# Whose is The Funniest Stand Up Comedian of All Time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes\ **Created:** [August 21, 2001, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404 "2001-08-21T19:25:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/41 "2001-08-22T07:55:09Z")
My favourite is Ed Byrne. ---
**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/42 "2001-08-22T07:57:39Z")
“If some day you’re not feeling well, and you should remember some little thing I have said or done and if it brings a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as a clown as been fulfilled.” ``` Red Skelton ``` ---
**Author:** ![Darqangelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@Darqangelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darqangelle)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/43 "2001-08-22T10:39:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AHunter3 \* > \*\*Groucho Marx also deserves serious nomination here. \*\* ACH!! _swacking head_ I feel like a turnip. I should’ve had him in my orginal list… I’ve got BOOKS on this guy, for Martha’s sake. I second that motion. ---
**Author:** ![Hokienautic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Hokienautic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokienautic)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/44 "2001-08-22T14:18:54Z")
Haven’t seen him mentioned yet, so I’d like to add Emo Philips to the list. I actually hold the honor of being made fun of by him – twice, at two different shows. I remember The Amazing Johnathan, too – very funny the few times I saw him, but he seemed to dissappear quickly. For whatever reason I liked the bit he did where he’d have a foot on the base of the microphone and push the top of it towards the audience, letting it fall halfway before his foot brought it back. The reactions to that were hilarious. Oh, one more. Comic hypnotist Tom DeLuca. Named College Entertainer of the Year a number of times. I’ve seen both him and Flip Orley, and Tom is by far the funnier hypnotist. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/45 "2001-08-22T14:46:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\*Bill Cosby was good, as others have mentioned. > > Anna Russell is great and Bob Newhart was fantastic. His phone-conversation routine is wonderful.\*\* My mom has what I belive to every album Bill Cosby ever did. I grew up listening to 'em. In the movie [Hell is for Heroes](http://us.imdb.com/Details?0056062), Newhart’s character uses his phone shtick to confuse the enemy. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/46 "2001-08-22T15:07:46Z")
1. Bill Cosby 2. Richard Pryor 3. George Carlin 4. Steve Martin 5. Eddie Murphy 6. Billy Connolly 7. Bob Newhart 8. Jack Benny 9. Johnny Carson 10. Dennis Miller ---
**Author:** ![Hammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/bc79bd/32.png) [@Hammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hammer)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/47 "2001-08-22T15:10:11Z")
Richard Pryor - Hands down Most of the young comedians just rehash his material. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/48 "2001-08-22T15:59:54Z")
I don’t know that I’d include Groucho Marx. He didn’t really do standup in the sense of going out on stage, by himself, and telling jokes or relating events. In movies and as a TV host he was incredible funny, but I don’t see him doing standup. No one has mentioned Jonathan Winters, who was the biggest influence on Robin Williams and a slew of others. My favorite - Richard Pryor. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Eyed\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Green\_Eyed\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Eyed_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/49 "2001-08-22T16:07:33Z")
**plnnr** , saw your post on preview, but I think Johnathan Winters deserves the mentions, so I’m going to go ahead with the post. Okay, I haven’t seen him mentioned yet, but seeing old clips on the Lifetime “You’re almost dead so we’d better do something” Achievement Award for Johnathan Winters, I have to say he was hilarious. I’ve seen later work too, that was gut-busting good. I will also have to second (or third) Bob Newhart’s standup. GES ---
**Author:** ![DarbyV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@DarbyV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarbyV)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/50 "2001-08-22T16:17:23Z")
I really like the old Steve Martin albums and my mom had all of Bill Cosby too. Nobody here has mentioned Bill Engvall and he is really, really funny in the Jeff Foxworthy way. Tim Wilson is another one, listen to his song “It’s a Sorry World” it is tooo funny. I am also having a love affair with Eddie Izzard in my head these days. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/51 "2001-08-22T16:25:39Z")
[Bill Hicks](http://www.billhicks.com/darktimes/) Enjoy [sub]or maybe get offended[/sub] 😃 Billy Connolly, who I’ve seen several times is very very good, as is Ed Byrne but Bill just slays me every time. Smoke one for me Bill, RIP. ---
**Author:** ![NaSultainne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NaSultainne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NaSultainne)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/52 "2001-08-22T20:21:55Z")
Well, now, they don’t all fit together, do they? For edgy, Chris Rock, Eddy Murphy, George C. in his prime, and _maybe_ he’s working on Prime+1. For real life, I can’t see anyone besting Bill Cosby. For pure wacky, Steven Wright, and Gallagher, if he’d even be a decent fit in this category. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/53 "2001-08-22T20:30:10Z")
Robin Williams and George Carlin **used** to be funny; Williams has lost his edge these days, and Carlin’s just a cranky old man. ☹ Oh well, time to go back to re-watching _Aladdin_ and listening to Carlin’s old CDs… ---
**Author:** ![bedris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@bedris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bedris)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/54 "2001-08-22T20:36:33Z")
Andy Kaufman really never did “standup” but his little routines on the Johnny Carson Show as well as other clubs were friggin’ halerious! ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/55 "2001-08-23T00:18:07Z")
A lot of good ones have already been listed, so here’s a new name for the list: Dana Gould A few years back I saw an HBO special of his, and I’m pretty certain I experienced minor brain damage due to a lack of oxygen from laughing so hard. ---
**Author:** ![psychogumby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@psychogumby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychogumby)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/56 "2001-08-23T00:51:05Z")
Maybe this is just because i’m not a Seppo Bastard \ :), but I can’t really get into too many of the US comedians. Eddie Murphy’s early stuff (Raw, Delirious) was funny, Bill Cosby’s early stuff was pretty amusing too. But I find that the best comedians hail from the British Isles (Billy Connolly, Ed Byrne, Ben Elton, Frank Skinner etc). Oh yeah, there are some good Aussie ones too - though the best Aussie ones usually work in pairs (Tony Martin and Mick Molloy, Lano and Woodley etc). ---
**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:** [August 23, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/57 "2001-08-23T01:03:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychogumby \* > \*\* > Oh yeah, there are some good Aussie ones too - though the best Aussie ones usually work in pairs (Tony Martin and Mick Molloy, Lano and Woodley etc). \*\* And plenty of singles - Steady Eddy Austen Tayshus Adelaide boy Trevor Crooks ---
**Author:** ![Ross](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@Ross](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ross)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/58 "2001-08-23T01:20:48Z")
I can’t get into Chris Rock no matter how hard I try. I mean, all power to th’dude, he’s flyin’, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have enjoyed _Down To Earth_ if the rest of the audience and my wife hadn’t been laughing their asses off. I’m a sucker for canned laughter. I love that stuff! SSssso, bearing in mind that I’ve most likely been influenced by the audience, I’m gonna have to say Shelley Berman for all-time, and Craig Ferguson for modern. Who is Craig Ferguson? Why, my dears, my loves, my pigsnies, you have a joy yet to taste… Craig Ferguson did a movie called “The Big Tease” - a comedy about a Scottish hairdresser going to the US, the usual star cameo occasional gag stuff. I liked it but it hardly did him justice. He also showed up in Red Dwarf Series 2 as Lister’s Confidence. I imagine he’s done tons of other stuff. He had a show on British telly called The Ferguson Experience, but again, for the real gold you have to go deeper. His earliest stage incarnation I know of was a guy called Bing Hitler, whose routine used to include announcing his hatred for the mafia, and immediately being shot dead. Thus, Mr Ferguson’s first official album was called “Mental Bing Hitler is Dead”, and his second “A Wee Stoatir”. I had these for years. I would happily kill for another copy. I don’t know if the guy only had two hours of material in him or if he’s still great (two hours is pretty good and he might well still be great; he has the charisma) but do anything you can to find these albums. Make yourself like them. He is a genius. If anyone asks who Shelley Berman is, I must advise that you return to your own time. The twentieth century was wild and crazy, and the twenty-first is shaping up as a sequel. ps: somebody immediately send me all of Steve Martin’s albums. I haven’t heard one. E-mail for my address and I’ll pay postage plus whatever. I must have them. I MUST. pps: Rowan Atkinson never really did stand-up but his albums are a joy. Get Live in Belfast if you can. And Woody Allen’s stand-up is a lot better than the films, if you ask me. Which you haven’t… and Eddie Izzard. Find some stuff. the earlier the better. He’s terrific. ---
**Author:** ![khanada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3be4f8/32.png) [@khanada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/khanada)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/59 "2001-08-23T02:42:02Z")
Bill Hicks, no question, was the best. He died way too soon. I like George Carlin’s current evil thing (love the bit on kids), and I have every Eddie Izzard video made. Of course, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, and Dennis Miller are also on my list. That’s just my opinion; I could be wrong. (Sorry…) ---
**Author:** ![warmgun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@warmgun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/warmgun)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/60 "2001-08-23T02:59:25Z")
Problem is the time period. When Carlin 's AM/FM came out, that was was IT! But I agree, he’s just a cranky old man now. Still funny, but… Thinking man’s humor: Steve Martin, “Some people have a way with words, some people…oh…not have way, I guess.” And Dennis Miller. I also second Wolfburg. That man is TOO funny! Never heard enough of him! Pryor…again, in his day. And if you haven’t heard him, find a copy of Brother Dave Gardner’s ‘Rejoice, Dear Hearts’. He was way, way ahead of his time. So many comics were influenced by him. Hell, Ray Stevens wouldn’t even have a career if it hadn’t been for him. Sadly, despite once being a big Vegas draw, he’s largely forgotten. And Sam K. and Dennis Leary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404.md?page=4)