# Stand-up comics - Who makes you laugh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes\ **Created:** [April 18, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867 "2023-04-18T21:04:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/41 "2023-04-19T04:22:17Z")
Brian Regan ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/42 "2023-04-19T04:41:06Z")
ron shock and george wallace who was the bernic mac of the 70s and 80s ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/43 "2023-04-19T05:02:37Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > Bill Cosby. Yes, he was a monster in real life but on stage was brilliant. Agreed on both counts. My other “not listed” are the late John Pinette, and Ron White. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/44 "2023-04-19T05:34:49Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Doug Stanhope, also not mentioned on this list, is the closest thing we’ve got to Carlin these days. Love Doug Stanhope, he has got some absurdly hilarious bits. His “Locked Up Abroad, Abroad Edition” is comedy gold. “Dear mother, I’m writing to you from _paradise_!” The “Any Given Sunday” bit is… well, I can’t do it justice trying to describe it. If you’ve heard it you know. If you haven’t heard it… well, I’m not going to link to it because it very likely violates a bunch of board rules about being NSFW. I have also really been enjoying the comedy of Kelsey Cook. She’s also a professional foosball player and she has a Youtube series where she plays against other comedians and absolutely embarrasses them by doing things like playing blindfolded or with oven mitts on or etc. Ari Schaffir’s special called [JEW](https://youtu.be/y2YtIBYM4w0) had me laughing the entire time. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/45 "2023-04-19T05:37:06Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > Brian Regan He got my vote too. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/46 "2023-04-19T06:00:06Z")
Trevor Noah makes me laugh. “I don’t know what taco is, I don’t know what taco be.” “Why on earth would I want a napkin?” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/47 "2023-04-19T06:55:55Z")
Another vote for Doug Stanhope. Also Stewart Lee. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/48 "2023-04-19T11:40:19Z")
I include Paula Poundstone. I’ve seen her live twice - she’s amazing with audience interaction. Plus she cracks me up on Wait Wait. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/49 "2023-04-19T11:44:35Z")
Chris Porter and Josh Blue ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/50 "2023-04-19T11:48:42Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > Brian Regan Great add, bonus points because he’s clean enough along with Gaffigan so my kids can watch. It’s harder to be funny rated PG, but the jokes can be better and normal everyday common occurrences have the strange feeling of being an untapped well for standup. If the standup is a man the majority of his set will be about his dick or how things relate to it, if the comedian is a woman the set will be about her vagina. Apparently no one has another organ. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/51 "2023-04-19T12:03:29Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Doug Stanhope, also not mentioned on this list, is the closest thing we’ve got to Carlin these days. Saw him live last month and he opened his set by asking the crowd; “So, now that we’ve all had time to look back and reflect, which did you like better - covid or 9/11?” Yeah, I mean he can be funny, but I also find Doug to be gratingly cynical in a way that George Carlin never quite was, even though both do the “grumpy angry cynical guy” thing. > [@tripthicket](#): > > Brian Regan Hot take: He’s past his prime. He was much funnier back in the 90’s and early 2000’s, but his last two specials have been a mixed bag at best. Loved Brian Regan back in his “yellow one is the sun” days, but he isn’t as funny now. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/52 "2023-04-19T14:07:28Z")
No love for Bill Engvall? The rest of the Blue Collar group are getting mentioned. John Pinette definitely. Pam Stone was a hoot when I saw her back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/53 "2023-04-19T16:32:35Z")
I like Sebastian Maniscalco. His material is good, but his exaggerated voices and physical mannerisms are what makes him really entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/54 "2023-04-19T16:56:23Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > We got to see Jeselnik last week. Jeselnik is a true master. Also not mentioned but hilarious: Gary Gulman. If you like smart comedy, Gary is your man. > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I include Paula Poundstone. While she is not in my top twenty, she does have one of the best standup jokes I’ve ever heard: “So yeah, I tried to kill myself. I decided to let the exhaust from my car suffocate me, just let me go peacefully… but, ya know, my apartment building has a really big parking garage…” ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/55 "2023-04-19T16:59:04Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Also Stewart Lee. I loved Carpet Remnant World. On the other hand, Lee also does ‘sketches’ where he just makes stupid noises, a conceit which can wear a bit thin. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/56 "2023-04-19T17:00:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Also not mentioned but hilarious: Gary Gulman. If you like smart comedy, Gary is your man. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/57 "2023-04-19T17:02:07Z")
> [@eburacum45](#): > > I loved Carpet Remnant World. On the other hand, Lee also does ‘sketches’ where he just makes stupid noises, a conceit which can wear a bit thin. He definitely takes an idea too far from time to time, almost to see how much he can get away with, but when he’s good, he’s very good. [Here’s a little bit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvHlD7Lg5x0) where he very nicely takes the piss out of his own act. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/58 "2023-04-19T18:07:58Z")
I saw Norm MacDonald’s stand up in person on a comedy tour and was blown away; I had no idea he was so funny. He was easily the funniest comic of the night. I’d have also voted for James Acaster. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/59 "2023-04-21T00:02:31Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > So many to list in “Other” that I can’t even believe aren’t on the list. And these are just the ones that I like. > There are quite a few that I don’t like, who nonetheless have earned a spot on that list as well. > In no particular order: > James Acaster > Dara O’Briain > Eddie Izzard > Greg Davies > Rod Gilbert > Daniel Sloss > Billy Connolly > Taylor Thomlinson > Bert Kreischer > Amy Schumer > Jeff Foxworthy > Larry the Cable Guy > Gabriel Iglesias > Leanne Morgan > Jeanne Robertson > Ali Wong > Jo Koy > Iliza Schlesinger > Katherine Ryan > Fortune Feimster > Trevor Noah > Ron White > Neal Brennan > Tom Papa > John Leguizamo > Leslie Jones Nitpick: Rhod Gilbert. And Taylor Tomlinson. I’ve never seen Rhod Gilbert’s standup; I’ve only ever seen him on panel shows like _Never Mind The Buzzcocks_, _QI_, and _Would I Lie To You_. But he’s generally fun to watch. I watched the whole series of _Taskmaster_ he was in, and he was equal parts hilarious and terrifyingly sociopathic. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867/60 "2023-04-21T14:12:31Z")
Don’t think Emo Philips has been mentioned yet. He was very funny back in the day. Master of the misdirection joke that takes a dark turn: "My girlfriend was mad at me because I didn’t open the car door for her the other day… …but I was too busy swimming to the surface." [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-up-comics-who-makes-you-laugh/982867.md?page=4)