# THAT person is a stand up comedian? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642 "2012-10-23T18:02:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/41 "2012-10-24T14:34:38Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > It was his deal before the sitcom, though. He was stunned when they cast him as the very vanilla, Father-type. It was insane. Oh man… the achingly un-funny patter that he used to do on America’s Funniest Home Videos. It was painful. I used to like watching the videos, but his hosting, good grief. It was embarassing. I felt bad for the guy. I hope he made LOTS of money from the Full House / AFV jobs and never has to do that again. Maybe some of his money could be used for therapy. ---
**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:** [October 24, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/42 "2012-10-24T14:41:51Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > [Joel McHale doing stand-up.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOWCgGhI7Mg) I heard Joel on the radio before Community and I thought he said he only became a stand-up after his agent showed him how much he could earn because of his fame on the Soup. So, he is doing an act, but is an actor and presenter first. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/43 "2012-10-24T15:05:11Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > Joe Rogan who is a host for Fear Factor (best reality show on tv) and does color commentary for Ultimate Fighting Championship (mixed martial arts) does standup. I think of him as a stand up who does that other stuff on the side. > [@TriPolar](#): > > He seems to have gone overboard with the filth after that sit-notcom to try and break the typecast. If anything he is less filthy after Full House. He couldn’t possibly be filthiest than he was before. I guess I’m not that surprised by stand ups acting. I’m pretty aware of who does stand up even though I don’t get to go to see it as often as I want. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/44 "2012-10-24T15:22:21Z")
Saget isn’t a particularly good stand up comic. He basically free forms with the audience, trying to work in really outrageous/offensive comments that might make the audience laugh out of disbelief. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/45 "2012-10-24T17:45:58Z")
Saget toned down his act because _FH_ fans were in the audience. (IOW-kids) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/46 "2012-10-24T18:15:52Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > And a good friend of Craig Ferguson, apparently, who is also not known for his political correctness. ETA: Oh yeah, Craig Ferguson does stand-up, too - we went to see him a couple of years ago. I saw him many years ago in Scotland, when he was using the stage name Bing Hitler. He was very funny, but wired to the moon. I don’t think it was just the drink he had a problem with. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/47 "2012-10-24T18:21:06Z")
He’s admitted that he used drugs in the past. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/48 "2012-10-24T18:23:19Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > He’s admitted that he used drugs in the past. He was speeding out his tits when I saw him. Mind you, I may well have been too…Anyway, good to see a local boy done good. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/49 "2012-10-24T18:59:29Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Saget toned down his act because _FH_ fans were in the audience. (IOW-kids) No he didn’t. He got back into standup after the show and did nothing but try to distance himself from that character. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/50 "2012-10-24T20:53:01Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Also, I think a lot of people of more recent generations would be shocked to learn that **Woody Allen** started out as a stand-up comic, as did **Bob Newhart**. Both had great success with their comedy careers before making it big in film/tv. I came in to mention Bob Newhart. I think he was the first standup comedian to get a television series; I used to listen to his comedy records - very funny. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/51 "2012-10-24T20:59:34Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > I came in to mention Bob Newhart. I think he was the first standup comedian to get a television series; I used to listen to his comedy records - very funny. His 1961 show predates any others I can think of offhand. You could credit Groucho Marx with this, but he I don’t know if he ever billed himself as a standup comic though he often filled that role. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/52 "2012-10-24T21:06:47Z")
Jim Davidson, a successful, but very ‘seventies’ UK comedian played a straight role in Peter Greenaways “A Zed and Two Noughts”. Bizarre, even for that rather bizarre film… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/53 "2012-10-25T17:25:33Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > He’s admitted that he used drugs in the past. He wrote an autobiography (which I have also read - [“American On Purpose”](http://www.amazon.ca/American-On-Purpose-Craig-Ferguson/dp/0061719544)) where he talks about his checkered past. It doesn’t sound like he had many limits on his debauchery. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642/54 "2012-10-25T21:06:07Z")
I think Eddie Izzard is hilarious as a stand-up comic but he’s also done serious acting roles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-person-is-a-stand-up-comedian/638642.md?page=2)