Maybe I'm just completely missing the point of stand up comedy (or maybe I just can't read), but I've yet to see mention of any of three of the people in at least my top-10 favorites: Kathleen Madigan, John Caparulo, and Ralphie May
I am somewhat surprised with all of the Patton Oswalt and Louis CK love (which is of course completely justified), that nobody has thrown Maria Bamford out in here. I think my all time favorite current bit though is John Mulaney doing the SVU bit that Nom linked or while I am not exactly in love with them the Sklar Brothers doing Dueling Dices.
Maria Bamford is my favourite Vagino-American comic. If you're tuned in to her from-out-of-left-field humour, she's a scream. Here she is absolutely torching every tired shtick female comedian from the last thirty years (keep in mind she's being sarcastic): http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CeCSKygKOQE Edit: wouldn't embed sorry
No Chris Griffin? Huh.* In my early teens a friend and I popped in Eddie Murphy's "Raw", cranked the volume up to 1, then laid on the floor with our ears next to the speakers and laughed our butts off. We probably missed about 1/2 of what he said as we had an ear peeled listening for my mom in case she came up the stairs as there was no way what we were listening to was even remotely acceptable. When I was in college George Carlin came and did a show. I went with a bunch of friends and had a really great time. He got to the one part of his routine about any time a girl is eating a banana guys can't help but think of blowjobs. The guys we were with were all laughing and nodding their heads, agreeing with him. Ever since then, I always feel a wee bit self-conscious when eating a banana in front of a guy and will break off a piece instead of just biting it. As a bonus, when I see a guy eating a banana....thanks George. George Carlin: changing the way I eat bananas since 1990ish. *I'm sorry! That was mean! But it was just kind of hanging there. I know some of you are friendly with him and like him, so for that, I'm sorry! I couldn't resist. Moment of weakness. I can't stand Jeff Dunham: Even worse than Jeff Dunham? My father-in-law doing an impression of Jeff Dunham. Awful.
Nom's list is solid but in my opinion Patton Oswalt is the undisputed king of standup. Honorable mention goes to Maria Bamford and David Cross.
Glad this thread isn't really hating on Louis CK, because I'd have to choke a bitch. I suck at making lists because I'd always think of other faves later. I can tell you without a doubt that the two stand up routines that slayed me as a kid and still slay me today are Bill Cosby Himself and Eddie Murphy Delirious. That's what I call timeless comedy. Louis CK, I want to have his ginger babies. I also want to have Conan O'Brien's ginger babies, so I guess that makes 4 so far? Jim Gaffigan - one hint to me that he is really a funny guy is his off the cuff twitter comments. Always good for a giggle. Could it be a ghost writer, maybe. Uh, I love Kathy Griffin, but I don't know if she is a comedian so much as she is just a really good storyteller/gossip. But I'll count her anyway. Anyway, that's the current in the moment list that I pulled out of my ass in 5 minutes.
Top 5 ever - Aside from Lenny Bruce (who comes across as a pompous asshole) George Carlin Richard Pryor, and Bill Cosby all had arguably the biggest impact on modern stand-up. And they also happen to be my top 3. To round out the top 5 would be tough for me - probabaly Louis CK and Seinfeld. 5 I hate: Gallagher - implicit in the thread title, but worth repeating Bill Hicks - same abrasive personality as Lenny Bruce. His comedy may be insightful and witty, but I can't get past the fact that he comes across as a huge prick. Patrice O'Neal - I know I'll lose many of you with this one, but if there ever was a more ignorant blowhard who loved to hear himself talk but spent hours saying absolutely nothing, i have yet to hear him. Easily the most overrated comedian of this generation. Carlos Mencia - Phony, unoriginal douchebag. If you want to know his true colors, listen to his interview on the Marc Maron - WTF podcast. At one point he actually threatens to have Maron beaten up in a "haha, just kidding, but I could totally do it if I wanted to" way. Griffin who?
I agree with all the love, but disagree with all the hate. About everyone. Patrice O'Neal was properly rated. A majority (51% is a majority!) of people don't know him, he's not a household name in the least like Louis C.K. just became over a year ago. And let's not forget, Louis C.K. got a lot of press for people jumping on Dane Cook. I don't know what it is, but I like 90% of comedy. I can enjoy Katt Williams, and then enjoy the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. I just have range like that. I will not go to bat for Jeff Dunham, but I sure as hell can't hate him. He decided on doing Pixar level comedy. The kids will love him because of the puppets, but there are a few jokes adults will get. That's his thing. I can't objectively rate Bob Saget, because if there was a 3-5 year stretch of your life where you came home and watched Full House, then saw him on America's funniest home videos for another 3-4, you just can't help but laugh at the "OMG now I'm swearing" gag. Its a fact. Now if you've seen an episode here or there, then saw his stand-up, I'd agree why you'd think he's a hack. Katt Williams is genre specific. He hasn't broken out of that yet. He's very black people and heavy urban focused. And if you guys haven't heard of Bo Burnham, look him up. He's a younger guy, does some really HIGH level thinking shit, like Demetri Martin but delivered totally different. He does some music that that spices it up, and you have to listen carefully. He started off doing YouTube, but his last special Words Words Words is awesome, the first awesome thing about it is that he has his entire act typed out on 3 massive glass panels on either side of him.
Top 5 All Time Patrice O'Neil Chris Rock Richard Pryor Greg Giraldo Dave Attell Five I Currently Love Katt Williams John Caparulo Ralphie May Tracy Morgan Brendon Walsh Five I hate Nick Swardson Mitch Hedburg Chelsea Handler Jeff Dunham (Does a ventriliquist count as a comedian?) Bob Saget
I may be alone in this, but I don't like ranking the "musical comedians' like Bo Burnham or Demetri Martin or Galifinakis or even Steve Martin and his banjo as highly as any of the guys who do "purer" stand up. In some ways, I think the guitar or the piano is a more sophisticated version of Carrot Top's prop chest. It's neat that they have structured their gag around these musical scores and sometimes I even enjoy the pacing of some of the sketch song artists like Steven Lynch, but as far as true stand-up, step up and kill or die, the guitar seems like a cop out. Don't get me wrong, many of these dudes are fantastically talented and I am really impressed and appreciative of what it takes to deliver a multifaceted act like that. But the instrument seems to me like a shield, or a layer, or something between the comedian and the audience. I'm willing to admit that some of this feeling might be tied to the type of comedy I like. I laugh harder at Louis CK polishing his self-loathing than I do at Bo Burnham showing me a neat trick with a sentence, and maybe those types of comics gravitate towards different methods of presentation. But something about the nakedness of walking up there in nothing but a black t shirt and jeans and bringing down the house is more impressive to me because it's done almost exclusively with his voice and his expressions.
This is interesting about guys your age discussing Saget though, because for guys like me that initially saw him on Rodney Dangerfield's 9th Annual Young Comedians special in 1984 we more shocked to see him be clean on Full House. His dirty comedy was never a response to Full or AFHV, but always his style. Sort of the same with Tim Allen prior to Home Improvements. He stayed more cleaned up and family friendly afterwards, but a lot of those guys were pretty dirty before making primetime. The Saget interview on The Nerdist podcast is a really strong one to hear him talk about his views on comedy and the validity of the comedy he enjoys more personally, but how family comedy has an important place in comedy lexicon and shouldn't be looked down on just because it isn't as risque.
All-Time: Dave Chappelle Louis CK George Carlin Jerry Seinfeld Chris Rock Steve Martin (yeah that's 6) Current: Louis CK Flight of the Conchords Anthony Jeselnik Gabriel Iglesias (outside shout, he's already started to fall off) Guys I don't understand the appeal of: Jay Leno Dane Cook I need to watch more British stand-up.
The best thing I can say about Dane Cook is that, when he's on, his pacing and physical work can give an entire audience the impression that they're laughing at an inside joke. One of those ones where it's a friend telling it, and you know it's not really that funny, it just happens to hit you in the right spot at the moment. I know "makes subpar material funny to some people through delivery" isn't really high praise, but I didn't choose Dane's set list, so don't blame me.