# The Mount Rushmore of Comedy -- who are your four faces? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185 "2014-02-12T20:30:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/61 "2014-02-14T00:17:13Z")
Costello, Lsurel, Groucho, Hope, Pryor ---
**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:** [February 14, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/62 "2014-02-14T00:26:15Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > Costello, Lsurel, Groucho, Hope, Pryor 2 + 2 = 5 for large values of 2? šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/63 "2014-02-14T00:42:40Z")
John Cleese Tina Fey Richard Pryor Louis CK ---
**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:** [February 14, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/64 "2014-02-14T01:23:27Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I think Iā€™d reserve the UK Mt. Rushmore more for the writers than the performers. To that end Iā€™m thinking Eddie Braben, Barry Cryer, Armando Ianucci, Graham Linehan etc. It is often those people who provide the material that makes you laugh. A perfect choice. I just bought a book of Braben scripts. He kept writing material for Morecambe and Wise after Morecambe died just because he enjoyed doing it so much. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/65 "2014-02-14T01:29:59Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Since this is the Mount Rushmore of comedians, maybe we should give some thought to who were the funniest Presidents? > > Kennedy is almost the only one I can think of known for a quick wit. Maybe Clinton? he made a really funny album. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/66 "2014-02-14T02:00:45Z")
Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Lewis Black and Eddie Izzard. Not necessarily in that order. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/67 "2014-02-14T02:14:34Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Since this is the Mount Rushmore of comedians, maybe we should give some thought to who were the funniest Presidents? Not a President unless you want to quibble about 2000, but Al Gore could be surprisingly funny. His turn on _Wait Wait Donā€™t Tell Me_ revealed a real wit behind the wooden facade. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/68 "2014-02-14T02:35:50Z")
All comedic forms: Aristophanes, Rabelais, Swift, Dickens US standup: Benny Rubin, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Lenny Bruce ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/69 "2014-02-14T08:06:48Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy. > > šŸ˜ƒ You might be a redneck ifā€¦ this is your Mt. Rushmore of Comedy ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/70 "2014-02-14T10:33:27Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Carlin, Pryor, Murphy, Rock After reading the thread title, during the 3-4 seconds it took me to click the link, open the thread and start reading the OP this is exactly the list Iā€™d settled on. Pretty much no-brainers. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/71 "2014-02-14T11:32:57Z")
Without reading the thread, my _personal_ choices might be Mitch Hedberg, George Carlin, Louis C.K., and Sasha Baron Cohen. My _objective_ choices might be more like Benny, Cosby, Pryor (or maybe Martin instead), and Cleeseidlepalinjoneschapmangilliam. Weā€™re talking English language, obviously. If we include other languages, thatā€™s a whole other thing. You could start with Mexicoā€™s Cantinflas. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/72 "2014-02-14T11:40:34Z")
ETA: If they keep going at the rate theyā€™re going now, Key and Peele might just end up replacing one of the four on my personal list. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/73 "2014-02-14T15:54:41Z")
This is impossible, but Iā€™ll give it a shot. Limiting to performers rather than writers, Iā€™ve still got to make two lists: Stand-up: Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, George Carlin Radio/TV/Film: Buster Keaton, Groucho Marx, Jack Benny, Gilda Radner ---
**Author:** ![Bellhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Bellhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bellhorn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/74 "2014-02-14T16:48:44Z")
Wow, all these posts and only one mention of Jack Benny. If you liked Johnny Carson, then you had to love Benny, since Carson freely admitted that he begged, borrowed and stole from the master. To me, Benny was perfect, and I even see some of him in a great contemporary comedian like Louis CK. **Jack Benny, Bob & Ray, Will Rogers, Sam Kinison** And honorable mention to Mort Sahl, who while not hysterical, sharpened the approach of Will Rogers and showed the way for comedians to make jokes about politicians. This line from Sahl, in 1989, may be the most perfect line in political satire: ā€œ_**George Washington couldnā€™t tell a lie. Richard Nixon couldnā€™t tell the truth. Ronald Reagan couldnā€™t tell the difference**_.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/75 "2014-02-15T01:42:40Z")
Two Jack Benny mentions, actually: myself, and aldiboronti (and now you) ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/76 "2018-12-22T19:37:48Z")
Mort Sahl Bill Hicks George Carlin Dick Gregory ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/77 "2018-12-22T19:46:30Z")
Robin Williams George Carlin Lenny Bruce John Belushi Zombies and funny ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/78 "2018-12-22T20:57:11Z")
I wonder how many would leave Cosby on their lists (looks like he had 12 or so mentions)? Does the funny overcome the moral failure? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/79 "2018-12-22T21:09:10Z")
The people Iā€™ve laughed the hardest at: Bob Newhart Bill Cosby Eddie Murphy George Carlin ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185/80 "2018-12-22T21:16:07Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > I wonder how many would leave Cosby on their lists (looks like he had 12 or so mentions)? Does the funny overcome the moral failure? I donā€™t find him funny, but if I did, I wouldā€¦ I like the observation you made. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mount-rushmore-of-comedy-who-are-your-four-faces/681185.md?page=5)