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Get up, Stand Up

Centerfield Oct 22 2007 01:59 PM

Who is your favorite stand up comic? What was his/her best performance? Any good routines kicking around recently? I've been watching HBO specials lately. Jim Norton, Monster Rain and Bill Maher's Decider both sucked. One is too right, one is too left, both leave a lot to be desired. Lewis Black, Red White & Screwed, on the other hand, was pretty good.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 22 2007 02:07 PM

There's no one I've enjoyed more over the years than David Letterman. I also like, among those still living, Bill Maher (though his special wasn't any good), George Carlin, and Jake Johansen. I used to really enjoy Jeff Altman, but he hasn't been as funny lately as he was 20 years ago. I used to really like Jay Leno, too, but those days are LONG gone.

Edgy DC Oct 22 2007 02:16 PM

I have a sexist funnybone, and I always have trouble laughing at she-comics. But Kathleen Madigan breaks me up because I'm pretty sure I'm related to her.

seawolf17 Oct 22 2007 02:23 PM

I miss Mitch Hedberg. We'll watch anyone; we love "Last Comic Standing." A few names that immediately come to mind as favorites, besides the late Mitch: John Pinette, Jeff Dunham (in the old days -- I haven't liked him the last few times I saw him), Stephen Lynch, Denis Leary, Lewis Black... I loved Dave Chapelle when he was doing the college circuit, but I can't get into his show at all.

Valadius Oct 22 2007 02:33 PM

I saw Stephen Lynch a couple weeks ago here at GW. He was fantastic! I have a few favorites: Bill Cosby, Dane Cook, Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams, Frank Caliendo, and a few others I can't remember at the moment.

soupcan Oct 22 2007 02:46 PM

Seinfeld had a great stand-up routine and was just a great comedian before the TV series. Jim Carey had an HBO special before In Living Color that was pure genius. I also was a Jay Leno fan pre-pre-Tonight Show. Saw him on stage at a place on 14th street many moons ago. If you've never heard Bob Newhart's phone call bits, I'd highly recommend searching out recordings.

Edgy DC Oct 22 2007 02:56 PM

Centerfield Oct 23 2007 09:36 AM

Edgy DC wrote: I have a sexist funnybone, and I always have trouble laughing at she-comics. But Kathleen Madigan breaks me up because I'm pretty sure I'm related to her. Ellen Degeneres had a good routine a few years ago. Rosie O'Donnell used to be ok in small doses before she became annoying and self-righteous. Maybe having sex with men makes you unfunny.

Edgy DC Oct 23 2007 09:53 AM

No, I think it's the innate sympathy for certain themes. For a long time, Catherine O'Hara was the only woman who made me laugh --- besides my friend Claire. I see Tracey Ullman and Imogene Coca and Lily Tomlin and can see the genius there, but the snot just doesn't come up. There is nothing groundbreaking about Kathleen Madigan, but she just seems like every Long Island Irish American lush I know, despite being a midwesterner herself. Only comic I turn out for when she's in town, even though I see her recylcing the same material. She sips from water compulsively throughout her set, but you're certain she's getting drunker throughout the show. Her best bit is about the Cardinals announcers. Close second is Dr. Laura.

metirish Oct 23 2007 09:55 AM

Youtube this fella, very funny. http://www.tommytiernan.com/

Methead Oct 23 2007 10:13 AM

Bill Hicks.

bmfc1 Oct 23 2007 11:09 AM

I'm with Yancy on Letterman--Yancy, I knew you were a fan from the use of "Charts and Graphs" as a topic heading. Bob Newhart and Bill Cosby are among my older favorites. After seeing a recent bit on Letterman, I watched a lot of Rodney Dangerfield and was reminded how great he was. "Younger" favorites include Brian Regan and Jim Gaffigan.

Iubitul Oct 23 2007 11:55 AM

Noah's Ark - classikc:

bmfc1 Oct 23 2007 12:13 PM

YES! "Bill Cosby: Right!" (or something like that) was the first comedy album I ever owned. I thought of that bit when I watched "Bruce Almighty"... I thought that Cosby got more laughs on the same topic in a few minutes than were in the whole 90 minute movie.

Iubitul Oct 23 2007 12:19 PM

Bill Cosby Is A Very Funny Fellow - Right! This was the first Cosby album I had heard as a kid, and I couldn't stop laughing....

MFS62 Oct 23 2007 12:42 PM

My first comedy albumn was "The Button down Mind of Bob Newhart". Today, its Carlin and Lewis Black for me. Later

Iubitul Oct 23 2007 12:47 PM

More classic Cosby - Revenge:

Vic Sage Oct 23 2007 02:39 PM

[u:75b7b176ac]My top dozen (chronologicially):[/u:75b7b176ac] Lenny Bruce George Carlin Bill Cosby Richard Pryor Robin Williams Steve Martin Eddie Murphy Sam Kinison Bill Hicks Denis Leary Lewis Black Bill Maher

Vic Sage Oct 24 2007 10:12 AM

My expanded standup list: Woody Allen Louie Anderson Lewis Black David Brenner Lenny Bruce George Carlin Bill Cosby Billy Crystal Rodney Dangerfield Gilbert Gottfried Buddy Hackett Mitch Hedberg Bill Hicks Bob Hope Andy Kaufman Alan King Sam Kinison Robert Klein Denis Leary Bill Maher Steve Martin Jackie Mason Dennis Miller Larry Miller Eddie Murphy Bob Newhart John Pinette Paula Poundstone Richard Pryor Paul Reiser Chris Rock Jerry Seinfeld Garry Shandling Ron White Steven Wright

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 24 2007 10:40 AM

I was at this performance. This (very NSFW) perfoamnce shows how great GG is -- even when he screws up the telling of a joke -- which isn't itself even funny -- he just grinds laughs of it by whatever means necessary. He's a master of improvisation. A genius of joketelling, the funniest man alive.

Frayed Knot Oct 24 2007 10:43 AM

I meant to mention Woody. Obviously he went on to other things so his isn't the first name that comes to mind when you think about stand-up and he didn't do it for all that long but his stuff and delivery was hysterical. His routine on going moose-hunting was a classic. The current TV talk-show lineup (Letterman, Leno, Conan) doesn't seem to have stand-ups on as often as the previous generation did. I guess the way up now involves other avenues.

Edgy DC Oct 24 2007 10:53 AM

AG/DC Jan 10 2008 09:25 PM

Young Pee-Wee. Like Gilbert, the real joke is the telling: