# The Funniest Stand-up Comic (Your Top Five)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 28, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592 "2011-05-28T20:09:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/1 "2011-05-28T20:09:57Z")
This is a Multiple-choice Honor-system Poll
Pick your Top Five Stand-up Comics (all time)
The source data are those names that were mentioned more than once in
[The Funniest Comic/Comedian – a search for names for a poll](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=610078) which was started 05-26-2011, 02:30 PM.
The 37 names are:
Woody Allen
Dave Attell
Lewis Black
Lenny Bruce
George Carlin
Dave Chappelle
Louis CK
Bill Cosby
Jim Gaffigan
Zach Galifianakis
Greg Giraldo
Mitch Hedberg
Bill Hicks
Gabriel Iglesias
Eddie Izzard
Richard Jeni
Sam Kinison
Bill Maher
Steve Martin
Norm MacDonald
Bob Newhart
Patton Oswalt
Paula Poundstone
Richard Pryor
Don Rickles
Chris Rock
Robert Schimmel
Jerry Seinfeld
Garry Shandling
Daniel Tosh
Tim Vine
Ron White
Katt Williams
Robin Williams
Jonathan Winters
Dennis Wolfberg
Steven Wright
Use “Other” for names you wish had been on the list, and post who they may be.
Due to the holiday weekend, I decided not to wait for more posts in the preliminary thread.
---
### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/2 "2011-05-28T20:12:15Z")
Working just from the list:
Dave Attell
Carlin
Dave Chappelle
Pryor
Robert Schimmel
---
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/3 "2011-05-28T20:16:54Z")
George Carlin
Mitch Hedberg
Seinfeld
Louis CK
Stephen Wright
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/4 "2011-05-28T20:21:55Z")
Sorry for the delay getting the poll up! Thanks, **Mahaloth** and **DCnDC** and you can vote now if you wish.
---
### Author:  [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/5 "2011-05-28T20:24:16Z")
In no particular order, I picked:
Izzard
Carlin
Hicks
Rock
Hedberg
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/6 "2011-05-28T20:31:01Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#):
>
> In no particular order, I picked:
> Izzard
> Carlin
> Hicks
> Rock
> Hedberg
Thanks!
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/7 "2011-05-28T20:38:47Z")
In the interest of full disclosure, and to vouch for how hard picking 5 is, I settled on:
Carlin
Hedberg
Hicks
Martin
Winters
---
### Author:  [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/8 "2011-05-28T20:43:17Z")
1. Robin Williams
2. Richard Pryor
3-5) Jonathan Winters, Eddie Izzard, Paula Poundstone
.
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/9 "2011-05-28T21:05:58Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#):
>
> 1. Robin Williams
> 2. Richard Pryor
>
> 3-5) Jonathan Winters, Eddie Izzard, Paula Poundstone
>
> .
If we had gone for 10, your list would have been added to mine and the extra (we share Winters) would have been Wright for me.
If we have to do a follow-up for whatever reason, I vote we go for a Top Ten!
---
### Author:  [@irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irritant)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/10 "2011-05-28T21:15:24Z")
1. Woody
Also voted for Hedberg, Hicks, Newhart, and Pryor. Might have voted for Dangerfield were he on there. Older acts like Lord Buckley maybe. Newer acts like Bamford or Todd Barry maybe. Duos like Nichols & May, Brooks & Reiner - that might stretch the definition of stand up a bit.
---
### Author:  [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/11 "2011-05-28T22:15:35Z")
Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Engvall don’t make your list, but _Ron White_ does?
Okay, okay, that is your list, but for _my_ part, I have never found White funny. Foxworthy and Engvall crack me up. I’d also add Jeff Denham. Poundstone and Williams round out my list, which is in no particular order.
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/12 "2011-05-28T23:00:45Z")
Checkpoint #1
```auto
George Carlin 12 60.00%
Mitch Hedberg 8 40.00%
Eddie Izzard 7 35.00%
Richard Pryor 7 35.00%
Louis CK 6 30.00%
Bill Cosby 6 30.00%
Bill Hicks 6 30.00%
Steve Martin 6 30.00%
Bob Newhart 5 25.00%
Dave Chappelle 4 20.00%
Robin Williams 4 20.00%
Lewis Black 3 15.00%
Ron White 3 15.00%
Jonathan Winters 3 15.00%
Woody Allen 2 10.00%
Gabriel Iglesias 2 10.00%
Paula Poundstone 2 10.00%
Dave Attell 1 5.00%
Jim Gaffigan 1 5.00%
Zach Galifianakis 1 5.00%
Sam Kinison 1 5.00%
Bill Maher 1 5.00%
Norm MacDonald 1 5.00%
Patton Oswalt 1 5.00%
Chris Rock 1 5.00%
Robert Schimmel 1 5.00%
Jerry Seinfeld 1 5.00%
Daniel Tosh 1 5.00%
Katt Williams 1 5.00%
Steven Wright 1 5.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 20.
```
---
### Author:  [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/13 "2011-05-28T23:14:36Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#):
>
> Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Engvall don’t make your list, but _Ron White_ does?
>
> Okay, okay, that is your list, but for _my_ part, I have never found White funny. Foxworthy and Engvall crack me up. I’d also add Jeff Denham. Poundstone and Williams round out my list, which is in no particular order.
Opinions can vary. Foxworthy and Engvall are pretty amusing, but for my money Ron White is one of the funniest story teller comics I’ve ever heard.
My top five:
Richard Pryor
George Carlin
Louis CK
Robert Schimmel
Ron White
---
### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/14 "2011-05-29T00:01:36Z")
Pryor
Rock
Martin
Williams
and Peter Kay, dammit!
---
### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/15 "2011-05-29T00:07:24Z")
Picked the ones that just plain crack me up:
Cosby
Izzard
Rock
White
Williams
---
### Author:  [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/16 "2011-05-29T00:17:22Z")
In my mind, **George Carlin** is on his own level, far far above all the others. I would have voted for him times five if it were allowed.
I also chose:
Woody Allen
Mitch Hedberg
Steve Martin
Chris Rock
mmm
---
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/17 "2011-05-29T01:24:05Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> In my mind, **George Carlin** is on his own level, far far above all the others. I would have voted for him times five if it were allowed.
I wholeheartedly agree. Just on sheer volume, the man was amazing.
---
### Author:  [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/18 "2011-05-29T01:28:26Z")
My “other” was for Stewart Lee.
---
### Author:  [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/19 "2011-05-29T02:14:14Z")
My Others:
**Eddie Murphy**. Can’t believe he was excluded.
**Dennis Miller**
**Dana Carvey**
---
### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/20 "2011-05-29T02:40:31Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#):
>
> Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Engvall don’t make your list, but _Ron White_ does?
>
> Okay, okay, that is your list, but for _my_ part, I have never found White funny. Foxworthy and Engvall crack me up. I’d also add Jeff Denham. Poundstone and Williams round out my list, which is in no particular order.
This list was formed in large part from a previous recent thread in which **Zeldar** solicited names and selected those who more than one poster named. A lot of people mentioned Ron White, god knows why.
And while I’m with you on Jeff Dunham, he tends to get looked down on by comedy snobs, so generally doesn’t make ‘Best Comedian’ lists.
ETA: Also, since I picked Other in the poll, I should mention who: Christopher Titus.
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