• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

Favorite / Influential Comedians

beeksc1

A holographic observer
beeksc1
Joined
Jan 19, 2008
Messages
317
Stand up comedy can be considered the most challenging of the arts.

One man (or woman) show; it is all about delivery; the audience is expecting to laugh and have a good time; etc

There is one particular stand up who is often cited as the greatest comedian of all time. He was a phenomenal story-teller.

A couple of threads honored the passing away (when he would prolly object to that wording) of George Carlin. Going beyond topical comedy, Carlin's later material dealt with the larger picture. His "stuff" material is great.

Even though he is not my single most "favorite" stand-up, the works of Mitch Hedberg always make me laugh.

Other favorites and those comedians that influenced and/or added to the art of stand-up...
 

Attachments

  • notable comedian.jpg
    notable comedian.jpg
    15.7 KB · Views: 15
If you're going to mention Carlin and Hicks, you have to finish the Holy Trinity with Lenny Bruce.

Then you have Redd Foxx, Pryor and Cosby.

Even though he never called himself a comedian, Andy Kaufmann influenced how I look at comedy, to the chagrin of those around me at times....

ETA: How could I forget one of my all time favorite stand-up comedians? Bob Newhart. If all you know him as is the stoic New England innkeeper, go NOW and get "Button Down Mind" and hear what happens when an accountant lets his hair down.
 
Last edited:
Oh yea, familiar with Bruce.
Right on: "favorite" stand up = Bill Hicks
As you noted, Richard Pryor: the legend, arguably the most influential stand up.

Richard Pryor, a gifted comedian who talked dirty and led a troubled life, but who was, as Jerry Seinfeld said in Newsweek, "The Picasso of our profession."
Click to expand...
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/21/morton.thosewelost/index.html

American Masters (PBS)
Comedian Bob Newhart has enthralled audiences with his trademark stammer, one-sided telephone conversations and hysterical, historical "what if" routines for more than 40 years.
Click to expand...
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/newhart_b.html

Paul Mooney and Dave Chappelle have to be mentioned; largely influenced by Pryor
 
I am a huge Ricky Gervais fan. His three live shows are the funniest stand up I have ever encountered, and he isn't afraid to mock the human race.
 
Does Bill Bailey count as stand up? His web site is as weird as you'd expect too :eek: go for the flash option.

And I wore out a tape of a Brett Butler stand up (The Kid Ain't Right, IIRC).
 
Stand Ups, hmm Ken Dodd, Jasper Carrott, Eddie Izzard, Jimmy Carr, Bill Bailey, meh I like em all. Favorite comedy are thyings like TW3, Goons, Python et al
 
Furi's mentioned TW3 and the like, but I'll say that, for the UK, two of the most influential comedy writers/performers, post-war, were probably Spike Milligan, who influenced the likes of the Pythons and that whole line of comedy...and Peter Cook, who was a big influence on the whole TW3/satire line of comedy.
 
Tolls said:
Furi's mentioned TW3 and the like, but I'll say that, for the UK, two of the most influential comedy writers/performers, post-war, were probably Spike Milligan, who influenced the likes of the Pythons and that whole line of comedy...and Peter Cook, who was a big influence on the whole TW3/satire line of comedy.
Click to expand...

Of course, Milligan worked with Sellers and Secombe in the Goon Show. And with out the Goon Show there probably wouldn't be a Firesign Theater, there's a pretty good chance that without Milligan's work, there'd be no Monty Python.

Milligan was a comedic writing genius who's work was performed by one of the best comedic actors, Sellers. Let's face it, any modern movie that has an actor playing multiple parts owes a tribute to Sellers.

Of course, all of this moves away from the OP's idea of stand-up comedians, but all these folks influenced stand-up in ways that aren't initially obvious.
 
Last edited:
Tommy Cooper. Once, when shaking the queens hand, he asked if she was going to see spurs (football) play that afternoon. she said "no" and so he asked if he could have her ticket. Nearly wet herself by all accounts. Not clever or witty just naturaly funny.
 
Seconded with Bob Newhart. His Bus Driver Instructor monologue is brilliant, as is the SS Codfish routine.

Count me out with Lenny Bruce. I've heard a number of his routines and to me, it's a case of right-place-right-time. He was certainly groundbreaking, but to me, his stuff sounds outdated.

My favorite living comedian is Gilbert Gottfried. Like Woody Allen, he's an acquired taste and is equally polarizing--you either love him or hate him. I also really like Patton Oswalt, Dave Attell and Dana Gould (highly underappreciated, in my opinion.)

Michael
 
Stewart Lee, he of Fist of Fun, This Morning with Richard not Judy and of course Jerry Springer the Opera.
 
coalesce said:
Seconded with Bob Newhart. His Bus Driver Instructor monologue is brilliant, as is the SS Codfish routine.

Count me out with Lenny Bruce. I've heard a number of his routines and to me, it's a case of right-place-right-time. He was certainly groundbreaking, but to me, his stuff sounds outdated.

My favorite living comedian is Gilbert Gottfried. Like Woody Allen, he's an acquired taste and is equally polarizing--you either love him or hate him. I also really like Patton Oswalt, Dave Attell and Dana Gould (highly underappreciated, in my opinion.)

Michael
Click to expand...
I agree with Gottfried. No matter what you think of him, you have to admit that he's got bal...um, chutzpa. Performing "The Aristocrats" at the WTC memorial was pure genius.

Filthy, but genius.

I had to include Bruce for the fact that was he ground breaking. The OP asked for "influential" comedians. Most of his stuff it tame by today's standards, but in the late '50s and early '60s he was forging new ground.

Weirdly, I like Woody Allen's writings better than his vocal/film work. He's got a unique view on life that he sometimes doesn't deliver well in person, but can more often than not transfer to paper well.
 
Flip Wilson. The first stand-up I ever saw. There was this thing about a turtle with blisters on its feet. And Geraldine...

Smothers Brothers. Smart, political. Not potty humor.

Don't like Bob Newhart, not sure if he qualifies as a stand-up, though. Same with Woody Allen, I actually walked out of one of his flicks.
 
Mark Thomas has managed to do some interesting stuff.
 
One of my favorites... Bob Nelson

9th Annual Young Comedians Special (Includes his "football" routine):
​

"Jiffy Jeff's Gym":
​

"What Makes New Yorkers Laugh":
​
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom