# Who is the very best and very worst comedian of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2020, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612 "2020-01-18T08:30:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/81 "2020-01-19T20:31:21Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > Two stand-up comedians that always have my full attention are Stewart Lee and Doug Stanhope… Good call on Lee… > [@eburacum45](#): > > Yeah, Stewart Lee for best. Mind you, sometimes he deconstructs the comedy genre so far that you start wondering why you find anything funny at all… …and wise words on what he does. j ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/82 "2020-01-19T20:37:54Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > John Mulaney is hysterical, but my personal all time favourite is Norm MacDonald. He’s written as many brilliant jokes as anyone who ever lived and his delivery is like no one else. Michaerl McIntyre is great. > > The worst, of course, is someone you guys have never heard of, because it’s someone who thinks they’re funny but isn’t absolutely sucking donkey cock at your local amateur night. > > In my honest opinion no comic named so far is BAD. I don’t necessarily like them; Andrew Dice Clay has never made me crack a smile, nor has Iliza Shlesinger. My sister insisted I watch a special by Sebastian Maniscalco and fifteen minutes in I had not heard anything I found funny. But a comic’s job is to fill the seats with happy customers, and if it’s in a club to ensure they buy booze. All three named comics could do just that. A comic who can fill an arena is by definition good at his or her job; might not be my cup of tea, but different strokes. > > I studied under a pro comic once who told a story about how he performed at a club in New York, and as he was throwing on his coat the owner came by and said “Nice set.” > > “Thanks,” the comic said, “what was your favourite part?” > > “I was in my office, I couldn’t really hear what you were saying.” > > “Uh… then how do you know it was a nice set?” > > The owner replied, “I could hear the audience laughing like hell. They’re happy. So nice set.” A truer story would have ended with the owner saying, “By the bar receipts.” ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/83 "2020-01-19T20:46:07Z")
> [@eburacum45](#): > > For worst - well, we’ve had Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson; what about Bob Hope? Was he supposed to be funny or something? Bob Hope was very talented. Unfortunately for his reputation, he had a tendency to depend far too heavily on current events for his comedy. It’s very hard to understand why something is funny when you have no idea who “Mr. X” is. I’m at least somewhat familiar with most of his contemporaries (Phyllis Diller, etc.), and I probably have a better knowledge of the events of the 60s and 70s than half the (current) population does–but many of his references I simply don’t understand. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/84 "2020-01-19T20:48:21Z")
Have any of you heard Woody Allen’s standup? I actually own a double album of it. Pretty entertaining stuff, to me anyway. mmm ---
**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:** [January 19, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/85 "2020-01-19T20:58:07Z")
Best: Tim Conway/Harvey Korman Worst: Hard to say. I loathe Rosanne, but some of her early stuff was _killer_. Carrot Top’s act at Luxor is hysterical. He works hard at his craft and it shows. Richard Lewis, OTOH, can be erased from history like an enemy of Stalin’s for all I care. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/86 "2020-01-19T21:24:38Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Have any of you heard Woody Allen’s standup? I actually own a double album of it. Pretty entertaining stuff, to me anyway. > mmm Yes. Woody was really good in his stand-up days. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/87 "2020-01-19T21:31:47Z")
I’ve mentioned how my wife, before we married, had fallen in with the Second City/Chicago theatre crowd. I dunno if Roseanne knew some of the same people, but the first time I saw her I yelled to Wife, “This woman is stealing your material.” That was when Roseanne was funny, but she ran out and had to write her own. That was when she stopped being funny. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/88 "2020-01-19T21:59:03Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Bob Hope was very talented. Unfortunately for his reputation, he had a tendency to depend far too heavily on current events for his comedy. It’s very hard to understand why something is funny when you have no idea who “Mr. X” is. I got the chance to see Bob Hope do standup when I attended the taping of a Bob Hope special in Los Angeles in about 1988 or so. He did about 45 minutes of material, which would be edited down and used as his monologue at the top of the show when it was broadcast. Funny stuff, and the audience was genuinely laughing. But your observation is spot-on. It was all contemporary stuff: current events, people then in the news, a few bits about what was then happening in the world of sports, and so on. I doubt very much that that particular monologue would translate well to today’s audiences, thirty years later–they would have little to no idea who or what he was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/89 "2020-01-19T22:03:02Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > That’s a very British list - I’m guessing you might be from round these parts? I live in Australia, and in fact he’s playing tonight just down the road from me, hosting a gig. I think he’s past his peak, but still doing very well. He doesn’t produce DVDs of his shows anymore, and he barely appears on panel shows, and also he spends a lot of his time riding motorbikes, so he’s probably heading into a semi-retirement phase of his career. The reason my list is so British is because I grew up watching a lot of UK shows and so that’s been my sense of humour. Local (Aus, Kiwi) comedians can be funny in a controlled environment like a TV interview or acting in a series, but I don’t find I like their stand-up so much. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/90 "2020-01-19T22:06:08Z")
Dave Allen from Ireland was very funny on the BBC but I don’t think he was ever popular in the US. I saw his show on a local PBS station right after they showed Fawlty Towers. Dave ended his show with “Goodnight and may your God go with you” ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/91 "2020-01-19T22:18:47Z")
Lot of people in this thread need to watch some standup comedy from this century. But maybe it’s harder to relate to once you get beyond a certain age. When I watch the old classic acts, Pryor, Murphy, Carlin, I see the appeal… but compared to the best comedians of today? Doesn’t come close. My favorites: Jim Gaffigan - this guy puts out a ton of material, and it’s all pretty good. Mostly kid friendly too, which I appreciate. Louis CK — yeah he screwed up and lately has gone off the rails. But when he was at the top, he was really something. Mike Birbiglia — almost more of a storyteller than a joke teller, but I love him. Check out “what I should have said was nothing” Bill Burr — this is an interesting one, because most of the time, he’s just above average. Good enough to satisfy. But he has one special which is just a tour de force performance. So far above all his other work, and totally amazing. “Let it Go” check it out on Netflix, it’s amazing Best comedian of all time? I’d have to go with my current favorite, which is… John Mulaney! All of his specials are hilarious. My favorite is “Kid Gorgeous in Radio City” ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/92 "2020-01-19T22:31:15Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > My vote, Best is George Carlin, worst is Emo Phillips, or any of the “delivery” comics (where the delivery, more than the material, is what is supposed to be funny. See Sam Kinnison). With an honorable mention to Andy Kaufman. Making people uncomfortable isn’t comedy, it’s just painful. Humor is pretty subjective. Emo is one of my personal favorites. His jokes are the type that catch you off guard with the misdirection set up and make me laugh out loud. I know every one loves Carlin but I rarely even crack a smile when I listen to him. It’s more of a “heh-heh, I guess that is a humorous observation.” ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/93 "2020-01-19T22:39:19Z")
Ellen Degeneres is very funny , seen her do a few HBO specials. Maz Jobrani is very good too. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/94 "2020-01-19T23:41:23Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Interesting that nobody has yet mentioned, I don’t think, **Jerry Seinfeld**. > > His very early standup was original and pretty funny but I don’t think it has aged very well. [Seinfeld Is Unfunny](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SeinfeldIsUnfunny). 😃 Kathy Griffith gets my down-vote. She even sucked on Whose Line Is It Anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/95 "2020-01-20T04:29:53Z")
How can we have made it this far without anyone - myself included - mentioning the terminally unfunny Russell Brand? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/96 "2020-01-20T04:56:45Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I used to love Patton Oswalt in his younger days before his whole act became a political virtue signaling. I can’t stand political comedy, Lewis Black, Dennis Miller that sort of thing. I loved Mark Russell’s PBS specials in the 80s and 90s. He’s still living but retired many years ago; I’d love to see what he would do with modern material, I guess. (ducks behind flameproof shield) I don’t think David Sedaris is funny, in print or onstage. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/97 "2020-01-20T05:05:44Z")
Best Bob Newhart, as he has been consistently funny from 1959-2019. All other great ones have one phase or period that I like, but slower points or declines as well. Joan Rivers is close, though I didn’t care for her fashion police shows later in her life. IMO Don Rickles was far funnier in his talk show appearances trading jabs with hosts than he was on stage. He was also the best guest host for the Tonight Show by far. He was quicker than anyone, and seemed to sharpen with age. But he generally rehashed the same stock insults over and over. He was also a good actor, and despite the insults, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Worst - Jay Leno…though he seemed funny enough in the late 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/98 "2020-01-20T05:13:30Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Rich Little was really talented but I hate most impersonators. Frank Caliendo comes to mind. > > And “guitar guy” comes on stage? I’m going to the exit. > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I never thought Rich Little really sounded like the people he impersonated, even Johnny Carson, who he portrayed in a couple of programs. I thought the same of Dana Carvey too, though he did have a couple of good character portraits. Frank Caliendo at least sounds more like some of the people he impersonates. But that is not, in itself, grounds for much humor. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/99 "2020-01-20T07:37:18Z")
So, I just watched about an hour and a half YouTube clips of John Mulaney. He’s good! I don’t know why I’ve never heard of him before. ---
**Author:** ![TimfromNapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TimfromNapa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimfromNapa)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612/100 "2020-01-20T20:41:43Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Dave Allen from Ireland was very funny on the BBC but I don’t think he was ever popular in the US. I saw his show on a local PBS station right after they showed Fawlty Towers. Dave ended his show with “Goodnight and may your God go with you” In the Baltimore/Washington area, Dave Allen’s imports showed up on tv about the same time as Benny Hill’s. I loved Dave’s humor right off. He was cerebral, irreverent, and a great story teller. Hill, on the other hand, I had to gradually learn to really enjoy. I saw him as the lowest common denominator between British and American humor. Taken as that, he was damn good at it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-very-best-and-very-worst-comedian-of-all-time/846612.md?page=6)