Standup Comedians
- Thread starter Triskelion
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Craig Ferguson is the only person who has made me laugh so much I was actually having trouble breathing.
I saw him do support for Rowan Atkinson, crikey, twenty years ago? (Jesus, I'm old!). Atkinson may have been funny, I don't remember it at all - I just remember Craig Ferguson. He was awesome.
Personally I always thought Bill Hicks was overrated. He's funny, but I've never really laughed hard at his stuff. Revolutionary at the time and somewhat thought provoking, but not super funny.
Louis CK is probably my favorite stand up comedian.
Louis CK is probably my favorite stand up comedian.
I do, too.
I came across a yahoo article on Comics today. The part that I found most interesting was about Jeff Dunham, who has made $30 million in the last year.
I enjoy him, but had no idea he was so well liked.
I enjoy him, but had no idea he was so well liked.
As a kid I listened to Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, George Carlin and Cheech and Chong. I thought Rickles was hilarious.
Andy Kaufman, Steve Martin, Martin Mull, Robin Williams and Steven Wright are the guys I recall best from the 70's and 80's during one of stand up's many "Golden Ages". I've only seen Williams live, the others were on various TV shows and LPs. Williams was a bit of a fluke. He was MCing a concert and one of the acts was late. So Williams did his routine until the act showed up. Laughed for almost an hour straight. The original SNL guys are from that era too.
I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, which was a big Comedy town so a lot of up and comers performed there and appeared on the radio. (The Alex Bennett Show). Guys like Larry "Bubbles" Brown, Bobcat Goldthwait and Tom Kenny were on quite often.
I haven't really payed much attention to comedy since then.
Andy Kaufman, Steve Martin, Martin Mull, Robin Williams and Steven Wright are the guys I recall best from the 70's and 80's during one of stand up's many "Golden Ages". I've only seen Williams live, the others were on various TV shows and LPs. Williams was a bit of a fluke. He was MCing a concert and one of the acts was late. So Williams did his routine until the act showed up. Laughed for almost an hour straight. The original SNL guys are from that era too.
I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, which was a big Comedy town so a lot of up and comers performed there and appeared on the radio. (The Alex Bennett Show). Guys like Larry "Bubbles" Brown, Bobcat Goldthwait and Tom Kenny were on quite often.
I haven't really payed much attention to comedy since then.
Some other notables:
Wanda Sykes - sassy and brassy and funny as hell.
Doug Stanhope (I keep hearing Bill Hicks, but I think he'll be a contender one of these days. The overt sexual stuff just isn't my bag tho).
Lee Evans - he's a bit silly for my taste; but the guy is a dynamo and you gotta give him credit! He really pours his heart and soul into it!
Dave Attell - a favorite among "alternative" comedians. Far more amiable than guys like David Cross, who have a mean streak and occasionally rip into other comics and their fans.
Saw Steven Wright in a bar. My friend asked him "Hey, do you still have that life sized map of the world?" He reached for his pocket and said "Yeah I've got it right here". Funny guy!
Elaine Boozler definitely deserves a mention, one of the funnier female acts.
Wanda Sykes - sassy and brassy and funny as hell.
Doug Stanhope (I keep hearing Bill Hicks, but I think he'll be a contender one of these days. The overt sexual stuff just isn't my bag tho).
Lee Evans - he's a bit silly for my taste; but the guy is a dynamo and you gotta give him credit! He really pours his heart and soul into it!
Dave Attell - a favorite among "alternative" comedians. Far more amiable than guys like David Cross, who have a mean streak and occasionally rip into other comics and their fans.
Saw Steven Wright in a bar. My friend asked him "Hey, do you still have that life sized map of the world?" He reached for his pocket and said "Yeah I've got it right here". Funny guy!
Elaine Boozler definitely deserves a mention, one of the funnier female acts.
Dave Attell fan as well...I really like that he pretty much will say anything to elicit a laugh, I laugh when I'm uncomfortable for the most part so his comedy is definitely for me.
I've also been really high on Lewis Black lately. I love the rants, there's so much passion but I find it hilarious that he just can't help himself at certain points in his routine.
I've also been really high on Lewis Black lately. I love the rants, there's so much passion but I find it hilarious that he just can't help himself at certain points in his routine.
I don't have any particular person/ persons or style I like. If it makes me laugh, then it is all good 
When Johnny Carson was still on, well before his retirement, we saw a comedien on the show that brought the house down! For the life of me, I can't remember his name. ugh!!
All I remember is he was young and not known, and he got to stay on longer cause he just had the entire crowd and Johnny in stiches. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like that since. Was amazing.
Wish I could remember who it was... damn!
When Johnny Carson was still on, well before his retirement, we saw a comedien on the show that brought the house down! For the life of me, I can't remember his name. ugh!!
All I remember is he was young and not known, and he got to stay on longer cause he just had the entire crowd and Johnny in stiches. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like that since. Was amazing.
Wish I could remember who it was... damn!
I'm not a huge fan of his, but I love the fact that he called one of his albums The End Of The Universe and chose for the cover art, a picture of two Starbuckses, one across the street from the other.
(side note: How the hell did that happen, anyway? RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET?
)
I'm not a huge fan of his, but I love the fact that he called one of his albums The End Of The Universe and chose for the cover art, a picture of two Starbuckses, one across the street from the other.
(side note: How the hell did that happen, anyway? RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET?
There's only one group of people who will accept that: people suffering from alzheimers. Who else could walk out of a Starbucks, look across the street and see a Starbucks and think, "I gotta have some coffee!"?
My faves;
Richard Pryor - Simply the best. Single handedly changed stand up forever, it seems.
Bill Cosby - one of the best storyteller comics ever.
George Carlin - From Al Sleet to the pissed off Raiders fan, he persevered to greatness. Father of observational stand up.
Bill Hicks - From the Carlin school of comedy.
Chris Rock - Best social commentator since Richard Pryor.
Jonathan Winters - Utterly bizarre back in the 50's and 60's. Way ahead of his time.
Richard Pryor - Simply the best. Single handedly changed stand up forever, it seems.
Bill Cosby - one of the best storyteller comics ever.
George Carlin - From Al Sleet to the pissed off Raiders fan, he persevered to greatness. Father of observational stand up.
Bill Hicks - From the Carlin school of comedy.
Chris Rock - Best social commentator since Richard Pryor.
Jonathan Winters - Utterly bizarre back in the 50's and 60's. Way ahead of his time.
I'm not a huge fan of his, but I love the fact that he called one of his albums The End Of The Universe and chose for the cover art, a picture of two Starbuckses, one across the street from the other.
(side note: How the hell did that happen, anyway? RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET?
There was a starbucks across the street from starbucks back where my brother in law lived. It actually served a purpose though since each one serviced a different giant office park. So with even two they were always packed. You'd occasionally see the employees walking supplies back and forth between them.
I wonder if that was Drew Carey. I saw his Biography episode recently, and that's pretty much how he broke out. He was supposed to only have a minute or so if there was time, but another act that was scheduled didn't show up, so he got to do his routine and sit down with Johnny Carson. He was hugely impressed with Drew and thought his routine was hilarious.When Johnny Carson was still on, well before his retirement, we saw a comedien on the show that brought the house down! For the life of me, I can't remember his name. ugh!!
All I remember is he was young and not known, and he got to stay on longer cause he just had the entire crowd and Johnny in stiches. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like that since. Was amazing.
Wish I could remember who it was... damn!
I like Drew Carey. I like the "normal guy" persona he presents. I can relate to him.
Good list. Jonathon Winters influenced many a comedian. His film "The Loved One" is a brilliant underappreciated classic, and one of my all-time faves!
When I was much younger, I listened to George Carlin quite regularly. I didn't like that he swore so much, or that he often condemned religion either...but otherwise, I thought he often made some very constructive observations about American society. This is one of my favorite bits from him.
Next is John Branyan, who's been doing comedy since the mid'90s. His arguably most-popular bit involves the subject of a Shakespearean approach to classic fairy tales. His related book, "A Triune Tale of Diminutive Swine", was first published in 2012.
Tim Hawkins has been entertaining crowds since the early 2000s. Most of his material consists of comments regarding the subjects of homeschooling, marriage, and parenting. He's also known for parodying popular songs, similar to "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Comedian George Wallace offered Michael Jr. his first break, when he took him to the legendary "Comedy & Magic Club" in Hermosa Beach, home of Jay Leno and "The Tonight Show" staff. The club's owner slipped Michael onstage... and a week later Michael was performing at the "Just for Laughs" comedy festival in Montreal, where he became the first comedian to ever appear live via satellite on Leno's program. Ever since, he's toured the heartland and the inner city, churches and prisons, corporate events and youth rallies.
Next is John Branyan, who's been doing comedy since the mid'90s. His arguably most-popular bit involves the subject of a Shakespearean approach to classic fairy tales. His related book, "A Triune Tale of Diminutive Swine", was first published in 2012.
Tim Hawkins has been entertaining crowds since the early 2000s. Most of his material consists of comments regarding the subjects of homeschooling, marriage, and parenting. He's also known for parodying popular songs, similar to "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Comedian George Wallace offered Michael Jr. his first break, when he took him to the legendary "Comedy & Magic Club" in Hermosa Beach, home of Jay Leno and "The Tonight Show" staff. The club's owner slipped Michael onstage... and a week later Michael was performing at the "Just for Laughs" comedy festival in Montreal, where he became the first comedian to ever appear live via satellite on Leno's program. Ever since, he's toured the heartland and the inner city, churches and prisons, corporate events and youth rallies.