# Who Last Made a Name for Themselves in Stand-Up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797 "2009-02-14T06:30:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/1 "2009-02-14T06:30:13Z")
Stand Up comedy was the way to make your name in the biz for the longest time and it was especially king in the 80’s. The big thing was to get on the Tonight Show. If Johnny called you to the couch you had officially made it. After Johnny retired, stand up started to die. Nowadays, stand up is a lost art. When I thought of this question, my first answer was Dane Cook, but I think a case for Demetri Martin could be made. Who do you think it was? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/2 "2009-02-14T07:04:44Z")
It’s still going, just not as high profile I think. Chris Rock, Eddy Izzard, and Dave Chappelle would be a few examples. I think that there used to be a pathway into Hollywood from stand-up. But eventually the number of comedians became full enough during the eighties and they kept a chokehold on it (Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, etc.) Those guys kept churning out what was supposed to be the good comedies even as their ability to successfully do drifted gently downward. A secondary business of comedy started up which was the mass produced, cheap and stupidest/grossest is best run of comedies. The Wayans Brothers, Farelly Brothers, and such got a new chokehold on these. The next run to grab stuff came in TV land, with Chappelle and Steve Colbert and such getting their own shows. Demetri Martin, similarly, is getting his own show. This looks to be where stand-uppers go now. The problem is that Steve Martin and them are still trying to turn out the good, non-stupid comedies. They need to quit and let a new crowd come in. At the moment, it seems to be Jim Carrey or bust. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/3 "2009-02-14T07:07:07Z")
_Stephen_ Colbert. And I don’t think he ever did stand-up. (Jon Stewart did) ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/4 "2009-02-14T07:37:19Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > _Stephen_ Colbert. And I don’t think he ever did stand-up. (Jon Stewart did) You’re right. Mr. Colbert never did stand-up. He wanted to be an actor (a _dramatic_ actor), but eventually began to perform with Second City. His background is in acting/improv. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/5 "2009-02-14T07:41:02Z")
Lewis Black, then? ---
**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:** [February 14, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/6 "2009-02-14T14:20:00Z")
Leno still has comics on but they are few and far between. 90% of the people he has for the 3rd guest are singers or bands. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/7 "2009-02-14T14:43:09Z")
Must be a USA thing. From the Southern Hemisphere: Eric Bana The Flight of the Conchords and lots who have Aussie TV or movie careers: Ahn Do Bob Downe Jimoein Merrick and Rosso Will Anderson Adam Hills Rove McManus Peter Berner Paul McDermott Roy and HG Glenn Robbins Shaun Micallef Chris Lilley ---
**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:** [February 14, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/8 "2009-02-14T14:47:37Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Must be a USA thing. > > From the Southern Hemisphere: > > Eric Bana > The Flight of the Conchords > > and lots who have Aussie TV or movie careers: > > Ahn Do > Bob Downe > Jimoein > Merrick and Rosso > Will Anderson > Adam Hills > Rove McManus > Peter Berner > Paul McDermott > Roy and HG > Glenn Robbins > Shaun Micallef > Chris Lilley No it is the same here. There have been tons of successful TV stars that started in stand up. It just isn’t as frequent lately. For a while almost every standup who had a decent 15 minute routine would get a TV show. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/9 "2009-02-14T15:10:56Z")
Bill Maher Lisa Lampanelli ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/10 "2009-02-14T15:54:32Z")
Dane Cook \ ---
**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:** [February 15, 2009, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/11 "2009-02-15T06:16:53Z")
Louis CK ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/12 "2009-02-15T06:25:50Z")
BJ Novak (Ryan Howard on The Office (US), also wrote a few episodes). His standup is hilarious, too. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/13 "2009-02-15T06:34:05Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Louis CK The only truly, gut-clenchingly funny comedian working today, fyask me. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/14 "2009-02-15T06:40:46Z")
No way is stand up a lost art. I’d say the old paradigm of working your way up through the shitty comedy club circuit onto late night shows and then television or the movies might be gone, but there’s a lot of good comedy still being performed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/15 "2009-02-15T08:21:37Z")
Like it or not, the most recent “big” Stand-Up star I would have to say is Dane Cook. He was just a standup guy that got very popular for some reason- and now wouldn’t be unusual to see in a starring role as an actor. And may have been the only Stand-Up guy who emerged in the last few years who could sell out a large theater consistently. There are certainly others who have become known stand-ups over the past 5 or so years- but haven’t achieved the “star” quality that Dane Cook has. (My personal recent favorites Zack Galifanakis, Jim Gaffigan) ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/16 "2009-02-15T10:52:01Z")
Would Stephen Lynch count? ---
**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:** [February 15, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/17 "2009-02-15T13:11:45Z")
If America had as many comedy [panel shows](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panel_game) as the UK does, there’d be a sharp increase. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/18 "2009-02-15T13:39:39Z")
The Irish economy is based primarily on the production of stand up comics and whingy singer-songwriters. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/19 "2009-02-15T17:34:05Z")
Even though he melted down right at the cusp of becoming huge, Dave Chapelle certainly counts. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797/20 "2009-02-15T19:22:19Z")
As far as the latest ones go, Dmitri Martin seems to be climbing the ladder pretty fast. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-last-made-a-name-for-themselves-in-stand-up/485797.md?page=2)