Favourite Stand-Up Comedian?
 

Basically wanted to know who everyone likes/dislikes in the world of stand-up comedy.

I adore Stewart Lee, Richard Herring, Ricky Gervais, Daniel Kitson, Bill Hicks, Alan Partridge, George Carlin etc...

I dislike comics like Peter Kay, Paddy McGuinness, most panel show comedians and the terrible American ones.




My two faves :)

(couldn't find a thread on this already)

Does that mean you like the terrible ones from other countries? :laughing:

Yes. Especially the ones I didn't name. Jim Davidson is a personal hero.

I quite like Dylan Moran.

He is good. Quite strange for the sake of it, but at least he is actually funny.

Lenny Bruce, hands down. First real 'dirty social comedian', and the trailblazer for the likes of George Carlin, and Bill Hicks.

That's a bit of why I like him so much. I like absurd, dry humour.

The problem with Lenny Bruce is that he wasn't that funny.

I do agree with that.

I accept that most stand up comedians are in 'character', but it does get annoying when those character traits are a substitute for actual content - which I think Dylan Moran is sometimes guilty of.

Louis CK


Norm Macdonald


Mitch Hedberg

Lenny Bruce was plenty funny, just really really dated. I think, also, you have to have the patience to endure his really really long wind-ups. Which, in my eyes, are a beautiful construction of themselves.

This is one of his most accessible bits, Don't tell me this isn't a tad bit clever, especially for the early 60s when it came out:

I have no problem with long winded pieces. After all, my favourite comedian is Stewart Lee.

I would be a fibber if I said I had listened to most of his stuff, but he never has me in stitches, which I know is not what he intended.

I can appreciate him though. Very important figure.

I can respect what he accomplished but I just don't find him funny, which is generally the case for me with older comedy. Unfortunately I think it's something that just doesn't age well, probably because so much humor depends on cultural context.

This guy is absolutely hilarious, but this thread should have been named "Dave Chappelle".

Two of my best friends are semi-professional stand-up comics, so I'm certainly made to watch a lot of comedy with them. Some of my favorites are:

Kristen Schaal

She's so bizarre and strangely adorable. I'm aware she's on Flight of the Conchords or something, but I never watched that - so my only knowledge of her is her stand-up and a gem for children (Striking Viking Story Pirates) called Abbey is Sile (pronounced Silly).


I also love Jeremy Hotz, because his character is entertaining to me.


Doug Stanhope is the angriest man alive, and I love him as well.


I also lovelovelove David Cross.


And of course Louis CK is a modern master, Maria Bamford makes me giggle, Mitch Hedberg was the man...lots of others.

George Carlin
Bill Hicks
Lenny Bruce
Richard Pryor
Steven Wright
Emo Philips
Bobcat Goldthwait


to name the ones that come up off the top of my head.

Emo Philllips would be amazing if he didn't recycle so much material over the years. Albeit, if memory serves, there's an hour and a half BBC special he did which pretty much has all his material. All you really need to see, but thoroughly entertaining,

At the moment I'm really enjoying Milton Jones. His style is incredible. He'll always either very shy, or completely oblivious of the audience, speaking as solemnly as a judge.

I don't follow standup comedy very much, but my all time no. 1 is Bill Hicks, followed closely by the late great George Carlin, followed by the lovable goofball the late Mitch Hedberg. Got to see Mitch in San Francisco a month or two before he died. He was very drunk and not as funny as on his tapes, but still glad I got to see him considering...

Bill Hicks is a hero of mine

I would recommend everyone takes an hour or two out of their lives to watch a Stewart Lee show. He is sublime.

He's bloody hilarious! Even funnier than the amazing Stewart Francis.

By the way, why don't you like Peter Kay? I think that he can be really funny at times. And he's from Bolton too!

I try and look at Stand Up Comedy in the same way I look at music. Are they original? Do they inspire me? Is this of genuine value?

Peter Kay is like Coldplay. Decent at first and ticking all the obvious boxes. Now recycled, boring and unoriginal.

If Peter Kay were a band, you would hate him.

I do hate Peter Kay

Kevin Bridges, hands down. The guys stand ups are ****ing genius. Can't wait to go see him next year :D:D:D:D.

Ed Byrne's worth a mention, if only for this bit alone;


Ed Byrne slates Alanis Morissette - YouTube

What? No Eddie Izzard? What's a matter with you all?



and if anyone has ever impersonated fruit better then they are a genius:

Heh. I love Eddie Izzard.

Bill Hicks, Lewis Black, Daniel Tosh, Norm MacDonald, Bill Cosby, David Cross and the incredibly underrated Greg Giraldo

Izzard is great. The routine in French is outstanding.

Mitch hedburg is awsome!!!


I also love Tim vine...

I'm hoping that someone has bought me Stewart Lee's stand up DVD where he goes off on a 45 minute rant about Top Gear for Xmas.

And series 2 of his Comedy Vehicle which I missed on TV :(

No love for Dave Chappelle?

It's sooooooo good.

And Dave Chapelle is funny.

Eddie Izzard and Mitch Hedberg, both gods of comedy.

I don't find Dave Chapelle funny. My brother loves him, but I think its pure american comedy and that's not my thing.

Chris Rock. My homeboy.

He has some GREAT routines, but far too many d*ck jokes, stereotypes and filler for me to put him up there with my personal greats.

Chapelle's overrated but he's still alright. I'm not that big on racial humour but his impersonations of white people are pretty damn good.

I would have to say Bill Hicks or George Carlin. Bob Hope is a riot as well.

If you keep a straight face through this you have no soul.

OFFT! dara o'briain watta legend