No Right Answer: Best Standup Comedian Ever
- Thread starter Firefilm
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Best stand up ever? Misleading question since each builds upon the past. You find a straight line from George and Gracie through to Stephen Wright and Mitch Hedberg. Before there was Robin Williams, he learned from Jonathan Winters that zany improv style. Lenny Bruce provided the inspiration for Carlin and Hicks, and sadly Hicks took it down the rabbit hole Carlin was able to distance himself from his darker topics with a "but what do you do about it" attitude. Abbot and Costello give you the great wordplay and observational comedians about the everyman that cosby does so well (along with seinfeld and larry david), talking about his childhood and the characters he knew to his days as a father, had a huge influence on 80's and 90's sitcom writing and bringing black comedians out of the amos and andy past into a mainstream acceptance, where Pryor focused on the conflict, Cosby made it a non-issue.
Best standup ever? EVERYONE will have a different favorite.
Best standup ever? EVERYONE will have a different favorite.
For everyone who didnt say Louis CK, HEATHENS! Nothing against you personally, just that you are wrong.
And to everyone who said Louis CK, well done. Your prize is retroactive, I will implant the idea of Louis CK in your mind so that you go and find out about him in the first place... you are welcome!
And to everyone who said Louis CK, well done. Your prize is retroactive, I will implant the idea of Louis CK in your mind so that you go and find out about him in the first place... you are welcome!
If you're going for most influential comedians: Milton Berle, Richard Pryor, Johnny Carson, Jon Stewart, Merv Griffin (yup, comedian).
Quantity:quality ratio of material: George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Tim Allen (surprisingly enough), Steve Martin (and/or Martin Short, depending on who you ask), Jeff Foxworthy.
But the best comedian of all time, in terms of pure comedy, is Rodney Dangerfield. (He knows a lot of f*k'n jokes.) Some comedians hit or miss, but Dangerfield's rapid-fire delivery always connected with an audience.
Incidentally, and *spoilers*, Richard Pryor topped the lists of 100 "best" comedians. IIRC, Cosby was 3rd, Carlin 2nd.
Quantity:quality ratio of material: George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Tim Allen (surprisingly enough), Steve Martin (and/or Martin Short, depending on who you ask), Jeff Foxworthy.
But the best comedian of all time, in terms of pure comedy, is Rodney Dangerfield. (He knows a lot of f*k'n jokes.) Some comedians hit or miss, but Dangerfield's rapid-fire delivery always connected with an audience.
Incidentally, and *spoilers*, Richard Pryor topped the lists of 100 "best" comedians. IIRC, Cosby was 3rd, Carlin 2nd.
First off I want to congratulate you on a great episode. This mixture seems to be the sweet nectar boiled from the vat of episodes. This seems to be what you are aiming for with No Right Answer. This is the first No Right Answer I have enjoyed, and been watching it because I love Media Sandwich. I agree both have their own right, but out of the choices I would have agree with George Carlin because he made you laugh and think. Now personally as much as I enjoy George Carlin but it tends to be more of an intellectual love rather then funny love. That would go to Roddney Dangerfield and Christopher Titus. That being the case I put my vote with Christopher Titus because the man is still around making funny stuff.
You're all wrong! (Unless you happen to agree with me)
My all time favourite stand-up comedian and I would argue one of the best if not THE best, is Bill Hicks.
The man made people think.
My all time favourite stand-up comedian and I would argue one of the best if not THE best, is Bill Hicks.
The man made people think.
Didn't watch the video as I don't like the show, but as far as the discussion goes, yeah, Carlin, Cosby can't compare.
How come no one's mentioning Robin Williams btw? Yeah, he's far more famous as an actor, but he has some hilarious standup comedy bits.
How come no one's mentioning Robin Williams btw? Yeah, he's far more famous as an actor, but he has some hilarious standup comedy bits.
Ok, out of the two, I'm going to choose Carlin all the way. You can't beat Carlin because his stand up was like aesops fables a lot of the time, where you learned something out of it and carried that philosophy off with you.
I also think a really good combination of the two is Louis CK, if you haven't watched louis CK's stuff. He's got the great story telling of Bill Cosby with the verbal abuse and creativity of Carlin, whilst also instilling the same philosophies which is nice.
I love Eddie Izzard, it will be impossible for him to be debunked in my mind as my favorite comedian. Though, I recognize that he is not the best comedian, He can get a little convoluted at times toward a general audience and lose them, but he is brilliant.
Robin Williams is another strong candidate depending on his stand up, he is so much faster than everyone else that he holds the crowd because if you don't follow him, you're fucked.
Not too big on Prior, just because I've not seen a lot of his stuff (Though his 2001 bit is perfect)
I hate Lewis Black because he always seems like he tries to hard to be angry.
I'm not too keen on Insult comics so I'm not overly big on Don.
Dane cook is good, not the best, it's hard recognizing his talent just because he's very mainstream and you think you'll be judged as not knowing what you're talking about, but he is good.
I think someone who does Dane Cooks stuff better than him is Pablo Fancisco, I think that guy does crazy long winded stories best.
These are most of the comedians I like and listen too, say a line or two, but out of the two I'd say Carlin, though I think CK, despite not having as much material is beginning to pass Carlin.
I also think a really good combination of the two is Louis CK, if you haven't watched louis CK's stuff. He's got the great story telling of Bill Cosby with the verbal abuse and creativity of Carlin, whilst also instilling the same philosophies which is nice.
I love Eddie Izzard, it will be impossible for him to be debunked in my mind as my favorite comedian. Though, I recognize that he is not the best comedian, He can get a little convoluted at times toward a general audience and lose them, but he is brilliant.
Robin Williams is another strong candidate depending on his stand up, he is so much faster than everyone else that he holds the crowd because if you don't follow him, you're fucked.
Not too big on Prior, just because I've not seen a lot of his stuff (Though his 2001 bit is perfect)
I hate Lewis Black because he always seems like he tries to hard to be angry.
I'm not too keen on Insult comics so I'm not overly big on Don.
Dane cook is good, not the best, it's hard recognizing his talent just because he's very mainstream and you think you'll be judged as not knowing what you're talking about, but he is good.
I think someone who does Dane Cooks stuff better than him is Pablo Fancisco, I think that guy does crazy long winded stories best.
These are most of the comedians I like and listen too, say a line or two, but out of the two I'd say Carlin, though I think CK, despite not having as much material is beginning to pass Carlin.
I feel as though he may only have niche appeal so he may be out of the running for greatest ever, but I have to submit Mitch Hedberg's name, if only because he is my favorite. He was (Flying Spaghetti Monster rest his soul) one of the few who did away with the segue altogether and provided the most striking examples of the cognitive shift that no humor would work without.
No mention of Joe Rogan? His standup is pretty good, but as far as comedians using the internet and podcasts as a venue I think he's one of the all-time best.
And you guys have already said it, but George Carlin and Bill Hicks are hands-down two of the most influential comedians today. Louis CK is awesome for how much content he can put out alone, and I'm a big fan of Patton Oswalt and Patrice O'Neal (RIP).
And you guys have already said it, but George Carlin and Bill Hicks are hands-down two of the most influential comedians today. Louis CK is awesome for how much content he can put out alone, and I'm a big fan of Patton Oswalt and Patrice O'Neal (RIP).
Carlin was more of a prick. and a vulgar one at that. and im not saying no should be vulgar, but cosby Never dated him self and he was truly funny. and i think cosby has done more not just for black people, but people all together throughout his life.
also fat albert.
also fat albert.