Comedy Central's 100 greatest stand-ups 10+ years later

[L.Kizzle]

Comedy Central put out their list of 100 greatest comedians sometime back in 2004. More then ten years later, how do you look at such list?

-Just using the 100 names here (no additions or subtractions), who moves up on your list, who moves down?

-Pre-2004, who is a name you are surprised didn't make the list. Is it Mel Brooks, is it Paul Mooney? Mitch Hedberg? Whoopi Goldberg?

-Post-2004, who came in the comedy world and now deserves a spot in a new top 100 list? Katt Williams, Russell Peters, Kevin Hart, Daniel Tosh?



1. Richard Pryor
2. George Carlin
3. Lenny Bruce
4. Woody Allen
5. Chris Rock
6. Steve Martin
7. Rodney Dangerfield
8. Bill Cosby
9. Roseanne Barr
10. Eddie Murphy
11. Johnny Carson
12. Jerry Seinfeld
13. Robin Williams
14. Bob Newhart
15. David Letterman
16. Ellen DeGeneres
17. Don Rickles
18. Jonathan Winters
19. Bill Hicks
20. Sam Kinison
21. Dennis Miller
22. Robert Klein
23. Steven Wright
24. Redd Foxx
25. Bob Hope
26. Ray Romano
27. Jay Leno
28. Jack Benny
29. Milton Berle
30. Garry Shandling
31. George Burns
32. Albert Brooks
33. Andy Kaufman
34. Buddy Hackett
35. Phyllis Diller
36. Jim Carrey
37. Martin Lawrence
38. Bill Maher
39. Billy Crystal
40. Mort Sahl
41. Jon Stewart
42. Flip Wilson
43. Dave Chappelle
44. Joan Rivers
45. Richard Lewis
46. Adam Sandler
47. Henny Youngman
48. Tim Allen
49. Freddie Prinze
50. Denis Leary
51. Lewis Black
52. Damon Wayans
53. David Brenner
54. DL Hughley
55. Alan King
56. Colin Quinn
57. Richard Jeni
58. Larry Miller
59. Gilbert Gottfried
60. Jeff Foxworthy
61. Bobcat Goldthwait
62. Eddie Griffin
63. Jackie Mason
64. Richard Belzer
65. Cedrick the Enter.
66. Shelley Berman
67. Kevin Pollak
68. Dave Attell
69. Pat Cooper
70. Wanda Sykes
71. Red Buttons
72. Bernie Mac
73. Billy Connolly
74. Paul Rodriguez
75. Eddie Izzard
76. Robert Schimmel
77. Paul Reiser
78. Sinbad
79. Dom Irrera
80. Bobby Slayton
81. Dick Gregory
82. Howie Mandel
83. Norm MacDonald
84. Drew Carey
85. David Cross
86. Jay Mohr
87. Brett Butler
88. Paula Poundstone
89. Kevin James
90. Dana Carvey
91. Jim Breuer
92. Louie Anderson
93. George Wallace
94. David Alan Grier
95. Andrew 'Dice' Clay
96. Joey Bishop
97. Sandra Bernhard
98. Louis CK
99. Janeane Garofalo
100. Gallagher

[TylerOO]

I see Louis CK bumping up a lot if this were made today.

[~primetime~]

Dice is too low on the list...toilet humor but he was a big fckin deal during his time

glad to see Kinison has a decent spot, always felt he was underrated


Carlin always been overrated IMO...not that funny, likes to spout politics too much...never been big on him

Chris Rock definitely a stand up legend

[They Won]

Chappelle jumps up a bit because of a little bit more Chappelle's Show (already started but not complete as of 2004) and the legend that he has become overall since then, even though he has actually done very little in terms of comedy since 2004.

[~primetime~]

Cosby just recently did a stand up btw...a heckler yelled "YOU ARE A RAPIST!!!" in the middle of the show and had to be escorted out

[Myth]

Gallagher making the list is proof there is no where near 100 good stand ups

I saw Gallagher once for free at a county fair. Most offensive comic I have ever seen (not funny, just offensive), and it was in front of children. It was like watching 9erempire on stage rant about how terrible Muslims are. Also, some dumb girl ran up a plastic tarp covered in whip cream and smashed fruit after Gallagher specifically told the crowd not to come that direction, and snapped her ankle. The show was put on hold for about 20 minutes as an ambulance showed up.

[L.Kizzle]

Chappelle jumps up a bit because of a little bit more Chappelle's Show (already started but not complete as of 2004) and the legend that he has become overall since then, even though he has actually done very little in terms of comedy since 2004.
Chappelle Show has nothing to do with his stand up. Though I can't remember is "For What It's Worth" premiered after or before this.

[L.Kizzle]

I see Louis CK bumping up a lot if this were made today.
How much higher? Above Tim Allen?

[L.Kizzle]

Dice is too low on the list...toilet humor but he was a big fckin deal during his time

glad to see Kinison has a decent spot, always felt he was underrated


Carlin always been overrated IMO...not that funny, likes to spout politics too much...never been big on him

Chris Rock definitely a stand up legend
How high would you put Dice Clay? Denis Leary?

I think Kinison is at a great spot, perfect even, #20.

Carlin overrated. How far back would you slide him? Out the top ten? Top 30?

[L.Kizzle]

I saw Gallagher once for free at a county fair. Most offensive comic I have ever seen (not funny, just offensive), and it was in front of children. It was like watching 9erempire on stage rant about how terrible Muslims are. Also, some dumb girl ran up a plastic tarp covered in whip cream and smashed fruit after Gallagher specifically told the crowd not to come that direction, and snapped her ankle. The show was put on hold for about 20 minutes as an ambulance showed up.
Was it Gallagher's brother?

But seriously, his act is sometimes raunchy. He doesn't just smash fruit.

[Kblaze8855]

CK would rise over 50 spots, Ron White would make it, and Jeff Foxworthy probably rise.

[L.Kizzle]

CK would rise over 50 spots, Ron White would make it, and Jeff Foxworthy probably rise.
I always though Ron White was the best of the Blue Collar guys. Of course Jeff Fox is more influential.

[~primetime~]

How high would you put Dice Clay? Denis Leary?

I think Kinison is at a great spot, perfect even, #20.

Carlin overrated. How far back would you slide him? Out the top ten? Top 30?
Dice should be top-50 IMO, I was around during his time and he was extremely popular. He was very influential IMO, he took 'toilet humor' to the next level. EVERYONE my age knows "so I had my tongue up this chick's ass...". As silly and immature as that line is, it is a classic moment in stand-up.

Carlin I would probably put somewhere 10-20 range...around 15 or so. It's impossible to deny his impact at stand-up but he is always top-5, even #1 overall on these lists. It's too high IMO. He isn't the GOAT.

[bagelred]

George Carlin should clearly be #1. I think the Richard Pryor thing was to be politically correct. No one has a body of work like Carlin.

[L.Kizzle]

Dice should be top-50 IMO, I was around during his time and he was extremely popular. He was very influential IMO, he took 'toilet humor' to the next level. EVERYONE my age knows "so I had my tongue up this chick's ass...". As silly and immature as that line is, it is a classic moment in stand-up.

Carlin I would probably put somewhere 10-20 range...around 15 or so. It's impossible to deny his impact at stand-up but he is always top-5, even #1 overall on these lists. It's too high IMO. He isn't the GOAT.
Toilet humor was being done a few decades before Dice. You can go back to Lenny Bruce, Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor and guys not here like Rudy Ray Moore and Blowfly.

But Dice was huge, like almost Rock Star status. Maybe even the first Dane Cook. Dice sold out Madison Square Garden in the 80s. Not even Eddie Murphy did that (though he could have.)

[Kblaze8855]

I suspect if you polled the people on the list....and they knew nobody would know how they voted...1 and 2 would still be the same. But Carlin might win.

[L.Kizzle]

George Carlin should clearly be #1. I think the Richard Pryor thing was to be politically correct. No one has a body of work like Carlin.
Politically correct about what? It's comedy.

Most list Pryor and Carlin at #1/#2. And I agree.

[~primetime~]

George Carlin should clearly be #1. I think the Richard Pryor thing was to be politically correct. No one has a body of work like Carlin.
How is it 'politically correct' to put Pryor at #1?

[~primetime~]

My biggest beef with Carlin is just the simple fact that he didn't make me laugh as hard as many of those others...

Rock brought up controversial shit too only he had me dying when he did it...and Rock has a large body of work. Rock > Carlin for me

[DeuceWallaces]

Louis CK would probably be in the 5-7 range. Letterman and Roseanne bumped down. Kevin Hart would move into 50-75 range.

No one other than CK and Kevin Hart have really made a big push from a stand up perspective the past 10 years. Tosh is from his show; he still doesn't have a standout special.

[JohnFreeman]

Rodney is my favourite

[That_Admiral]

Katt Williams? The Pimp Chronicles was great, but he fell off pretty quickly. does he make the top 100? or how about Russell peters?

[DeuceWallaces]

Sarah Silverman would be somewhere 85-100. Maybe higher.

[D-FENS]

Surprised by the lack of Mitch Hedberg

[the mesiah]

Just me personally would like to see Bruce Bruce,mooney ,Aries spears, george Lopez in a new list.

[L.Kizzle]

Jim Carrey is on the list, I never seen any of Jim Carrey stand up, any good?
He's very physical. Does a few impressions. Not top 100 material IMO.

[DeuceWallaces]

Just me personally would like to see Bruce Bruce,mooney ,Aries spears, george Lopez in a new list.

Maybe someone will make a list of top 100 comics from 2008.

[KevinNYC]

My biggest beef with Carlin is just the simple fact that he didn't make me laugh as hard as many of those others...

Have you ever heard Carlin's early stuff?

Join the Book Club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyEf1_jBqSM

[KevinNYC]

-Pre-2004, who is a name you are surprised didn't make the list. Is it Mel Brooks, is it


Mel Brooks was more of sketch comedian.

Do you think Patton Oswalt would make that list today?

I got tickets to see for Christmas and he was great.

[L.Kizzle]

Louis CK would probably be in the 5-7 range. Letterman and Roseanne bumped down. Kevin Hart would move into 50-75 range.

No one other than CK and Kevin Hart have really made a big push from a stand up perspective the past 10 years. Tosh is from his show; he still doesn't have a standout special.
CK top 5-7 all time? I can see him somewhere around the 20-25 mark. Hart can be behind Sinbad.

I like Letterman but not over Don Rickles or Jonathan Winters.

Not sure how Rosane was over Phyllis Diller or Joan Rivers.

Tosh can be inserted right in front of Jim Breuer.

[L.Kizzle]

Katt Williams? The Pimp Chronicles was great, but he fell off pretty quickly. does he make the top 100? or how about Russell peters?
Katt Williams in his short peak was probably as hot as Dice Clay (poor mans Dice Clay) in the late 80s. Somewhere towards the end of the list, if that.

[Cactus-Sack]

How the fvck did DeGeneres make the list? #16 no less...

[BIZARRO]

To me, Don Rickles is the funniest person that ever was. And a quicker wit than anyone hands down. Everything that came out of his mouth was hysterical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A-wYLl71GA


Johnny Carson ahead of him on that list? Watch this vid and you tell me who was funnier.

And Ellen Degeneres in front of him? Ridiculous and insulting.

Rickles. :bowdown:

[L.Kizzle]

Sarah Silverman would be somewhere 85-100. Maybe higher.
Where would you rank here with the likes of Brett Butler, Paula Poundstone, Sandra Bernhard and Janeane Garofalo who are 85-100 on the list? Or Wana Sykes who's around 70?

[the mesiah]

Maybe someone will make a list of top 100 comics from 2008.
Maybe hopefully they will still leave off Silverman off that list as well.

[ILLsmak]

I see Louis CK bumping up a lot if this were made today.

yea he's the best new guy, I think. I mean he's not new, but new to me. All of the dudes who you watch who were around in the 80s/90s.. beyond them, he is the best.

-Smak

[L.Kizzle]

Just me personally would like to see Bruce Bruce,mooney ,Aries spears, george Lopez in a new list.
Only Paul Mooney belongs here. And he worked with Richard Pryor, he didn't write his stand-up material. What he did write for Richard was sketches and bits he performed on SNL and the Richard Pryor Show. For example, Mooney wrote the "Word Association" bit on SNL. He created the Homey the Clown character from In Living Color.

Lopez, maybe; though if Paul Rodriguez is #74, Lopez is way behind him. I'm not sure if George Lopez funnier than John Leguizamo?

Bruce Bruce is not even the funniest black fat guy around. Faizon Love > Corey Holcomb > Craig Robinson > Lavel Crawford. Well him and Lavel are about even.

Aries Spears material isn't too strong, not top 100 strong anyway. He does great impressions though.

[DeuceWallaces]

How the fvck did DeGeneres make the list? #16 no less...

She was one of the biggest comics of the 80's and 90's.

Oh yeah, and Gaffigan would be somewhere in 50-75.

[Akrazotile]

How the fvck did DeGeneres make the list? #16 no less...


Ellen is a legend bro.

[L.Kizzle]

I like Ellen, but she shouldn't be at 16.

They got the females all wrong here. I think Ellen is better than Roseanne. Maybe Rose was a little more influential than Ellen ... And speaking of influence, they have Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers. They should have been right along with their male cohorts from that era

Other female stand ups that should have been included:

Moms Mabley
Lily Tomlin
Carol Burnett
Vicki Lawrence
Marsha Warfield
Whoopi Goldberg
Rita Rudner
Susie Essman
Kathy Griffin

[SexSymbol]

Rickles at 17, lol, guys unarguably top 10, more like five if we're only basing being funny on constant basis.
Carlin wasn't that funny, he was more insightful and a brilliant thinker, but I get his place, he's incredibly popular, easily the most popular stand up comic ever.
Kevin Hart gets in there, he's really really good.
Conan should be here, he's infinitely funnier than #15 Letterman
I also think that fat latino guy should get in if Kevin James is in, he's definitely better.

[SexSymbol]

Jim Carrey into the TOP20, he's box office as they come in comedians, everybody knows the guy, dumb and dumber to was hysterical.
Sarah Silverman deserves to get in here I think, somewhere at the end

[L.Kizzle]

Jim Carrey into the TOP20, he's box office as they come in comedians, everybody knows the guy, dumb and dumber to was hysterical.
Sarah Silverman deserves to get in here I think, somewhere at the end
Jim Carrey's stand up is not very good. He only made his spot because of his name. Same with Sandler, but at least Sander s funny (somewhat) with his stand up. I would take David Spade over both.

[SexSymbol]

Jim Carrey's stand up is not very good. He only made his spot because of his name. Same with Sandler, but at least Sander s funny (somewhat) with his stand up. I would take David Spade over both.
How is Carrey's stand up not funny? It's hilarious and innovative

[L.Kizzle]

How is Carrey's stand up not funny? It's hilarious and innovative
:biggums:

[They Won]

Chappelle Show has nothing to do with his stand up. Though I can't remember is "For What It's Worth" premiered after or before this.

Right, but overall popularity still impacts these things.

[Bourne]

I have two major issues with the comments I've heard so far. One very important name has been missed in all of the comments, plus I have one other general comment.

1. Arguably the funniest standup man in the game today (that is active) is nowhere to be seen on this list. The hell? Let's say it a Sunday night, and you want to laugh. You have a choice of watching 30 minutes of random material from one comedian - how many people would say "nah, I'm not watching Bill Burr."

Body of work is one thing, but quality is more important (once you hit a threshold of quantity).

2. This list is very American-centric. Where is Jimmy Carr and other great Euro comics?

[bballnoob1192]

wait bill burr is not on this list? was this made before he did his specials. cuz he definitely deserves a spot.

[Bourne]

he probably wasnt too big back then but i would expect somebody to have commented on it

[L.Kizzle]

I have two major issues with the comments I've heard so far. One very important name has been missed in all of the comments, plus I have one other general comment.

1. Arguably the funniest standup man in the game today (that is active) is nowhere to be seen on this list. The hell? Let's say it a Sunday night, and you want to laugh. You have a choice of watching 30 minutes of random material from one comedian - how many people would say "nah, I'm not watching Bill Burr."

Body of work is one thing, but quality is more important (once you hit a threshold of quantity).

2. This list is very American-centric. Where is Jimmy Carr and other great Euro comics?
This list was done in 2004, Bill Burr wasn't too well known then. He was less known than Louis CK in 2004, and CK is #98. He didn't really take off until right after this premiered. He really hit it right at the late 2000s.

This is more of an American List. Though Eddie Izzard is here. None of the Monty Python guys are here, though I'm not sure how much stand-up they've done, if any.

[KevinNYC]

None of the Monty Python guys are here, though I'm not sure how much stand-up they've done, if any.
Almost Zero, they started as a sketch group in college.

[Cactus-Sack]

Almost Zero, they started as a sketch group in college.

Cleese has done a bunch, Chapman too.

[Cactus-Sack]

Ellen is a legend bro.


She was one of the biggest comics of the 80's and 90's.

Oh yeah, and Gaffigan would be somewhere in 50-75.

She isn't remotely funny, and never has been.

[L.Kizzle]

Guys if you haven't already, check out the book STAND UP GUYS: A GENERATION OF LAUGHS. It's a great read. If focuses on stand-up's in the NYC area around the late 70s to the mid 80s, mostly taking place in three main clubs. The Improv, To Catch a Rising Star and the Comic Strip.

Lots of great stories on Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David, Richard Lewis, Richard Belzer, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Larry Miller, Joe Piscopo, Bill Maher, Eddie Murphy, Gilbert Gottfried and a host of others from that era. The author of the book John DeBellis, was also a stand-up at that same time but didn't make it like the names above. He found his niche as a writer for various projects in the 80s and 90s.

Also, they use to have a annual comic baseball tournament. The guys from the Improv like Larry David, Bill Maher vs the guys from To Catch a Rising Star like Larry Miller and Seinfeld. Pretty funny stuff.

[bagelred]

I suspect if you polled the people on the list....and they knew nobody would know how they voted...1 and 2 would still be the same. But Carlin might win.

Exactly. That's what I was trying to say.

[L.Kizzle]

Exactly. That's what I was trying to say.
BBC did a top 100 comics list in 2007 and Richard Pryor as #2 behind Bill Connolly. George Carlin was #28.

[Bourne]

To me, George Carlin just isn't funny. Granted I really haven't seen much, but listening to him comes off like reading 9gag - some interesting wordplay, some funny paradox thingies, stuff like that. Almost a different genre of standup.

Considering body of work I might be able to understand, but having norm mcdonald at 83 is a tragedy! He is literally the greatest talkshow interviewee of all time! (but i guess that isn't performing standup... cuz they are sitting...)

[DeuceWallaces]

Python aren't really stand ups, but either is Letterman; he hated doing stand-up but they put him on that list anyway.

[Random_Guy]

bill burr/russell peters/ gabriel maybe?

[L.Kizzle]

Python aren't really stand ups, but either is Letterman; he hated doing stand-up but they put him on that list anyway.
Letterman's opening monologue every night is stand-up. Plus his various appearances on late night TV in the late 70s/early 80s before he got his talk show gigs.

[Bird]

I definitely would bump Louis CK WAY up. I also think Rickles should be bumped up and, this may just be me, but I would find a way to get Seinfeld into the top 10. I know he isn't a favorite of a lot of people, but he is one of my favorite comics, so my OPINION is that he should be top 10 (maybe bump Roseanne and Cosby out for Seinfeld and Rickles).

People I would hope would be added to the list:

Bill Burr
Jim Gaffigan
Patton Oswalt
Jim Jefferies (if we go a little internationally)
Russell Peters
Gabriel Iglesias

I'd be ok with Gallagher, Garofalo, Kevin James and Howie Mandel getting the boot. James is more of a comedic actor than a comedian (his stand up isn't that great) and Mandel is great as a host of shows, but I never really got a lot of laughs out of his comedy appearances. Gallagher is a hack and Garofalo I never liked as a stand up, but can tolerate as an actress.

[L.Kizzle]

I definitely would bump Louis CK WAY up. I also think Rickles should be bumped up and, this may just be me, but I would find a way to get Seinfeld into the top 10. I know he isn't a favorite of a lot of people, but he is one of my favorite comics, so my OPINION is that he should be top 10 (maybe bump Roseanne and Cosby out for Seinfeld and Rickles).

People I would hope would be added to the list:

Bill Burr
Jim Gaffigan
Patton Oswalt
Jim Jefferies (if we go a little internationally)
Russell Peters
Gabriel Iglesias

I'd be ok with Gallagher, Garofalo, Kevin James and Howie Mandel getting the boot. James is more of a comedic actor than a comedian (his stand up isn't that great) and Mandel is great as a host of shows, but I never really got a lot of laughs out of his comedy appearances. Gallagher is a hack and Garofalo I never liked as a stand up, but can tolerate as an actress.
Top performers who rocketed to success since this list was made (2004.)

Kevin Hart
Bill Burr
Katt Williams
Dane Cook
Russell Peters
Jim Gaffigan
Patton Oswalt
JB Smoove
Gabriel Iglesias
Mike Epps
Patrice O'Neal
Sarah Silverman
Chelsea Handler
Jim Norton
Larry The Cable Guy
Carlos Mencia


Than, these guys were pretty well known when the list was out, just didn't make the cut.

Conan O'Brien
David Spade
Tommy Davidson
Whoopi Goldberg
Kathy Griffin
Bob Saget
Arsenio Hall
Paul Mooney
Rita Rudner
Robin Harris
Susie Essman
Ron White
Steve Harvey
Pauly Shore
Jamie Foxx

[Duderonomy]

Cosby just recently did a stand up btw...a heckler yelled "YOU ARE A RAPIST!!!" in the middle of the show and had to be escorted out
He deserves off the list for not having a comeback.

[Thorpesaurous]

I know this list is old so it's a little out of whack, the big one being Louis CK, who I'm a huge fan of, I just saw him in NY last week for the third time live, but I think even from a non-biased spot, you'd have to move him way up this list.


I am a huge Carlin fan as well. And Carlin is also something of a comedian's comedian. But I know lots of people who find Carlin a little dry and technical. The truth is he was more of a writer than a comedian, especially once he got out of the seventies and away from the character stuff.

I remember after he died I heard an interview with Garafallo. She said she had been invited to a rehearsal he did at MSG prior to a special. She said it was just her with twenty or so other people, mostly sound and lighting, tv production people, set guys. He got on stage and did his routine, according to her, beginning to end, including plays to imaginary audience members who weren't even there. She said it was one of the strangest things she'd ever seen. And then she saw the live show, and he makes a reference to a seat in the audience to a woman, and it was actually a man, but he had already decided to play to a woman in that spot. She said it was almost step for step the same performance as his rehearsal. And apparently that's how he did his thing. Which is why he comes off more as a writer. He writes great material, but it's all so linguistically sculpted, and the beats are so scripted, that he's not a guy who can play on stage. And that I think bothers some people.

[~primetime~]

To me, George Carlin just isn't funny. Granted I really haven't seen much, but listening to him comes off like reading 9gag - some interesting wordplay, some funny paradox thingies, stuff like that. Almost a different genre of standup.

Exactly...like listing off all the banned curse words...I didn't find it very funny then, and I don't now either. He memorized a list a bad words and repeated them while making some words rhyme...it really isn't THAT impressive IMO, but for some reason that is a legendary moment in stand up history...and that is what a lot of his stuff was, memorizing tricky rants with rhymes and such.

[~primetime~]

I know this list is old so it's a little out of whack, the big one being Louis CK, who I'm a huge fan of, I just saw him in NY last week for the third time live, but I think even from a non-biased spot, you'd have to move him way up this list.


I am a huge Carlin fan as well. And Carlin is also something of a comedian's comedian. But I know lots of people who find Carlin a little dry and technical. The truth is he was more of a writer than a comedian, especially once he got out of the seventies and away from the character stuff.

I remember after he died I heard an interview with Garafallo. She said she had been invited to a rehearsal he did at MSG prior to a special. She said it was just her with twenty or so other people, mostly sound and lighting, tv production people, set guys. He got on stage and did his routine, according to her, beginning to end, including plays to imaginary audience members who weren't even there. She said it was one of the strangest things she'd ever seen. And then she saw the live show, and he makes a reference to a seat in the audience to a woman, and it was actually a man, but he had already decided to play to a woman in that spot. She said it was almost step for step the same performance as his rehearsal. And apparently that's how he did his thing. Which is why he comes off more as a writer. He writes great material, but it's all so linguistically sculpted, and the beats are so scripted, that he's not a guy who can play on stage. And that I think bothers some people.
Yes exactly, you worded my problem with Carlin well.

I'd still have him top-20 because he IS a stand up legend, but he isn't GOAT material at all IMO

[Thorpesaurous]

Exactly...like listing off all the banned curse words...I didn't find it very funny then, and I don't now either. He memorized a list a bad words and repeated them while making some words rhyme...it really isn't THAT impressive IMO, but for some reason that is a legendary moment in stand up history...and that is what a lot of his stuff was, memorizing tricky rants with rhymes and such.


Yeah, it's all incredibly well crafted, but some people just aren't as into that. And that's why he's such a comic's comic, because many of them have a higher appreciation for that incredibly refined work he does on his material. But it does come off as mechanical a bit. You'll see him do things like plow through applauses, because you can see he won't be comfortable if it screws up his pacing. Usually that's when you see him stutter or do the thing where he repeats the same line a bunch of times. It's like verbally running in place so he doesn't lose his momentum. Seinfeld is another guy who's incredibly scripted and crafted. But he does scripted moments that almost are designed to take a bit of the mechanical feel out of it. There's probably something to both of those guys being really bad actors too. Rock is more scripted than he feels, but not on either of their levels (and his acting is so so as well). Larry David starts pretty heavily scripted and then can devolve into more pliable rants. Louis however feels really natural. Like he's shuffling a deck of material and playing off of feel from the audience, even if that isn't necessarily true, it's just how it feels. Murphy felt incredibly natural, some of it from his ability to laugh at his own material.

Like I said, I love Carlin, but this type of thing isn't like an athletic endeavor, which is pretty subjective itself, but at least there's some data to look at, comedy is pretty much all subjective. But there are ticks and patterns you can find that may explain what seems like an unexplainable sense of just "I don't get why people like this".

[Jailblazers7]

Yeah, it's all incredibly well crafted, but some people just aren't as into that. And that's why he's such a comic's comic, because many of them have a higher appreciation for that incredibly refined work he does on his material. But it does come off as mechanical a bit. You'll see him do things like plow through applauses, because you can see he won't be comfortable if it screws up his pacing. Usually that's when you see him stutter or do the thing where he repeats the same line a bunch of times. It's like verbally running in place so he doesn't lose his momentum. Seinfeld is another guy who's incredibly scripted and crafted. But he does scripted moments that almost are designed to take a bit of the mechanical feel out of it. There's probably something to both of those guys being really bad actors too. Rock is more scripted than he feels, but not on either of their levels (and his acting is so so as well). Larry David starts pretty heavily scripted and then can devolve into more pliable rants. Louis however feels really natural. Like he's shuffling a deck of material and playing off of feel from the audience, even if that isn't necessarily true, it's just how it feels. Murphy felt incredibly natural, some of it from his ability to laugh at his own material.

Like I said, I love Carlin, but this type of thing isn't like an athletic endeavor, which is pretty subjective itself, but at least there's some data to look at, comedy is pretty much all subjective. But there are ticks and patterns you can find that may explain what seems like an unexplainable sense of just "I don't get why people like this".

I remember Louie talking about how he would better himself during that "Talking Funny" (or w/e its called) with Seinfeld, Rock, and Ricky Gervais and he said sometimes he would start shows with his best bit just to **** himself and make him rise to the occasion. Doing stuff like that probably has a lot to do with his natural feel for his material and an audience. Also, Louie just seems unusually comfortable with being vulnerable. You see it in his show, his stand-up, etc.

[Thorpesaurous]

I remember Louie talking about how he would better himself during that "Talking Funny" (or w/e its called) with Seinfeld, Rock, and Ricky Gervais and he said sometimes he would start shows with his best bit just to **** himself and make him rise to the occasion. Doing stuff like that probably has a lot to do with his natural feel for his material and an audience. Also, Louie just seems unusually comfortable with being vulnerable. You see it in his show, his stand-up, etc.


You really do. The vulnerability is really part of his character. He's also started using the laughing at his own material trick as a means of bailing out when he's gotten as much out of something as he's going to get.

I did just see him at MSG on Wednesday. Then my buddy saw him in California, in LA at the old Lakers Forum, which is now apparently been turned into one of the best live indoor concert venues in the country. He saw him last night, and this morning we were comparing notes a bit, and I was a bit surprised at how much spot on it sounded. Right down to some of the beats. Some of the material was big and made sense to duplicate. But he did open with a bit on accents, and the Boston accent in particular, that felt more local to the Northeast. And then he closed with a bit about the NY subways. Some of the local color that's there, and like ten minutes on watching rats ****, which I know he can get to because he is a New Yorker now, and was a Bostonian, but it all felt a little locally cued up at the Garden, but my buddy made it sound spot on at his show in LA too.

We both agreed that he was great, but not quite as refined when we both saw him just weeks before he recorded his last special (the one with the "Of Course! ... But Maybe ... , bit"). It was a bit more crass than I expected, although that doesn't bother me, it just felt that way off the cuff. And it didn't quite flow as well. But you're talking about a few almost off the cuff concerts he's doing before he starts work on the show again, as opposed to a national tour's worth of material he had designed for a TV special.

[Stempel, HERB]

Yes exactly, you worded my problem with Carlin well.

I'd still have him top-20 because he IS a stand up legend, but he isn't GOAT material at all IMO

No. Your problem with old Geroge is the same reason why you think Olive Garden is great italian fare. Unrefined texas hee-haw and no amount of money will ever change that :cheers:

[L.Kizzle]

You really do. The vulnerability is really part of his character. He's also started using the laughing at his own material trick as a means of bailing out when he's gotten as much out of something as he's going to get.

I did just see him at MSG on Wednesday. Then my buddy saw him in California, in LA at the old Lakers Forum, which is now apparently been turned into one of the best live indoor concert venues in the country. He saw him last night, and this morning we were comparing notes a bit, and I was a bit surprised at how much spot on it sounded. Right down to some of the beats. Some of the material was big and made sense to duplicate. But he did open with a bit on accents, and the Boston accent in particular, that felt more local to the Northeast. And then he closed with a bit about the NY subways. Some of the local color that's there, and like ten minutes on watching rats ****, which I know he can get to because he is a New Yorker now, and was a Bostonian, but it all felt a little locally cued up at the Garden, but my buddy made it sound spot on at his show in LA too.

We both agreed that he was great, but not quite as refined when we both saw him just weeks before he recorded his last special (the one with the "Of Course! ... But Maybe ... , bit"). It was a bit more crass than I expected, although that doesn't bother me, it just felt that way off the cuff. And it didn't quite flow as well. But you're talking about a few almost off the cuff concerts he's doing before he starts work on the show again, as opposed to a national tour's worth of material he had designed for a TV special.
How do you feel about CKs work up until the time this list was made, 2004 and before? He hadn't yet had his breakthrough specials. Basically he was appearing on shows like MTV Half Hour Comedy, Premium Blend, Late Friday, ect. Was #98 a good spot for a pre-fame CK?

[~primetime~]

No. Your problem with old Geroge is the same reason why you think Olive Garden is great italian fare. Unrefined texas hee-haw and no amount of money will ever change that :cheers:
oh so now I think OG is 'great Italian fare' :oldlol:

you forgot to work in "anti semitic"...the real reason I don't find Carlin that funny

[L.Kizzle]

Another major omission, David Steinberg.

[IamRAMBO24]

No David Cross? Easily the most talented comedian. He is not a punch line comedian, but his stories build up to an LOL everytime.

[IamRAMBO24]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2UwPyxlewg