Favorite / Influential Comedians

[AgeGap]

Alexei Sayle.

 

[Wudang]

Chic Murray - often acknowledged as an influence by other british comedians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz8bw4yh9Hs

 

[lionking]

The only ones I have paid good money to see (as distinct from watching on telly) have been Barry Humphries and Ben Elton. Both excellent.

 

[Steve]

I don't know if he would be considered as influential, but Billy Connolly always cracks me up. Also, another "vote" for Dave Allen.

 

[AgeGap]

Eddie Izzard
Take your pick!

 

[beeksc1]

Ah, man, that's sad to hear. I've only seen taped performances of Mitch.

Yea, Mitch Hedberg's performances were much better when the audience (as a whole) was somewhat familiar with his material. Hedberg's special on Comedy Central was average at best; it took him a while to overcome his stage fright. He even orients that into a joke or two.

I close my eyes a lot onstage because I have drawn a picture of an audience enjoying the show a lot more on the back of my eyelids.
~Mitch Hedberg

+++

Dennis Leary was "heavily influenced" by Bill Hicks

Eluding to Leary's plagiarism of Hicks?

No Cure for Cancer (IMDB)

Writing credits:
Bill Hicks - uncredited
Denis Leary - writer
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248752/fullcredits#cast

Did these comedians rip Bill Hicks off?
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=_j8JLPz46VU

And George Carlin definitely shared some material and was influenced by Hicks. Carlin's 80s material was involved thought-provoking material; but then, in the late 90s and early 2000s, Carlin started to elaborate upon how the US is run and has a show titled, You are All Diseased.

We're (people are) a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are.
~Bill Hicks

+++

And the latter Carlin touched upon the American Dream in Life is Worth Losing (2005)

That's what the owners counted on. The fact that Americans will probably remain willfully ignorant of the big red, white, and blue dick that's being jammed up their ass*s everyday, because the owners of this country know the truth. It's called the American Dream cause you have to be asleep to believe it."

Similarly; but in Hicks in 1993

That'll be great. You know, when I'm done ranting about the elite power that rules the planet under a totalitarian government that uses the media in order to keep people stupid, my throat gets parched.

Again, Hicks in 1993

I think it's interesting the two drugs that are legal - alcohol and cigarettes, two drugs that do absolutely nothing for you at all - are legal, and the drugs that might open your mind up to realise how you're being f*cked every day of your life? Those drugs are against the law. Coincidence?

+++

Carlin on JFK

You know what's interesting about assassination? Well, not only does it change those popularity polls in a big f*cking hurry, but it's also interesting to notice who it is we assassinate. Ya ever notice who it is, got to think who it is we kill? It's always people who've told us to live together in harmony and try to love one another. Jesus, Gandhi, Lincoln, John Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, John Lennon – they all said, "Try to live together peacefully." Bam! Right in the f*cking head! Apparently we're not ready for that. Yeah, that's difficult behavior for us. We're too busy thinking around, sitting around trying to think up ways to kill each other.

Hicks, similar bit; but years earlier

It's just a ride. But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok. Jesus, murdered; Martin Luther King, murdered; Malcolm X, murdered; Gandhi, murdered; John Lennon, murdered; Reagan … wounded.

I respect Carlin; but Hicks definitely paved the way for the evolved version of Carlin's performance.

But Dennis Leary on the other hand: pretty much seems like Leary blatantly copied some of Hicks' material; whereas, Carlin ran with some of Hicks' ideas and put a Carlin twist on them, and made them his own.

Not very fond of Dennis Leary. Paul Mooney says that a person can learn to tell jokes; but the true comedian has "innate" abilities.

Carlin, Hicks... naturally humorous
Leary... forcibly comical

Definition of comical

1. Being funny.
- It was a comical performance.

2. Being ridiculous.
- What a comical sight!

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/comical

Definition of humorous

1. Full of humor or arousing laughter; funny.
- The waiters were so humorous - one even did a backflip for us, when we asked him.

2. Showing humor; witty, jocular.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/humorous

Even though I can enjoy some of Dennis Leary's bits and he makes me laugh, Leary is still a self-proclaimed "assh*le".

 

[Wides]

i went to go see Eddie Izzard a few weeks ago, and his show was great. He's added a large anti-god theme to his act. He always keeps a high energy, and deals well with hecklers.

 

[beeksc1]

Eddie Izzard, have to check him out.

Have mentioned that Bill Hicks, Chappelle, Mitch Hedberg, Paul Mooney, etc. are some of my favorite stand ups; but, I have never considered anyone "in the spotlight" who could be considered an idol or someone who I "idolized", if you will.

Idol

2. A cultural icon, or especially popular person.

But Jerry Seinfeld maybe the person I most look up to the most. Seinfeld is a humanitarian, he is classy as all can be, does not take cheap shots, clean, witty, sophisticated, and is very humorous about very common things; and he is still down to Earth. He acknowledges his spiritual roots; but, never flaunts it and breaks off from the traditional Jewish bull honky. Seinfeld's comedy does not make me burst into laughter like Chappelle does; but, anything Seinfeld works on makes me smile and chuckle; and I am always left in awe, thinking, "Dang, that is really humorous." And props to David Larry.

Seinfeld... one of the greatest comedians or overrated?

 

[autumn1971]

Seinfeld is very good. He seems to not have the title of "great" because he works in an area of comedy that is well-established, but he is easily one of the best performers in the history of that area.
Even his intros to the TV show are still funny, even though the delivery is outdated.
I would have to say that he is not very influential or ground-breaking, simply one of the best at what he does.

 

[matty.the.damned]

Sue Ann Post.

MtD

 

[KDLarsen]

Eddie Izzard.

If anything, then at least for introducing CAKE OR DEATH?! to my list of cunning replies

 

[beeksc1]

Seinfeld is very good. He seems to not have the title of "great" because he works in an area of comedy that is well-established, but he is easily one of the best performers in the history of that area.
Even his intros to the TV show are still funny, even though the delivery is outdated.
I would have to say that he is not very influential or ground-breaking, simply one of the best at what he does.

I can mostly buy that. Seinfeld is not one of my favorite comedians; but I think he is great because he is one of best observational stand ups. Definitely, his material is no where close to being ground-breaking like the work of Pryor or Hicks is. I think he has not influenced many mainstream comedians; nonetheless, all stand ups and people alike have something to learn from his act and how he handles himself. So I think he is influential in that manner.

Another thing about Seinfeld is that he seems to be a down to Earth guy. And in one episode, as Michael Richards (Cosmo) says,

Look Jerry, he's too normal to be a comedian. These comedians, they're sick, neurotic people.

Seinfeld's cool composure distinguishes himself (in one simple way) from other great stand ups. You are right though, the substance of Seinfeld's work is nothing new. I get a sense of what you mean by,

Even his [Seinfeld's] intros to the TV show are still funny, even though the delivery is outdated.

How is delivery outdated? I agree with you his delivery does not involve too much originality; but if a person asked me too explain how Seinfeld's delivery is old-hat, I would not how to back it up. I would compare his delivery to Mitch Hedberg's and go on from there. Can you elaborate upon that? because I definitely agree that you are on to something.

 

[quarky]

Fans of Hicks should check out Stanhope. He's a similar character, but i don't think he needs to steal anyone's schtick. he's not even funny. Almost painfull, when on a roll.

 

[cafink]

I've had the great fortune of seeing Mitch Hedberg live. He was touring for Comedy Central with Dave Attell and Lewis Black. I'd actually never heard of Hedberg, and was attending the show just to see Attell and Black. While I enjoyed all three performances, Hedberg was the stand-out, and I've been a big fan of his work ever since. His death was indeed a great loss.

More recently, I attended an Eddie Izzard show. I've always enjoyed his brand of humor, but as Wides says, his repertoire included a pleasant surprise: a pretty significant piece on god/atheism, which I quite enjoyed.

 

[Loss Leader]

As a former professional stand-up comedian:

Brian Regan.

He and Hedberg are probably the two comics most quoted by other comics. We didn't even have to put a tape in when we drove to shows. We just started at the beginning of a concert and recited the entire thing.

 

[beeksc1]

LL, it is good to see you in another subforum, besides that other one.

So wait, LL, in your past you were a stand up? Kudos.

And yeah, I entirely agree Brian Regan is pure. I always forget about him, but I have one of his albums. Regan does not delivery a "kill" performance, like other greats can; but, his material, act is definitely notable. Good, clean, observational comedy. I respect a stand up, who can gets the laughs without gratuitous use of epitaphs (Pryor, Chappelle, older Mooney), profane language, and cheap shots.

Brian Regan

I learned something in the juice aisle. And that is, I don't know whats going on with Cranberries but they're getting in all the other juices! Whoever the salesman is for Cranberries does a great job. He's showing up everywhere. Hey what'd you got some apples? Put some Cranberries in 'em we'll call it CranApple, we'll go 50/50. What'd you got grapes? How bout CranGrape! What'd you got Mangos? CranMango! What'd you got Porkchops? CranChops!
Why don't you back off Cranman! Why don't you take your sales trophies and have a vacation.

 

[Almo]

Bill Cosby, Billy Connolly, and Emo Phillips.

Emo - "I was a very cute baby. Mother said when I was born they threw away the mold! .......But some of it grew back."

Gervais's Animals didn't impress me, except for his line-by-line talk about Genesis. - " 'In the beginning, God created the Universe.' Doesn't go into much detail, does it?"

 

[Loss Leader]

Regan does not delivery a "kill" performance, like other greats can; but, his material, act is definitely notable. Good, clean, observational comedy. I respect a stand up, who can gets the laughs without gratuitous use of epitaphs (Pryor, Chappelle, older Mooney), profane language, and cheap shots.

The thing that makes Regan great, I think, is that he doesn't mind looking like an idiot. Comedy is very ego driven and most comics want to be seen as supermen. Dane Cook is your current example of rock star comic. Steve Martin was, too. He was silly but not stupid. Regan, however, doesn't mind saying, "I'm a fool."

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Chris Rock.

Funniest man in America.

 

[Bikewer]

Being "of an age", I remember all those great TV and radio comics of the 50s and early 60s.

Sid Ceasar, Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton, many others. Jack Benny, Steve Allen...

Then later on as a teen-ager it was Carol Burnett, Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, guys like that.
Jonathan Winters...always "out there". Those "Mork" Episodes with Winters and Williams....Crazy stuff.