# The Funniest Comic/Comedian -- a search for names for a poll

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 26, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341 "2011-05-26T19:30:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/21 "2011-05-27T04:19:20Z")

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I’m surprised that Denis Miller hasn’t made the list. Also (speaking of obscure) I’ll throw in Greg Giraldo. Not high-brow but funny - NSFW here:

[linky](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFgZA1Uovv4)

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/22 "2011-05-27T05:02:40Z")

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++++++++++++ Progress Report +++++++++++

As of Post #20 these people have been mentioned more than once:

Dave Attell  
Lewis Black  
Lenny Bruce  
George Carlin  
Louis CK

Bill Cosby  
Zach Galifianakis  
Mitch Hedberg  
Bill Hicks  
Richard Jeni

Sam Kinison  
Steve Martin  
Norm McDonald  
Patton Oswalt  
Richard Pryor

Chris Rock  
Jerry Seinfeld  
Daniel Tosh  
Dennis Wolfberg  
Steven Wright

==========================

I’m keeping a tally by name and as we approach 50 posts those with the most mentions will be the ones in the eventual poll. If we were to get no more posts with lists of names to consider, this is the group I would use for the poll.

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/23 "2011-05-27T13:10:03Z")

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> [@PlainJain](#):
>
> …Also (speaking of obscure) I’ll throw in Greg Giraldo. Not high-brow but funny - NSFW here:
> 
> [linky](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFgZA1Uovv4)

That’s some funny stuff right there. (On jerking off to Pam Anderson: “I’ve spilled more seed than Muhammad Ali at a bird feeder”)

On another note, I am noticing that a very large (relatively speaking) percentage of stand up comedians have died at a young age.  
You can add Giraldo to my list, if that is allowed.  
mmm

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/24 "2011-05-27T13:22:14Z")

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> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> You can add Giraldo to my list, if that is allowed.  
> mmm

Done.

That is some fun stuff and your observation about life expectancy among comics seems valid to me. Not that they are all that more likely to die young than the general public, but it’s still alarming how many of the really good comics are dead now. That’s not counting the octogenerians!

Not that I’m anxious to take it on as a side project, but a thread on Dead Comics for the sake of getting votes for Best might be worth somebody else’s time.

And as for adding to lists, I’m more for getting the right group of names to vote for than I am for policing multiple votes in this thread. In fact, I’m planning to link to posts in the other recent threads I started on “who’s funnier/funniest?” to be sure the good folks are in the running for the poll.

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**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/25 "2011-05-27T13:52:18Z")

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How has \*\*Eddie Murphy \*\*not been mentioned? I mean, I know he’s not funny now but _Raw_ was excellent.

We need some UK comedians here, starting with **Peter Kay**. Seriously, the man is a comic genius. Also of note:

**Sean Lock  
Omid Djalili  
Rich Hall** (I know he’s American but he’s big in the UK)  
**Eddie Izzard  
Tim Vine**  
and the Man Himself, **Bob Monkhouse**.\*

And since you’re counting multiple hits as a criteria for inclusion here are some more:

**Paula Poundstone  
Gilbert Gottfried  
Bill Hicks  
Jonathan Winters  
Don Rickles  
Bob Newhart  
Robin Williams  
Bill Cosby  
Steve Martin  
Chris Rock  
Woody Allen  
Lenny Bruce  
George Carlin  
Richard Pryor**

- Best joke ever: “They laughed when I said I wanted to be a comedian. But they’re not laughing now.”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/26 "2011-05-27T14:18:35Z")

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That’s the spirit, **Gyrate**!

==================

From [Who’s Funnier, Gervais or Izzard?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=609745) – [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13846973&postcount=98) – and – [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13848664&postcount=103) yield these names that I’m adding to the list or to the name counts.

Bill Maher  
Dave Chappelle  
Chris Rock  
Al Franken  
Larry David  
Garry Shandling  
Louis C.K.  
Sarah Silverman  
David Sedaris

Robert Klein  
George Carlin  
Lewis Black  
If **Acsenray** , **TruCelt** or **PlainJain** wish to embellish their comments or add to their lists in this thread, please do so.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/27 "2011-05-27T15:10:44Z")

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After the first 30 posts in [Who was/is Funniest?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=610018) where the voting is:

```auto

Flip Wilson 3 2.56% 
Eddie Murphy 11 9.40% 
Chris Rock 25 21.37% 
Richard Pryor 45 38.46% 
Bill Cosby 29 24.79% 
Redd Foxx 4 3.42% 

```

Names mentioned that aren’t in the poll, and which I’m adding to the list/counts are:

George Carlin  
Steve Allen  
Elayne Boosler  
Nipsey Russell  
Sam Kinison  
Patton Oswalt

Also, if you’re looking for a source list to pick from, and missed seeing it in that thread, see [List of comedians - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comedians)

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**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/28 "2011-05-27T15:21:09Z")

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it’s criminal that there’s only 1 jim gaffigan nomination. 2 now.

russell peters had some juice about 4 years ago. his asian accents are spot on.

i think mitch hedburg is going to run away with this one if it’s multiple options, but Cosby is going to have a lot of votes as well.

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**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 27, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/29 "2011-05-27T16:00:11Z")

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jim gaffigan  
Gabriel Iglasias  
Mitch Hedberg  
Katt Williams  
Patrice O’Neil

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/30 "2011-05-27T16:03:05Z")

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> [@pancakes3](#):
>
> it’s criminal that there’s only 1 jim gaffigan nomination. 2 now.
> 
> russell peters had some juice about 4 years ago. his asian accents are spot on.
> 
> i think mitch hedburg is going to run away with this one if it’s multiple options, but Cosby is going to have a lot of votes as well.

Your hunch is good! Here are how the multiple-mentions are doing at this point:

```auto

Woody Allen (2)
Dave Attell (2)
Lewis Black (3)
Lenny Bruce (3)
George Carlin (8) <===

Dave Chappelle (2)
Louis CK (8) <===
Bill Cosby (6) <===
Jim Gaffigan (2)
Zach Galifianakis (2)

Greg Giraldo (2)
Mitch Hedberg (7) <===
Bill Hicks (3)
Eddie Izzard (2)
Richard Jeni (2)

Sam Kinison (3)
Bill Maher (2)
Steve Martin (6) <===
Norm MacDonald (2)
Bob Newhart (2)

Patton Oswalt (4)
Paula Poundstone (2)
Richard Pryor (6) <===
Chris Rock (4)
Jerry Seinfeld (2)

Garry Shandling (2)
Daniel Tosh (2)
Tim Vine (2)
Robin Williams (2)
Jonathan Winters (2)

Dennis Wolfberg (3)
Steven Wright (4)

```

I wouldn’t be opposed to going with these 32 names, if it comes to that. But the list might change enough over the next 30 posts (or so) to start dropping the (2) or even (3) counters from the eventual poll.

So if you have looked over the names already mentioned that are not yet on the multiple-mentions list, you might use the opportunity to get your favorites into contention.

My main objective is to have a poll of what SDMB users consider the Funny Folks to see which ones are the Funniest. This preliminary thread is to try to be as fair as possible. I expect the Eventual Poll to be Multiple Choice with an honor-system limit of five votes per voter.

If you have points to make about where this is headed, now’s the time to say so. After-the-fact bitching and moaning about who didn’t make it to the list is just for the sake of B&M as I see it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/31 "2011-05-27T16:04:08Z")

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> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#):
>
> jim gaffigan  
> Gabriel Iglasias  
> Mitch Hedberg  
> Katt Williams  
> Patrice O’Neil

Your post came while I was doing my latest. I’ll add yours to the tallies.

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**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/32 "2011-05-27T16:08:14Z")

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I am shocked that Andy Kaufmann is not mentioned by anybody.

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**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:** [May 27, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/33 "2011-05-27T16:09:24Z")

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Some of my favorites will make the final list no matter what, so I’ll cast a vote for some lesser-scoring faves:

Eddie Izzard  
Richard Jeni  
Bob Newhart  
Robin Williams  
Dennis Wolfberg (“Run Jews! Run!”)

**GO** - I’m not. Kaufman may have been a genius, and was definitely disturbing, iconoclastic and interesting, but _funny_ he wasn’t. YMMV, of course.

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**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/34 "2011-05-27T16:18:03Z")

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**Bill Burr**  
Dave Attell  
Dave Chappelle  
**David Cross**  
Lewis Black  
**Robert Schimmel**

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [May 27, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/35 "2011-05-27T16:55:44Z")

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> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#):
>
> I am shocked that Andy Kaufmann is not mentioned by anybody.

Not so much a comedian or comic as a performance artist, though. Funny stuff, though.

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**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/36 "2011-05-27T17:29:29Z")

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I am really disappointed I’m the only one who’s suggested Titus so far.

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**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/37 "2011-05-27T17:37:38Z")

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I’ll second Robert Schimmel from **DCnDC’s** post. And unless I missed it, I can’t believe that I’m the first to mention Ron White.

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**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/38 "2011-05-27T18:19:07Z")

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Well, for me it would certainly be a choice between a number of British comedians (I’ve not heard of most of the American ones mentioned) but there’s probably no point putting them in a poll on a US-centric board. I suppose you could include Eddie Izzard and Ricky Gervais, but I don’t know if any others would have been heard of over there.

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/39 "2011-05-27T18:32:42Z")

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> [@Candyman74](#):
>
> Well, for me it would certainly be a choice between a number of British comedians (I’ve not heard of most of the American ones mentioned) but there’s probably no point putting them in a poll on a US-centric board. I suppose you could include Eddie Izzard and Ricky Gervais, but I don’t know if any others would have been heard of over there.

See post #25 for some Brits already named besides Izzard and Gervais.

Your point is well taken as far as likely results of the poll go, but I’m hoping comedy fans may refer to this thread and others in the same vein for names of comics they haven’t seen or heard before. In the spirit of that sort of sharing, I’d welcome a list of British funny people for reference if nothing else.

ETA: You might also look at [Convince us your favorite comedian is funny, in three YouTube clips or less. - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=610068) (Convince us your favorite comedian is funny, in three YouTube clips or less.) for a way to share your favorites with the Dope.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-comic-comedian-a-search-for-names-for-a-poll/583341/40 "2011-05-27T19:22:59Z")

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> [@Zeldar](#):
>
> See post #25 for some Brits already named besides Izzard and Gervais.
> 
> Your point is well taken as far as likely results of the poll go, but I’m hoping comedy fans may refer to this thread and others in the same vein for names of comics they haven’t seen or heard before. In the spirit of that sort of sharing, I’d welcome a list of British funny people for reference if nothing else.
> 
> ETA: You might also look at [Convince us your favorite comedian is funny, in three YouTube clips or less. - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=610068) (Convince us your favorite comedian is funny, in three YouTube clips or less.) for a way to share your favorites with the Dope.

OK, well **Stewart Lee** and\*\* Richard Herring\*\*, for sure (independently as current comics, not for the stuff they did together back in the day - although \*Fist of Fun \*was pretty funny).

I know it’s an upopular choice to those who like “cool” comedians, but **Michael McIntyre** is actually really funny, despite being incredible mainstream.

**Jack Dee** used to be pretty funny. \*\*Rhod Gilbert \*\*is very funny. **Chris Addison** does some great standup when he’s not busy being on TV.

**Rowan Atkinson**. I don’t know if he still does stand-up (I suspect not) but he was frikkin’ _hilarious_ when he did.

Honourable mentions: **Bill Bailey** , \*\*Jimmy Carr \*\*(getting a bit stale now, though, I think).

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