# 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:** 17
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/21 "2011-05-29T02:55:16Z")
I’m of the mind that these sorts of discussions would be more interesting if they were restricted to living comedians. Carlin, Pryor, and Hedberg tend to dominate in the absence of such a restriction.
---
### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/22 "2011-05-29T03:02:43Z")
How can Lenny Bruce not have more votes?
---
### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/23 "2011-05-29T03:08:10Z")
Because Lenny was ground-breaking, daring, pushed the boundaries beyond the pale and was an iconoclast _par excellence_, but he wasn’t funny.
---
### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/24 "2011-05-29T03:26:42Z")
Before reading this poll I had never even heard of the names of most of those people, and I like stand-up comedy. Of those I have heard of, I have mostly only _heard of_, by their name only or, like Woody Allen and Bill Cosby, have never seen any of their stand-up routines. I think it would be have been better to ask ‘which American stand-up comedian do you like best.’
That’s not meant as thread-shitting or bitterness, honest! Just that everyone I can indentify on that poll is American apart from Eddie Izzard (perhaps some of the others are Canadian?), and this board is majority American, so it’d be better just to say upfront ‘American stand-up comic’ rather than pretend it’s really international.
---
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/25 "2011-05-29T03:29:09Z")
I’m surprised Brian Regan didn’t make it. He’s one of the most successful and consistent comedians of all time.
---
### Author:  [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/26 "2011-05-29T03:55:09Z")
I went with Mitch Hedberg, Steven Wright, Richard Jeni, Jerry Seinfeld, and Other: Brian Regan.
---
### Author:  [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/27 "2011-05-29T04:00:39Z")
Bill Maher
Louis CK
Patton Oswalt
Jim Gaffigan
Carlin
Jon Stewart is good in his standup too. So is emo phillips (an older comic I’ve seen live a few times). Hedberg is great too and it is too bad he died young, he could’ve produced a lot of comedy over his career.
---
### Author:  [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/28 "2011-05-29T04:06:29Z")
At the Mark Twain Awards when it was awarded to George Carlin, I remember Lily Tomlin talking about how he would practice and rehearse and re-do his act, honing each joke down to the syllable in order to convey his comedy. Really shows the man’s dedication, but also his great talent.
Then (in no particular order): Steve Martin, Bill Cosby, Lewis Black and Sam Kinison.
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/29 "2011-05-29T12:52:04Z")
Checkpoint #2 – Compare with [Post #12](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13854944&postcount=12)
```auto
George Carlin 33 50.00%
Richard Pryor 21 31.82%
Mitch Hedberg 20 30.30%
Bill Cosby 19 28.79%
Louis CK 18 27.27%
Eddie Izzard 17 25.76%
Steve Martin 16 24.24%
Chris Rock 15 22.73%
Steven Wright 14 21.21%
Lewis Black 12 18.18%
Jerry Seinfeld 12 18.18%
Robin Williams 12 18.18%
Bob Newhart 11 16.67%
Bill Hicks 10 15.15%
Ron White 9 13.64%
Jim Gaffigan 7 10.61%
Sam Kinison 7 10.61%
Patton Oswalt 7 10.61%
Other (Please Post Who) 7 10.61%
Jonathan Winters 6 9.09%
Norm MacDonald 5 7.58%
Woody Allen 4 6.06%
Dave Chappelle 4 6.06%
Bill Maher 4 6.06%
Paula Poundstone 4 6.06%
Katt Williams 4 6.06%
Gabriel Iglesias 3 4.55%
Richard Jeni 3 4.55%
Daniel Tosh 3 4.55%
Lenny Bruce 2 3.03%
Zach Galifianakis 2 3.03%
Robert Schimmel 2 3.03%
Dave Attell 1 1.52%
Greg Giraldo 1 1.52%
Garry Shandling 1 1.52%
Tim Vine 1 1.52%
Dennis Wolfberg 1 1.52%
Don Rickles 0 0%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 66
```
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/30 "2011-05-29T13:18:33Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#):
>
> I’m of the mind that these sorts of discussions would be more interesting if they were restricted to living comedians. Carlin, Pryor, and Hedberg tend to dominate in the absence of such a restriction.
Valid point! Disturbing even. What does that really say about the current crop of comedians?
> [@SciFiSam](#):
>
> Before reading this poll I had never even heard of the names of most of those people, and I like stand-up comedy. Of those I have heard of, I have mostly only _heard of_, by their name only or, like Woody Allen and Bill Cosby, have never seen any of their stand-up routines. I think it would be have been better to ask ‘which American stand-up comedian do you like best.’
>
> That’s not meant as thread-shitting or bitterness, honest! Just that everyone I can indentify on that poll is American apart from Eddie Izzard (perhaps some of the others are Canadian?), and this board is majority American, so it’d be better just to say upfront ‘American stand-up comic’ rather than pretend it’s really international.
I do hope you’ll read the linked thread in the OP. There were quite a few (some anyway) Brits mentioned along the way, but the more-than-once criterion to try to have a manageable list to vote on kept them off.
Please know that I’m all for a fair and comprehensive list of comics to consider before we declare this thread’s outcome as a definitive statement of what the SDMB thinks. A follow-up poll or two might help that to happen. I’m all for more opinions on the issue, and for other Dopers to approach the issue with threads of their own. There’s even a list of current threads in that linked-to thread in the OP.
Meanwhile, here’s a list of the “Others” that have appeared so far in this thread. Add away! (And point out any I may have missed.)
Others:
Dangerfield
Lord Buckley
Bamford
Todd Barry
Nichols & May
Brooks & Reiner
Jeff Foxworthy
Bill Engvall
Jeff Denham / Jeff Dunham
Peter Kay
Stewart Lee
Eddie Murphy
Dennis Miller
Dana Carvey
Christopher Titus
Brian Regan
Jon Stewart
emo phillips
---
### Author:  [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/31 "2011-05-29T14:20:06Z")
I voted for Stephen Wright, Steve Martin, Bill Cosby, George Carlin, and Bill Hicks.
If Gabe Kaplan were on the list, he would have edged out Hicks. (For people who only know Gabe Kaplan through _Welcome Back Kotter_: WBK is to Kaplan’s stand-up as _Fat Albert_ is to Cosby’s. Bland-enough-for-seventies-TV shadows of brilliantly funny characters and stories.)
---
### Author:  [@Dietrich\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dietrich_K)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/32 "2011-05-29T16:13:43Z")
In the order they appear in the list:
George Carlin
Sam Kinison
Patton Oswalt
Richard Pryor
Don Rickles
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/33 "2011-05-29T16:22:49Z")
> [@Dietrich\_K](#):
>
> In the order they appear in the list:
>
> George Carlin
> Sam Kinison
> Patton Oswalt
> Richard Pryor
> Don Rickles
Yippee! The last of the “0 votes” group has a vote!
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/34 "2011-05-29T16:38:43Z")
Checkpoint #3 (Compare with Posts #29 & #12)
```auto
George Carlin 36 48.00%
Richard Pryor 23 30.67%
Mitch Hedberg 21 28.00%
Louis CK 20 26.67%
Bill Cosby 20 26.67%
Eddie Izzard 19 25.33%
Steve Martin 18 24.00%
Chris Rock 17 22.67%
Steven Wright 16 21.33%
Bob Newhart 15 20.00%
Robin Williams 14 18.67%
Lewis Black 13 17.33%
Bill Hicks 13 17.33%
Jerry Seinfeld 13 17.33%
Ron White 10 13.33%
Sam Kinison 9 12.00%
Jim Gaffigan 8 10.67%
Patton Oswalt 8 10.67%
Jonathan Winters 7 9.33%
Other (Please Post Who) 7 9.33%
Paula Poundstone 6 8.00%
Woody Allen 5 6.67%
Bill Maher 5 6.67%
Norm MacDonald 5 6.67%
Dave Chappelle 4 5.33%
Zach Galifianakis 4 5.33%
Gabriel Iglesias 4 5.33%
Daniel Tosh 4 5.33%
Katt Williams 4 5.33%
Richard Jeni 3 4.00%
Dave Attell 2 2.67%
Lenny Bruce 2 2.67%
Robert Schimmel 2 2.67%
Greg Giraldo 1 1.33%
Don Rickles 1 1.33%
Garry Shandling 1 1.33%
Tim Vine 1 1.33%
Dennis Wolfberg 1 1.33%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 75
```
You might find it amusing to compare this sorted list with those in
> **[Who is the most annoying/unfunny stand-up comic? (Now with multiple choice!)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=610205)**
>
> I thought it would be interesting to put this out there as an accompaniment to the other recent stand-up polls and discussions. These names are off the top of my head, chosen based on my perception that each could conceivably be considered annoying...
Who is the most annoying/unfunny stand-up comic? (Now with multiple choice!)
---
### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/35 "2011-05-31T22:53:38Z")
Checkpoint #4
```auto
George Carlin 46 51.11%
Richard Pryor 29 32.22%
Mitch Hedberg 26 28.89%
Bill Cosby 23 25.56%
Eddie Izzard 22 24.44%
Chris Rock 22 24.44%
Steven Wright 22 24.44%
Louis CK 21 23.33%
Steve Martin 20 22.22%
Bob Newhart 17 18.89%
Robin Williams 16 17.78%
Lewis Black 15 16.67%
Jerry Seinfeld 14 15.56%
Bill Hicks 13 14.44%
Sam Kinison 12 13.33%
Jim Gaffigan 11 12.22%
Ron White 11 12.22%
Patton Oswalt 8 8.89%
Paula Poundstone 8 8.89%
Jonathan Winters 8 8.89%
Other (Please Post Who) 8 8.89%
Dave Chappelle 7 7.78%
Woody Allen 6 6.67%
Bill Maher 6 6.67%
Norm MacDonald 6 6.67%
Zach Galifianakis 5 5.56%
Gabriel Iglesias 5 5.56%
Richard Jeni 4 4.44%
Daniel Tosh 4 4.44%
Katt Williams 4 4.44%
Dave Attell 3 3.33%
Lenny Bruce 3 3.33%
Robert Schimmel 2 2.22%
Dennis Wolfberg 2 2.22%
Greg Giraldo 1 1.11%
Don Rickles 1 1.11%
Garry Shandling 1 1.11%
Tim Vine 1 1.11%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 90
```
---
### Author:  [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/36 "2011-05-31T23:58:58Z")
My votes went to Mitch Hedberg, Ron White, Jim Gaffigan.
I added
John Pinette
[Kathleen Madigan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wudtMKF2efE)
---
### Author:  [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-funniest-stand-up-comic-your-top-five/583592/37 "2011-06-01T00:49:14Z")
> [@Zeldar](#):
>
> Valid point! Disturbing even. What does that really say about the current crop of comedians?
I think there are plenty of great comedians nowadays, but it’s harder to become a household name than when “the greats” got famous. Contemporary comedians can more easily get lost in the vast sea of entertainment. People’s tastes in comedy seem to vary more widely than for other entertainment, making them more affected by media fragmentation.
P.S.: Kathleen Madigan is **not** funny. She’s not merely unfunny, but unclever (and ugly-voiced to boot). I once saw her tell the “If we evolved from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys?” joke. Not only was that just boastful ignorance, it was (probably) unoriginal. A professional comedian should do better than that.
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