# Your favorite stand-up comics?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 5, 2002, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327 "2002-11-05T05:42:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/1 "2002-11-05T05:42:52Z")
Who do you always laugh at, no matter how many times you’ve heard the routine? Mine are:
1. Lewis Black- If you’ve only seen “Back in Black” on The Daily Show, you are missing out. Check out _The White Album_.
2. Mitch Hedberg- Hilarious. That about sums it up.
3. Denis Leary- I loved _No Cure For Cancer_. The part about the bow-and-arrow set was great.
4. Tim Wilson- His songs are only half the act, as he has some great stand-up material.
I also am laughing my head off at a Pablo Francisco bit about the “Movie Preview” announcer. “Jean-Claude Van Dam…in the same crap you’ve seen over, and over, and over again!”
-brianjedi
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### Author:  [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/2 "2002-11-05T06:53:04Z")
I saw a chic on Comedy Central named Wendy Leibman and she was pretty funny. She just may be that first comedienne I’ve ever found funny.
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### Author:  [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/3 "2002-11-05T07:39:24Z")
Denis Leary
Margaret Cho
George Carlin
Brett Butler
I’ve seen plenty of great comedians on Comedy Central Presents, but I invariably come into them halfway through the act and never get to see the rest of it.
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### Author:  [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/4 "2002-11-05T07:50:58Z")
\*\* George Carlin \*\* , first, last and always. (But only his smart stuff. The goofball shit leaves me cold.)
\*\* Seinfeld \*\* …back in the day. I cherish the night I had front row seats in a club that seated about 40.
\*\* Paula Poundstone \*\* . She is unparalleled at playing off an audience.
\*\* Jake Johansson. \*\* He did an HBO special that I recorded and have watched a dozen times, and I laugh so hard I get sick every time.
\*\* Eddie Izzard \*\* rocks my world, right down to the ground.
I’m enjoying Mitch Hedberg, I think Ellen DeGeneres can be pretty damn funny sometimes, and Janine Garofolo’s standup is pretty sweet.
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### Author:  [@Lure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lure)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/5 "2002-11-05T08:57:54Z")
Dom Irezza(sp?)
His ethnic rants crack me up
Foxworthy when he was new
Eddie Murphy before movie stardom.
Billy Crystal-still
And the bugeyed guy that’s now dead about 5 years or so.A regular in the early 90s on cable standup 1/2 to hour comedy shows (Catch a Rising Star,etc.)
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/6 "2002-11-05T09:19:40Z")
Dom Irezza = Dom Irrera. Hilarious. During one of Comedy Central’s televised friars club roasts, he did a five minute riff on euphamisms for cunnilingus. The one that sticks with me is, “to yodel in the yeasty valley of love.”
The bugeyed guy = Dennis Wolfberg. Played Gooshie on _Quantum Leap_. Funny guy, but doesn’t particularly stand out in my mind. I mostly remember him for the way he over-played his punchlines.
I’ll second Eddie Izzard, Mitch Hedberg, Jake Johansson, and Paula Poundstone.
Bill Hicks was simply the funniest human being I’ve ever seen. Makes Dennis Leary look like Carrot Top.
Also: Steven Wright, Steve Martin, Chris Rock, Lenny Bruce, and Bill Cosby.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/7 "2002-11-05T09:25:31Z")
**Tommy Tiernan**.
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### Author:  [@A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_wizard_song_for_thee)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/8 "2002-11-05T09:28:24Z")
Well, George Carlin has always been the man, but a lot of his schtick came from Lenny Bruce, who was, well, also the man…
However, Bill Hicks was possibly the best stand-up comedian to ever walk the earth and, well, do a lot of drugs. Not only was he patently hilarious, he also was unafraid to stand up for his beliefs right onstage. You didn’t have to agree with him, but you had to respect his willingness to speak his mind and hold to his point of view.
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### Author:  [@Porus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Porus)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/9 "2002-11-05T10:42:21Z")
Another vote for Bill Hicks
For very funny political ranting I would go for Mark Thomas
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### Author:  [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/10 "2002-11-05T10:56:42Z")
Bill Hicks all the way. The rest can just shove that scaly pecker down their throat.
Now where’s my commercial?
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### Author:  [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/11 "2002-11-05T12:35:39Z")
Another vote for the peerless Bill Hicks and ( in the “still alive” category) Eddie Izzard.
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### Author:  [@TelcontarStorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TelcontarStorm)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/12 "2002-11-05T14:11:26Z")
I love George Carlins early stuff (Al Sleed the Hippy-Dippy Weatherman"…If you don’t like the weather. MOVE!") But, over the last few years he’s got a bit crochety and ranty.
{pryor voice}No one loves Rich? That’s one funny ni\*\*er {pryor off} His body may be racked, but I bet that mind will be Kicking till the end. Blessings for ya Rich.
Denis Leary will be a perennial favorite just for The Asshole Song. Never mind that he’s right about Marajuanna smoking and carpentry. I’ve got a whole shop here to prove it.
Elaine Boozler and her Peeps. Her impression of Andrew D. Clay is still here in my brain after 8 years. (We’re doin’ it doggie style, so we can both watch the Giants game)
So many laughs, too early to remember them all.
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### Author:  [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/13 "2002-11-05T15:08:01Z")
George Carlin, when he was young and rebellious, was funny. When he got middle-aged, he got too mellow and was no longer funny. Now that he’s old and crotchety, he’s got his edge back and he’s funny again.
Sam Kenison. I caught him at a midnight show at Duke. Just 80 ppl in the audience but he blew us away. He was just as intense as if he were in a stadium. YOU WANT TO HELP THE STARVING PEOPLE IN AFRICA? Don’t send them FOOD! Send them LUGGAGE! Send them U-HAULS! IT’S A FUCKING DESERT! NOTHING GROWS HERE! MOVE!!!
I’ll toss in, from my own experience, Tim Wilson, Pinkerd & Bowden, Judy Tenuta, Dr. Dirty, and Penn & Teller.
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### Author:  [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/14 "2002-11-05T16:26:27Z")
George Carlin, Denis Leary, Eddie Izzard, Lewis Black, Margaret Cho, Bill Cosby, Norm MacDonald, Steve Martin, Carolyn Rea (although I refuse to ever watch her show), Martin Short, and suprisingly, Bob Sagat’s stand up is really fucking funny!
And I feel like a real shit because I can’t remember her name, but the woman with the accordian. I’ve seen several of her specials, and she even came into our studio and did an interview on our news program. She was fucking hillarious, and if you asked me any other day of teh week, I’d be able to give you her name. My favorite part of the interview is she was talking about going to this wedding. “It was for one of my ex-boyfriends. Well, not really boyfriend, more like some guy I used to sit on!” Awww, you should have seen the anchor’s face, she wouldn’t let up on him the entire interview. Then we got her to do the weather. It was great fun.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/15 "2002-11-05T16:30:51Z")
I’d also vote for Wolfberg as one of the funniest, but if you’re counting living comedians, he doesn’t qualify. ☹
The funniest stand-up I’ve ever heard was an obscure comedian by the name of **Chris Rush** back in the early 70s. His album “First Rush” left _everyone_ helplessly laughing. His style was unique: he’d set up a joke, then bombard you with 3 or 4 punchlines in a row, each one funnier than the last.
There also was **Jackie Vernon**. His “vacation slides” routine was hilarious.
Currently, I’d say the best I’ve seen is [The Amazing Jonathan](http://www.amazingj.com/index1.htm)
Other great ones not mentioned: **Bob Newhart** and **Bill Cosby**
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### Author:  [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/16 "2002-11-05T18:16:58Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by El Elvis Rojo \*
> \*\*And I feel like a real shit because I can’t remember her name, but the woman with the accordian. I’ve seen several of her specials, and she even came into our studio and did an interview on our news program. She was fucking hillarious, and if you asked me any other day of teh week, I’d be able to give you her name. My favorite part of the interview is she was talking about going to this wedding. “It was for one of my ex-boyfriends. Well, not really boyfriend, more like some guy I used to sit on!” Awww, you should have seen the anchor’s face, she wouldn’t let up on him the entire interview. Then we got her to do the weather. It was great fun. \*\*
[Judy Tenuta](http://www.judytenuta.com/sys-tmpl/door/)
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/17 "2002-11-05T18:42:59Z")
Just to throw in a name that nobody else has: A. Whitney Brown. He was on SNL many years ago (I am A. Whitney Brown. Someday I hope to be _the_ Whitney Brown.) But I saw his live show at a small comedy club and he was just brilliant. He did long stories rather than one-liners. They were hilarious and also intelligent, a quality missing from 99% of stand-ups. I wonder what happened to him.
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### Author:  [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/18 "2002-11-05T19:01:47Z")
**David Cross** has an unbelievably funny stand up special on HBO. He also had that show called Mr. Show that was pretty funny.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Bee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Bee)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/19 "2002-11-05T19:06:31Z")
Billy Connolly
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### Author:  [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-stand-up-comics/135327/20 "2002-11-05T20:12:01Z")
**Bill Cosby** : perhaps the funniest stand-up comic alive.
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