# Who is the oldest comedian whose work is funny today? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes\ **Created:** [July 17, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171 "2023-07-17T17:48:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/41 "2023-07-18T12:07:17Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QHPmRJIoc2k/hqdefault.jpg "Tom Lehrer Full Copenhagen Performance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHPmRJIoc2k) ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/42 "2023-07-18T12:10:54Z")
I own a boxed set of cassettes called _The American Comedy Box_. Below is a link to a copy for sale of it which has the track listings. I don’t think that there is any clear point at which the comedy routines change from bad to good. The oldest ones certainly sound like they are about old issues that are not relevant to today, while the newest ones are by comedians you’ve heard of. The ways that the comedians use to present their routines have definitely changed over the years. Comedy, like everything else in our society, slowly evolves over time. I can’t make the link work as one you can click on. Put the pieces below into one line and you can get to the website with the list of comedy routines: https:// www.amazon .com/ But-Seriously-American-Comedy-Box/ dp/B00000338N Thank you, DesertDog, for the link to the Tom Lehrer concert. ---
**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:** [July 18, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/43 "2023-07-18T18:05:08Z")
That’s a really good selection of pieces. How did the Amazon reviewers think that 100 years of humor could all be represented? Interesting, though, that they used Barney Bernard’s cover version of “Cohen at the Telephone.” The credit for that one belongs to vaudevillian Joe Hayman. He recorded the original in London in 1913. It’s reputed to have sold two million copies in time, the first million-selling comedy record. The wordplay still holds up, better than a lot of contemporary humor. Hayman did multiple versions of the routine, many with his wife Mil Franklin. I somehow stumbled across _Twenty different adventures of Cohen on the Telephone_, published in London in 1929 as a trade paperback. A later edition, unfortunately. Like so many things, the later routines aren’t quite as good as the original. The illustrations are funny. They age Cohen from a dark mustache to a long white beard for “Cohen Still Phoning.” ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/44 "2023-07-19T03:01:14Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Best: Britain, Australia, New Zealand, United States You left of Canada, for without them we wouldn’t have Kids in the Hall and SCTV. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/45 "2023-07-19T03:36:00Z")
You are correct. Mea culpa. Some of my favorite comedians are indeed Canadian, including Norm MacDonald, John Candy, Leslie Nielson, Dan Aykroyd, and others. ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/46 "2023-07-19T03:54:54Z")
Lewis Black is about 40 years older than me and I can still appreciate his material. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/47 "2023-07-19T19:49:03Z")
I did not know those old songs were by Lehrer. Thanks for the link. I would also mention the Smothers Brothers, who were funny and courageous and who still have some topical humour (but some rambling stuff too. La Cucaracha!). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/48 "2023-07-19T19:59:03Z")
With all the love for Tom Lehrer, don’t forget Allen Sherman and Stan Freberg. (I could live without Spike Jones, though) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/49 "2023-07-19T20:46:00Z")
Ou high school Civ teachers always played Freberg’s History of the United States (that’s what it was called, right?) for us. ---
**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:** [July 19, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/50 "2023-07-19T21:30:59Z")
It’s technically _Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America Volume One: The Early Years_. That came out in 1961. Obviously there was supposed to be more volumes, but they got a trifle … delayed. Like until 1996 delayed when _Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America Volume Two: The Middle Years_ finally appeared. There was supposed to be a Volume Three as well, but, you know. He did the same thing for his 1988 autobiography, _It Only Hurts When I Laugh_, which abruptly stops in 1963 because there was another part coming. Maybe for the best, after the 60s he basically just faded as a force. He loudly hated rock and roll and the new counterculture. Hard to be a satirist when you aren’t at all part of your culture. But he was only 37 in 1963. Too bad, because he had such a fabulous history in radio, television, and advertising. Anyone remember Beany and Cecil in their first show _Time for Beany_? He did voices and puppetry for them. Even our oldsters here probably don’t know that. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/51 "2023-07-19T22:50:12Z")
I read Freberg’s autobiography, but it was years ago. As I recall, Freberg was approached by a producer who wanted to create a Broadway show based on the first record, but then that producer (can’t remember his name) just strung Freberg along and was a nightmare to work with. Legal issues between the two led to the delay of the second album. I’ve also heard that Steven Spielberg and Richard Dreyfus used to amuse themselves between filming scenes for _Jaws_ by singing some of Freberg’s songs from that record. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/52 "2023-07-19T23:57:22Z")
Stan Freberg literally became an encyclopedia salesman…in 1990. The man was cutting edge for about 5 years and just stopped moving with the times around 1965. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SbQFXWlVpIU/hqdefault.jpg "1990 - ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA COMMERCIAL with ANNOYING KID") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbQFXWlVpIU) ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/53 "2023-07-20T01:19:30Z")
I grew up hearing Tom Lehrer singing on _The Electric Company_. Here is [Silent E](https://youtu.be/91BQqdNOUxs) When I bought a Dr Demento tape years later, I recognized his voice on “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” and “Masochism Tango,” but couldn’t quite place it. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/54 "2023-07-20T05:13:31Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > and Stan Freberg I got to hear him “giving a talk” at Bumbershoot\*, but it was basically stand-up. So great. . \*Seattle music/comedy/theater festival ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/55 "2023-07-20T06:57:52Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Stan Freberg literally became an encyclopedia salesman…in 1990. That’s Stan Freberg’s son Donovan in the commercial. In one of the ads in that series, you can see Freberg’s autobiography on the bookshelf. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2023, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/56 "2023-07-20T06:58:42Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I got to hear him “giving a talk” at Bumbershoot\*, but it was basically stand-up. So great. Do you remember what year? I went to Bumbershoot a few times before I moved away from Seattle. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/57 "2023-07-21T13:27:42Z")
[Google says](https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/bumbershoot-1989) I was there in '89 (hey, it’s not like I’d remember a date… that’s my wife’s talent, not mine). Looks like each day cost $5. I do remember having to rush from BB King’s show, past some country guy (looks like that was Chris Issak), to get to Stan’s “TED talk” on time. I’m used to Summerfest and other festivals with a lot of music. But Bumbershoot surprised me by also having poetry, dance, spoken word, and the Seattle symphony. So it’s got a perfect name for an inclusive festival, in a rainy city. [Hey, it’s still a thing! September 2-3 this year.](https://www.billboard.com/music/concerts/bumbershoot-2023-lineup-sleater-kinney-the-revivalists-1235291976/) ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/58 "2023-07-21T13:50:01Z")
Dave Allen was an Irish comedian who originally made it big in Australia in the early 1960s before going back to the UK. Not sure whether he worked a stand-up in the classic American sense in the beginning, but certainly did so later in his career, which is fairly well sampled on Youtube. Some samples [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqbEMmI78HY), [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUVBmuIcc50) and [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYXenjpefNU). ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/59 "2023-07-21T19:50:49Z")
The oldest comedic film I’ve seen is _Little Tramp_ (1915) which I found funny. Although not considered a comedian, Méliès films often are quite amusing. Today? I’d doubt you’ll hear about either of them, although I feel their work stands the test of time. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171/60 "2023-07-21T22:57:20Z")
The first link below is a list of good older comedy movies. Some I’ve seen, and some I haven’t. The second link is a list of good older short comedy movies. I don’t know much about them: > **[The 20 best early comedy movies (1914-1934) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls075528674/)** > > The 20 best early comedy movies (1914-1934) > **[The 10 best short films for silent cinema novices](https://silentlondon.co.uk/2014/01/13/the-10-best-short-films-for-silent-cinema-novices/)** > > This is a guest post for Silent London by Kelly Robinson, and the first in a new series of posts bringing you very personal top 10s from silent cinema experts and enthusiasts. From a programming po… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-oldest-comedian-whose-work-is-funny-today/987171.md?page=4)