# Who is your favorite stand up comic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 28, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948 "2017-08-28T17:45:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/41 "2017-08-29T01:23:07Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > I’m not a huge fan of stand-up in general, but I enjoy Eddie Izzard so much that I have see him four times. There’s my answer right there. I’ve seen him the last couple of times he’s been to the Bay Area and enjoyed myself immensely. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/42 "2017-08-29T01:41:18Z")
Bill Hicks Mitch Hedburg Steven Wright ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/43 "2017-08-29T02:48:39Z")
It really depends on what metric by which I am measuring. Albums I listen to frequently: Bring the Pain (Rock) Very Best of Bob Newhart I’m telling you for the last time (Seinfeld) In Other Words (Madigan) Rules of Enragement (Lewis Black) Richard Pryor Live in Concert It’s not funny (Cross) Any number of Carlin Any Number of Patton Oswalt To answer the original question, I’d probably give the nod to Patton. His style of comedy is more up my alley. I have many favorites, however. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/44 "2017-08-29T03:19:11Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > Dara O’Briain (clever, personable Irishman) [His bit on science, numbers, and homeopathy is great.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRqB5-egs1s) ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/45 "2017-08-29T04:29:20Z")
No love for Eddie Murphy, I guess. His early material was sidesplitting, and his _Delirious_ video ranks as one of the funniest routines ever. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/46 "2017-08-29T04:43:25Z")
Jervais is pretty funny: [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4toj3w](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4toj3w) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/47 "2017-08-29T05:06:28Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I think Richard Pryor was the most consistently funny of the ones I’ve seen. Carlin was very good early, but towards the end of his career he became less funny and more ranty. > > Bob Newhart was great. He and Bill Cosby are about the only standups I could watch with my mother in the room. I can’t believe I forgot to mention Jerry Clower. He’s another comic I could watch with my mother, and possibly the funniest I ever heard. Great story teller. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/48 "2017-08-29T05:30:24Z")
[Niel Hamburger](https://youtu.be/lt5aImdmgmQ?t=100). Not Eric Andre’s regular stand-up, his [tv show](https://youtu.be/FTl8ju5zaXw?t=52) stand-up. Rupert Pupkin My parents’ old Bob Newhart albums. ETA: radio greats Bob and Ray. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/49 "2017-08-29T05:58:23Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > [Niel Hamburger](https://youtu.be/lt5aImdmgmQ?t=100). > > Not Eric Andre’s regular stand-up, his [tv show](https://youtu.be/FTl8ju5zaXw?t=52) stand-up. > > Rupert Pupkin > > My parents’ old Bob Newhart albums. > > ETA: radio greats Bob and Ray. Neil Hamburger and other comics like that ([Ted Norkey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-fdBo1kO5Q) comes to mind), the “gimmick comics,” or "comic’s comic,"are great. Especially if you’re one of the few who “get it.” In Norkey’s case, he was presenting himself as a horrible stand-up. If you didn’t know it was an act, you generally didn’t enjoy it. [Norm MacDonald](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VxAEFy4IvI) is good at this, too. It’s kinda like when Andy Kaufman came along. If you were in on the joke, it was hysterical. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/50 "2017-08-29T13:49:06Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I can’t believe I forgot to mention Jerry Clower. He’s another comic I could watch with my mother, and possibly the funniest I ever heard. Great story teller. “Shoot on up in here! One of us has got to have some relief!” ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/51 "2017-08-29T14:15:39Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > If you didn’t know it was an act, you generally didn’t enjoy it. [Norm MacDonald](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VxAEFy4IvI) is good at this, too. I knew MacDonald was playing a character. So what? The character wasn’t funny to the audience. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/52 "2017-08-29T16:52:40Z")
Richard Pryor Doug Stanhope Stewart Lee ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/53 "2017-08-29T17:05:32Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > No love for Eddie Murphy, I guess. His early material was sidesplitting, and his _Delirious_ video ranks as one of the funniest routines ever. As an 80s high schooler I thought he stuff was the best. Oh boy has it not aged well. The best stand up I’ve seen personally was Bill Cosby right before his Tv show came on the air. I was a teenager and I never knew I could laugh so hard. A few that I’ve seen live that were incredible. Jim Breuer- great story teller Dave Attell- the one comic other comics will all say they admire Christopher Titus- one of the few comics that can have a tight cohesive new 60-90 minutes every year. Bert Kreischer- great story teller, great guy to meet Robert Kelly- tight funny set ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/54 "2017-08-29T17:08:33Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I knew MacDonald was playing a character. So what? The character wasn’t funny to the audience. Apologies if I was unclear, but I meant “you” in a general, all-encompassing way. I wasn’t trying to say anything about you personally. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/55 "2017-08-29T18:00:10Z")
Demetri Martin is great. And no one yet has mentioned Dave Chappelle, who deserves to be mentioned. Early Jim Carrey standup is pretty good, too. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/56 "2017-08-29T18:00:56Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Apologies if I was unclear, but I meant “you” in a general, all-encompassing way. I wasn’t trying to say anything about you personally. I understood that. I also understood that you were saying that those in on the joke would think it was funny. That’s not as true as you implied. Lots of “us” were in on the joke and still hated it. The same was true for Andy Kaufman. By the end, most people were aware it was all an act. Even so, an act that parodies humor without being funny itself is probably not funny to anyone except those looking at it from a meta-level. And they may not be laughing. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/57 "2017-08-29T18:48:06Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > As an 80s high schooler I thought he stuff was the best. Oh boy has it not aged well. > > The best stand up I’ve seen personally was Bill Cosby right before his Tv show came on the air. I was a teenager and I never knew I could laugh so hard. I grew up watching Ed Sullivan, who had all the old-time comics like Rodney Dangerfield, Totie Fields, Phyllis Diller, Jackie Mason, etc. Most of it was pretty lame. Then young Bill Cosby burst on the scene with his “Right” album and changed my view of comedy forever. I knew his routines by heart and could even do his voice, to the endless amusement of my friends. Bought every album of his that came out and loved his TV shows. A real shame that he turned out to be an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/58 "2017-08-29T19:03:20Z")
I almost hate to say this but… in his prime, Bill Cosby was probably my favorite standup ever. In fact, EVEN YEARS AFTER HIS PRIME, HE COULD STILL BE AN AWESOME STANDUP. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/59 "2017-08-29T19:32:25Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > Not Eric Andre’s regular stand-up, his [tv show](https://youtu.be/FTl8ju5zaXw?t=52) stand-up. That’s stand-up? ---
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/60 "2017-08-29T21:25:55Z")
I may get beat up form this, but I loved Gallagher back in the 80’s The Sledge O Matic stuff was unnecessary, but his actual jokes and observations were great. For more modern, I’d go with Louis CK, Mitch Hedberg and Trevor Noah. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948.md?page=4)