines an annual comedy festival in Iowa. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/50 "2011-05-11T16:38:52Z")
For my money, Louis C.K. and Patton Oswalt are the best comics around today, but since were mentioned within the first three posts: [Hannibal Buress](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIR8ir3ioqg) didn’t appeal to me at first, but once I got accustomed to his delivery style, I liked him a lot. He’s one of the hotter rising stars today, I believe. [Greg Warren](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AXRQTY73DY) deserves more attention than he apparently gets. I love his “one-star people” schtick. And probably no one will agree with me on this, but I think [Neil Hamburger](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xFdoS4Xz4A) has the best delivery of just about any comic I’ve seen. His jokes aren’t even funny, he’s all delivery. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/51 "2011-05-11T17:27:27Z")
I’m going to third David Cross here. He, Patton Oswalt and Louis C.K. are my trifecta of comedy. They all consistently make me laugh to the point where I can’t breathe anymore. Also, for you Patton Oswalt fans out there, I highly recommend checking out the audiobook of his new book, “Zombie Spaceship Wasteland.” It’s both hilarious and thought provoking. A few other great ones that I haven’t seen mentioned. [Dana Gould](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeNAG11lElA) - Absolutely hilarious. Would probably break into that trifecta (fourfecta?), expect he’s mainly a writer and doesn’t have a lot of stand-up out there. He was bigger in the 90s but he’s making a comeback. But if you have Netflix, I highly recommend checking out [Let Me Put MY Thoughts In You.](http://www.amazon.com/Dana-Gould-Let-Put-Thoughts/dp/B001NPK5BK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1305133072&sr=8-2) It starts out kinda lame relationship humor, but then it takes a hilarious dark turn 12 minutes in and it never goes back. [Maria Bamford](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uTM_HIabUs)- My number 5 comedian. Easily the funniest female comedian out there. In fact, I don’t even like saying that because she transcends the traditional label of “Female comedian.” [Brian Posehn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWJ73PKzcFQ) - Great nerd humor. Along with Patton Oswalt and Maria Bamford, he’s part of the Comedians of Comedy. They had a movie (also on Netflix, check it out!), a tv show, and several specials. Previously mentioned (and always hilarious) Zach Galifinakis was kind of the “Shemp” of the group, he’s since been replaced by [Eugene Mirman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5xHbumPWJ8)- I don’t know how to describe this guy. One of the most alternative “alternative comics” out there. Best known as the landlord on Flight of the Conchords, also featuring [Rhys Darby](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhqoJML7baU) - Hilarious. Kiwi. Robot Noises. Rounding out the FotC alums we have [Kristen Schaal](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl4cCCDqOyE) and [Arj Barker](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-WU0pV2AXE) who was in the marijuana-logues with [Doug Benson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUM69fH7FaE) - You don’t have to be a pot smoker to enjoy him. He’s hilarious no matter what. I have no segue for [Jon Mulany](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iEDyTqubiM) - New young comedian. I can’t wait to see where he might go, because he is hilarious. [Jimmy Pardo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMIhwW82JWs) - One of the most “skilled” comedians I’ve ever seen. He’s the opening comedian for Conan, has his own podcast “Never Not Funny” and he tours. I saw him twice in two months and he had completely different material each time. There’s more, but I’ve been looking up comedians for 45 minutes now and I should stop. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Cheech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Mister\_Cheech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Cheech)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/52 "2011-05-12T02:55:25Z")
OP: I really don’t like Joe Rogan but Louis C.K. is definitely a good one. You absolutely must watch Norm MacDonald’s special “Me Doing Stand-Up” Marc Maron’s albums can be tough because they’re so raw, but as far as sheer talent goes, no living comic compares to him. Also: Bill Hicks Mitch Hedberg Lenny Bruce Steve Martin Richard Pryor Sarah Silverman Maria Bamford Zach Galifianakis Patton Oswalt Brian Posehn Doug Benson Paul F. Tompkins Dana Gould Hannibal Buress Junior Stopka Duncan Trussell Natasha Leggero Chelsea Peretti Tig Notaro Eddie Pepitone Patrice Oneal ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Cheech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Mister\_Cheech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Cheech)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/53 "2011-05-12T03:03:15Z")
Alternatively, just watch a whole bunch of episodes of Comedy Central Presents and figure out which ones you like most. ---
**Author:** ![quedefuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@quedefuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quedefuk)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/54 "2011-05-12T06:58:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _Nobody_ makes me laugh harder than [John Pinette.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daj_mijJMCI&feature=related) Thanks for that. I needed it. Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/55 "2011-05-12T13:45:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _Nobody_ makes me laugh harder than [John Pinette.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Daj_mijJMCI&feature=related) I’ve quoted a line of his a few times, from his bit about being on a nude beach in France: “There’s a fine line between rubbing lotion on yourself, and rubbing yourself with lotion.” hehehe ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336/56 "2011-05-12T15:07:33Z")
There’s also Frank Caliendo. He pretty much just does impressions but he does a lot of different ones. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kAMIlPudalQ/hqdefault.jpg "Frank Caliendo - Impressions") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAMIlPudalQ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-recommend-some-standup-comedians/581336.md?page=2)