# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/161 "2022-07-07T03:08:21Z")
Phyllis Diller always cracked me up. One of my faves: “I never clean my oven. I can only bake one cupcake at a time.” I like Wanda Sykes quite a lot, too. I love Michael McIntyre. His [bit on kids](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC6eHraeMes) is one of my faves. In no particular order: Jonathan Winters Robin Williams Michael McIntyre Bill Cosby Steven Wright George Carlin Wanda Sykes Phyllis Diller Richard Prior Lenny Bruce Bob Newhart Stand-up comedians I don’t find that funny include Rosanne Barr, Jeff Dunham, and Dennis Miller. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/162 "2022-07-07T23:29:59Z")
Another vote for Sam Kinison. We went to see him once. On Valentine’s day. Yeah, he was in a “holiday mood” alright. ---
**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:** [July 7, 2022, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/163 "2022-07-07T23:48:01Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Dennis Wolfberg OMG, that guy was funny. Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/164 "2022-07-14T15:20:43Z")
After considerable evaluation and analysis I have found that the correct answer is Norm Macdonald. Some of the others are pretty funny, some have even funnier jokes, but nobody tells 'em as well as Norm does. He is truly funny, his humor isn’t based in the jokes, it comes from the way he tells it. He could get people rolling in the aisles reading a dry cleaning ticket. I’ll repeat for the record, the Funniest Stand Up Comedian of All Time is Norm Macdonald. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/165 "2022-07-14T17:23:54Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > the correct answer is And here I would’ve bet this thread would _not_ have a definitive answer. Well, I guess if everyone agrees it’s Norm (and not someone, like, say, Mort Sahl)… we’re done here. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/166 "2022-07-14T18:28:10Z")
I would say that Norm Macdonald was the funniest talk show guest, but George Carlin was the funniest stand-up. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2022, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/167 "2022-07-14T19:50:20Z")
This clip of Norm Macdonald on Late Night with Conan O’Brien is classic quick-witted Norm: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bKmadR4Ye54/hqdefault.jpg "Norm Macdonald & Courtney Thorne-Smith | Late Night with Conan O’Brien") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKmadR4Ye54) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/168 "2022-07-14T23:35:39Z")
I’m sad to report to all the Mitch Hedberg fans that I saw him live and he was _terrible._ Must have been on industrial strength speed. He just blew through the jokes, killing the delivery which was so much of his funny. I was sad. He was dead within months. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/169 "2022-07-21T04:43:38Z")
Unpopular opinion: Norm McDonald and George Carlin are way too smug to be funny. Norm less so, but Carlin, I can barely stand him. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2022, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/170 "2022-07-21T13:37:50Z")
Smug works for Jeselnik but not Dice Clay. I get what you mean though. I think Norm has brillliance (as above) but did not like him on SNL Weekend Update since he was too smug for the script (but still funnier than most in that role). I like comedians who make you think and have a point. No one has mentioned Vir Das, who is very insightful (though not the funniest of all time by any means). ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/171 "2022-07-22T02:23:51Z")
Speaking of smugness there is always Dennis Miller and Bill Maher, ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/172 "2022-07-22T03:54:30Z")
That’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/173 "2022-07-22T03:57:22Z")
Jeselnik is faux-smug though. Part of his jokes is how ridiculous his smugness is, the joke’s on him. That’s the exact opposite of Bill Maher or Dennis Miller. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/174 "2022-07-22T04:02:15Z")
I agree. It is a hard balancing act to pull off. Jeselnik does it well, it needs to be done _ad absurdum_ or not at all. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2022, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404/175 "2022-07-22T04:17:46Z")
Jeselnik operates in the same way Rickles did, all of it over the top, and with a wink. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-is-the-funniest-stand-up-comedian-of-all-time/77404.md?page=8)