# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/61 "2017-08-29T21:28:56Z")
> [@Dante\_G](#): > > 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. I liked Gallagher back in the 80s a lot also. Carlin was better but Gallagher was very funny. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/62 "2017-08-29T22:14:31Z")
Bill Cosby (yeah, yeah, but still…) George Carlin (70’s and early 80’s. before his “Grumpy Old Man” years) Freddy Prinze (Sr., of course) Steven Wright Sam Kinnison Richard Jeni Iliza Schlesinger Eddie Izzard Jerry Seinfield (BEFORE the TV show) Eddie Murphy (sorry, but **nobody** does a better Cosby than him. Maybe not even Cosby…🆒) Steve Martin (if for nothing, the greatest comeback to a heckler _ever._) ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/63 "2017-08-29T22:22:26Z")
I like Sinbad. Steve Harvey also did some very funny standup. Wanda Sykes is funny but too coarse for me sometimes. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/64 "2017-08-29T22:51:51Z")
In my book nobody approaches Carlin. He was not only funny, but he was smart, insightful, creative, and extraordinarily gifted at the actual skill of standup. He provoked you to \*think \*while you were simultaneously laughing your ass off. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/65 "2017-08-29T23:24:32Z")
Norm Macdonald out of N. American comics - just seems to occupy a different space. Burr had Stanhope on his podcast and they were saying it’s easy to pretend you don’t give a fuck, but you sort of do have to if you want to eat. Norm does not, which is why other comics appear to idolise him. It’s not quite like that, though, as Norm does live in the mainstream. He reminds me a little of Spike Milligan in some respects, but Spike was a feared guest on UK chatshows. Made the host nervous, like he’d start overturning the furniture. Norm reliably goes on the big US talk shows and slays to order. In the UK I rate Peter Kay as the boss. Probably the most successful British comedian in recent times when you consider his body of work writing, acting etc, so he’s very mainstream. But his style still separates him from the London circuit - quite old school, Northern standup - hugely nostalgic but still manages to kill. ---
**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 30, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/66 "2017-08-30T01:09:20Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > 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. Fair enough. I’ll concede that point. ---
**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 30, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/67 "2017-08-30T22:51:38Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I remember being bummed out when I heard Richard Jeni died, but I don’t remember his work now. A timely Richard Jeni routine, years after his death. **Swearing, NSFW.** ```auto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANyDzdDb7_4&feature=youtu.be&t=2m59s ``` ---
**Author:** ![Hanover\_Fist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hanover\_Fist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanover_Fist)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/68 "2017-11-29T16:19:08Z")
Bill Burr ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/69 "2017-11-29T22:42:12Z")
One of my fav’s too. Well worth the thread bump. Lately, my go to guys are Jimmy Pardo and Doug Benson - more for the podcasting, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/70 "2017-11-30T00:22:43Z")
Speaking of podcasts, I’m also a big fan of _Comedy Bang Bang_, Scott Auckerman’s podcast. It features interviews of comedians, actors, musicians as well as heavy improvisation. Gino the intern (John Gabrus) is my favorite. If you like improv, that’s the place to go. Matt Besser, Laura Lapkus, Ben Schwartz, Paul F Thompson, Nick Kroll, Horatio Sanz. Many more. Speaking of Laura Lapkus and Ben Schwartz (who I first saw in _Coffee Town_, with Glen Howerton of _It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia_ … I digress), I recently ran across this set of outtakes from a web series for Funny or Die called [_The Earliest Show_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6372026/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_14), with Laura and Ben as well as Joe Hartzler and guests. It’s a spoof or your typical local morning show. The [outtake reel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plOMomN9F5g) is an hour and four minutes long. That’s the material they didn’t use for the series. That how much they just ran with shit. It’s pretty hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/71 "2017-12-01T08:12:44Z")
Daniel Tosh is my favorite stand-up comic. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2017, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/72 "2017-12-01T09:11:34Z")
George Carlin Don Rickles Norm McDonald Bill Burr ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/73 "2017-12-01T14:24:57Z")
Going just by my Youtube viewing history, it seems to be Bill Burr, then Chris Rock, then Ed Byrne. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/74 "2017-12-01T18:27:09Z")
Seeing Paula Poundstone tonight. I’ve always enjoyed her stuff ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948/75 "2017-12-01T19:30:46Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > As an 80s high schooler I thought he stuff was the best. Oh boy has it not aged well. (…) May be completely different, but I found it hard to watch parts of “48 Hours.” Redd Foxx hasn’t been mentioned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-your-favorite-stand-up-comic/794948.md?page=3)