After exstinsive research, I've come to the conclusion that ...

[L.Kizzle]

Louie Anderson is greater than Louis CK. His discography is just that much better. He has a wider variety of material also. Comedy Central even agrees with me, as he's listed ahead on CK in their 100 Greatest Stand-Ups.

Life with Louie ranks at the top of comedians with cartoons right along side Damon Wayans' WayneHead and Howie Mandel's Bobby's World.

[ZeN]

Um...no.

[riseagainst]

lol..... no

[Kblaze8855]

You are the most unrealistically nostalgic person ive ever encountered.

[Jailblazers7]

That Comedy Central list is like 10 years old so I'm not surprised it agrees with your opinions that are stuck in the past.

[L.Kizzle]

Louis Anderson was a hot comic at the same time as prime Seinfeld, Sam Kinison, Larry Miller, Gary Shandling, Billy Crystal, Howie Mandel, Dennis Miller, Dice Clay, Tim Allen ect were tearing up the mid 80 to early 90s.

CK made it in a weak era. His competition was Dane Cook and Jamie Kennedy. He started out in the late 80s with John Stewart, Ray Romano and Bill Maher and still didn't get hot until well after those guys.

[gigantes]

After exstinsive research, I've come to the conclusion that ...
After major research of my own, I've come to the conclusion that you skipped too many English classes.

[dilley]

Weak era wtf. Comedy isn't a competition, he isn't going up against anyone. Louis CK is better, period

[L.Kizzle]

Weak era wtf. Comedy isn't a competition, he isn't going up against anyone. Louis CK is better, period
There's a reason CK was stuck doing 5 minute sets on shows like MTVs Comedy Half Hour or VH1s Stand Up Spotlight and Louie Anderson was doing hour long specials on Showtime and HBO.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

OP is correct, but i'm still pissed HBO pulled CK's show.

[Kblaze8855]

There's a reason CK was stuck doing 5 minute sets on shows like MTVs Comedy Half Hour or VH1s Stand Up Spotlight and Louie Anderson was doing hour long specials on Showtime and HBO.


Yes....a total shift in styles. Louie explained that a few times. He pretty much decided to quit...then got some advice from George Carlin.

Stop with the everything old BS. You have lost all objectivity...and every word you say on subjects like this is predictable as hell.

The 90s...does not need defending.

[L.Kizzle]

Yes....a total shift in styles. Louie explained that a few times. He pretty much decided to quit...then got advicedvice from George Carlin.

Stop with the everything old BS. You have lost all objectivity...and every word you say on subjects like this is predictable as hell.

The 90s...does not need defending.
Thing is they're both comics who started in the 80s. so they're both old. Anderson was just much more successful when the competition was much greater. He was a top performer in the greatest era of stand up comedy (80s to mid 90s) and CK in the same time was a mere opening act.

[Kblaze8855]

Things are funny are they arent. When they are funny has nothing to do with anything. And more success doesnt make you more funny either. Any of them would tell you that.

[L.Kizzle]

Things are funny are they arent. When they are funny has nothing to do with anything. And more success doesnt make you more funny either. Any of them would tell you that.
It's a few bad ones in everything but most of the times they get it right.

All I'm saying is the comedy game is watered down now and has been the past ten years or so. That's why the past ten years or so only a few have been successful. Much different than when Louie Anderson was hot. There were tons and all were great in their own way.

The most successful comics the past ten years or so: Louis CK, Kevin Hart, Dane Cook, Russell Peters, Daniel Tosh, Gabriel Iglesias, Jeff Dunham, Katt Williams. Now compare that to Anderson's peak?

[Jailblazers7]

Comics only get big if they make people laugh. I don't get why the "era" they were from.

[Kblaze8855]

Louis, Dave Chapelle, and Bill Burr are funny...it doesnt matter when. Not a single one of the people you mention would disrespect Louie talking about when anyone was funny. Thats bullshit fans who like to argue do.

Nothing about the year or what other specials are out...makes a Louis show less funny.

CK is gonna go down as an all timer. People barely remember Anderson existed. I thought he was dead till I googled him just now. I notice hes not taking advantage of a "weak" era to prosper.

He can host a gameshow. CK is making classic...everything. Louie Anderson was mocked even in his "prime". Ive seen him listed as an example of America having bad taste like Adam Sandler. Hes a comedy afterthought making lame jokes hosting family fued.

Him being out in the 90s...does not make him especially funny. Era...means nothing.

[L.Kizzle]

All I'm saying is, back then (85-95 or so) it was more guys at the top. Top tier talent. The 80s was known as the "Comedy Boom" and Anderson succeeded in that era. An era that featured rock star comics like Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin and Andre Dice Clay. Veterans like Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Bill Cosby, Rodney Dangerfield, Robin Williams were still huge (some bigger in the 80 than they were in the 70s.) Young up and comers like Jerry Seinfeld, Damon Wayans were leading the way into the 90s. Sam Kinison, Billy Crystal, Sinbad, Robert Klein, Gary Shandling, Dennis Miller, Robert Townsend, Gilbert Godfrey, Arsenio Hall and Paul Rodriguez were very in. Those guys were getting television series and hour specials left and right. Even the 2nd and 3rd tier comics were succeeding in this era. Guys like Bob Saget and Martin Lawrence were 2nd tier comics in the mid to late 80s who were successful and getting television shows.

And CK was in that era. He just wasn't anywhere near as successful as any of those guys I named or Anderson. Fast forward some 20 years or so. We're probably in the weakest era for stand up comics possibly since it begin. A bunch of 2nd and 3rd tier comics from the 90s are now the stand up stars. Watch any of those old 90s stand up series like 'Premium Blend' and 'Stand Up Spot Light' ect and the comics all the way down at the bottom if the bill are now the stars.

I think there's a clip from like a 1995 episode of the Louis Anderson series Comedy Showcase which featured Louie CK on an episode. Also on that series was Carlos Mencia. About ten years later, both of those guys were hot in comedy. Though only one sucked, Mencia is terrible.

[iamgine]

OP trying to troll by arguing as if weak/strong era matters in comedy. :oldlol:

It's not boxing or basketball. You can directly compare current comedians with comedians from any past era.

[Milbuck]

Your view of success isn't the sole type of success. Any halfway decent comedian with experience will tell you how difficult it is to make it, and that whether or not you're exploding with TV series, specials, etc isn't the definitive judgement on you as a comedian. Louis CK's stand up shows are funny as hell, and Louie is a really, really good show. Whether or not he's been as financially successful, gotten as much exposure and air time as comedians from the past..doesn't really matter. He's hilarious.

[L.Kizzle]

OP trying to troll by arguing as if weak/strong era matters in comedy. :oldlol:

It's not boxing or basketball. You can directly compare current comedians with comedians from any past era.
Would Patton Oswalt be successful in a comedy world that features George Carlin, Andy Kaufman, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, David Brenner?

Would Kevin Hart be successful in a comedy world that featured Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson?

[Kblaze8855]

Considering how many lame ass talentless hacks were popular then...sure. I see you didnt mention Carrot Top...or Gallager...both selling out shows and probably more well known than Louie Anderson who for some reason you want to pretend was some kinda widespread star.

Louie Anderson was a notch above nothing.

Louis CK is among the most respected comedians....by other elite comedians.

Louie Anderson was a nobody hosting a gameshow joking about how his career went to shit after like 45 minutes of fame.

You just cant stop when the "Then>now" bullshit.

Louis CK was called by George Carlins kids to close out his tribute show.

Louie Anderson watched it on youtube like I did.

That dude fell off the map in his mid 30s and became a trivia question. But supposedly its soooooooooo much easier to prosper the last 15 years....

This is just a travesty of a topic with some unbearable logic.

You want to like a lame comedian...do it. Dont bring up one of the most respected of all time...to make a point.

Louie Anderson isnt even a top 5 fat guy standup.

Lavell Crawford in his prime was better than Louie Anderson. Hell he was funnier laying on the money on breaking bad than Louie Andersons ever was.

Louie Anderson couldnt touch the hem of Bill Burrs garment either. So he would be the 4th funniest person on breaking bad...which wasnt even a comedy(Saul being the 3rd).

[iamgine]

Would Patton Oswalt be successful in a comedy world that features George Carlin, Andy Kaufman, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, David Brenner?

Would Kevin Hart be successful in a comedy world that featured Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, Flip Wilson?
Irrelevant questions that attempt to further arguing things that don't matter. Good troll attempt.

Although, if Louie Anderson could succeed, why not Kevin Hart. :oldlol:

[L.Kizzle]

CK is respected, of course he is. It's not hard to be respected when you have to choose between Nick Cannon, Russell Brand or Louie CK.

He put out successful comedy specials the same time as Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld, George Carlin, Dennis Miller, Bill Hicks, Damon Wayans, Whoopie Goldberg, Howie Mandel, Rodney Dangerfield, Sinbad.

Of course I wouldn't list Carrot Top and Gallagher, their comedy is geared towards a different audience. They're very successful in their style. The Amazing Jonathan was better than both but that's another topic.

I like CK. Nowhere here did I say he is not funny or is bad. He's damn funny.

[Thorpesaurous]

This is sort of silly, but I'll engage just because I'm a comedy fan.

First, Louis Anderson wasn't a terrible comedian. He actually had some moments. But he's not close to Louis CK, who's doing fresh quality material on an annual basis which is almost hard to even fathom. And his material covers such a wide range of mundaneness, and is not based on a character, like Louis Anderson's fat guy persona. CK is like a miserable version of Seinfeld. He can put a comic spin on so many things just from his perspective.

As for the era case, I think you're misreading it, and I'm a pretty nostalgic ****er myself. The reason Louis Anderson was so successful is because those great comics you're mentioning brought in this comic boom, and it became the no hand checking era of stand up. Anyone who could string together a decent six minutes was having development deals thrown at them. That's the nature of the entertainment industry, something works, and everyone copies it. It feels more successful, because there were just more outlets. There were stand up clubs on every corner. Every network was airing stand up specials, from the hour long premium cable stuff, to half hour shows on MTV, VH1, Christ A&E was airing one. And on the weekends even the networks were doing shows. Late Night TV was a different animal. Getting on and getting the call to the couch from Carson doesn't have an equivalent now. Back then that got you a sitcom pitch. There were more sitcoms in general, the networks weren't stacked with cheap reality TV.

The truth is the success CK is having right now, is more rare than the success Louis Anderson had during his time. You're counting RBI's and not accepting that the mound was raised. Or you're counting HRs and not accounting for PED testing.

I do think we're beginning to see a rejuvenation of stand up right now. As comics are starting to become more savvy about it's distribution, you're seeing people taking a hold of what the new media is helping with, in spite of it's hurting other things. And honestly CK is on the cutting edge of that with his website, releasing his own content, and controlling his own ticket sales that are wiping out the secondary market. And his contract with FX is among the most unique in the entertainment business. He has a limited budget, but with it comes nearly carte blanch to do what he wants, and when he wants it. Burr is the most recent guy, and probably biggest, to have a special go exclusive to Netflix, which very well may wind up replacing the premium cable special format at some point.

As for CK's slow rise. It's not as slow as one would think. He was a highly regarded writer from his early twenties, writing for SNL, then jumping to Conan O'Brien after that. Writer's tend to be "comedian's comedians", which I know limits the perception of success. And he also spent time opening for Seinfeld early in his career. He wasn't just stuck in front of some brick wall through his twenties.

I do think the shift in the audience has helped him. During the late 80s early 90s when he was getting started, and probably the era Louis Anderson was seemingly more successful, there was a whitewashed version of the country going around. Seinfeld was the archetype, and better than everyone else, because he could do these incredibly mundane things, didn't work blue at all, but was still able to create an edginess about his material. He did it by nitpicking universal material, without focusing on the crassness, as he did most famously with *********ion, but he did it with virginity, boobs, and just dating in general. The topics may have been taboo, but the material wasn't.

He begot Ray Ramano, Tim Allen, and a host of other stand ups who took family friendly content and turned it into prime time television. Someone with Louis CK's more sour disposition just didn't fit the audience at that time. But the audience has changed. It's gotten more acerbic, and sort of met CK halfway. He's still doing hyper observationalism like Seinfeld. And he's doing family stuff like Ray Ramano. He's just doing with a much more pessimistic perspective.

Louis CK is a great stand up. His material is great. He writes more than anyone in the business. He's mastered his own perspective, which is the hardest part. And he's still willing to do the outrageous, which is unusual once you reach a certain level of success (just last year he asked Donald Rumsfeld if he was a reptilian live on the radio).

In related news, I'll be seeing Louis CK tonight, live, at MSG!!! My third time seeing him. My seats aren't great. But that's because it's first come first serve from his website, and the exchange is I only paid 45 bucks a seat. You can't buy soda in the garden for 45 bucks. So good for Louis.

[Kblaze8855]

CK is respected, of course he is. It's not hard to be respected when you have to choose between Nick Cannon, Russell Brand or Louie CK.

I...dont think im ever taking you serious again. Just an 80s/90s troll.

[rezznor]

a little off topic but i think joe rogan is underrated as a comic

[gigantes]

a little off topic but i think joe rogan is underrated as a comic
hopefully so, because he's been turning in to a punchline as an MMA commentator.


^ great, interesting posts by kblaze, thorp.

i tried to sit down for a brian regan show recently. i remember him from around '90 doing his famous 'swing battah battah' routine. that was quite funny. abd supposedly he's a comics comic, and those tend to be my favorite. well, shit... what a disappointment his recent gig was.

i mean, there were generations of legendary comics before that era, but where is anderson's era now? eddie murphy was probably the most brilliant, but he seems to have settled for the steve martin thing of making shitty movies for a buck. say what you will about cosby, but even after he got fingered he was out performing and -killing it- from what i read.

[KyrieTheFuture]

We get it you don't like Louis CK. I don't like Jerry Seinfeld but I'm not moronic enough to say he's a bad comedian.

[L.Kizzle]

I...dont think im ever taking you serious again. Just an 80s/90s troll.
:lol

[L.Kizzle]

hopefully so, because he's been turning in to a punchline as an MMA commentator.


^ great, interesting posts by kblaze, thorp.

i tried to sit down for a brian regan show recently. i remember him from around '90 doing his famous 'swing battah battah' routine. that was quite funny. abd supposedly he's a comics comic, and those tend to be my favorite. well, shit... what a disappointment his recent gig was.

i mean, there were generations of legendary comics before that era, but where is anderson's era now? eddie murphy was probably the most brilliant, but he seems to have settled for the steve martin thing of making shitty movies for a buck. say what you will about cosby, but even after he got fingered he was out performing and -killing it- from what i read.
Brian Regan and Joe Rogan are two different comics.



We get it you don't like Louis CK. I don't like Jerry Seinfeld but I'm not moronic enough to say he's a bad comedian.
I never said Louis CK is a bad comic, anywhere. I like CK. All I said was Anderson is greater.

[gigantes]

Brian Regan and Joe Rogan are two different comics.
yup AFAIK the only thing they have in common is an Irish last name.

I think you missed the point where I switched back to kblaze / thorp POV-- I was making a pt that I'm not all that impressed with Anderson's entire generation.

but open my mind if you can-- youtube me some Anderson stuff you'd recommend?

[Thorpesaurous]

So Louis last night was awesome, as I expected. As I had said, I've now seen him three times over less than two years. And it is truly remarkable that I've never seen him do the same joke twice. He did about 90 minutes last night.

Truthfully the second time I saw him he was ramping up to his most recently released special. When the special came out, I basically had seen that show, minus a bit or two, plus a bit or two as well, and sort of reshuffled, and anchored by that yeah but bit he did at the end.

Last night he was more crass than I can recall him being. He did ten minutes on watching rats ****. There was a lot sexual stuff, which he does often anyway, but it was more explicit than I generally associate with him. It was funny pretty much beginning to end. And I'm in physical pain today from laughing. So no complaints. Just not quite what I was expecting, and I think it's fair to say not quite as finely tuned as the last time I saw him.

He did wear a makeshift Charlie Hedbo shirt in honor of the shooting.

[L.Kizzle]

So Louis last night was awesome, as I expected. As I had said, I've now seen him three times over less than two years. And it is truly remarkable that I've never seen him do the same joke twice. He did about 90 minutes last night.

Truthfully the second time I saw him he was ramping up to his most recently released special. When the special came out, I basically had seen that show, minus a bit or two, plus a bit or two as well, and sort of reshuffled, and anchored by that yeah but bit he did at the end.

Last night he was more crass than I can recall him being. He did ten minutes on watching rats ****. There was a lot sexual stuff, which he does often anyway, but it was more explicit than I generally associate with him. It was funny pretty much beginning to end. And I'm in physical pain today from laughing. So no complaints. Just not quite what I was expecting, and I think it's fair to say not quite as finely tuned as the last time I saw him.

He did wear a makeshift Charlie Hedbo shirt in honor of the shooting.
Is he working up an upcoming special?