Black History Month Special: 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians

[Bosnian Sajo]

Guy Torry > Joe Torry

[L.Kizzle]

30. Bill Bellamy

Bill Bellamy stand up

The inverter of the term “Booty Call.” He titled his first stand up special after the term in a 1994 high rated Showtime special. He was born in 1965 in Newark, New Jersey (same for his little big cousin Shaq.) He started his career in 1985. He did his comedy on Showtime at the Apollo than appeared on Def Comedy Jam in 1992 and 1993. He was actually the first performer to make it big from Def Jam, getting a hosting job on MTV for many years and appearing on their Rock N Jock B-Ball Jam specials in the 90s'. He host two stand up show’s Last Comic Standing and Bill Bellamy’s Who’s Got Jokes and with these went back to his roots for his 2005 Comedy Central Special, Back To My Roots. The next year he appeared on the return of Def Comedy Jam.



29. Pigmeat Markhum

Pigmeat Markhum stand up

“Here Comes The Judge, Here Comes The Judge.” This man might be the first black stand-up comic as we know it today. He was born Dewey Markhum in 1904 and by 1917 was performing as a dancer with Bessie Smith. Later on he went on to perform with the likes of Milton Berle, Red Buttons in blackface. Pigmeat was in the Vaudeville era of Step'n Fetchit, Sleep'n Eat: Willie Best, Mantan Moreland and Hattie McDaniel. After World War II, he decided to lose the blackface and started doin' something called "stand-up comedy" slightly different from the comedy he and his vaudevillian buddies came from. By this time, Moms Mabley, Redd Foxx and Nipsey Russell joined the trade. By 1950, he was THE KING OF COMEDY releasing comedy albums like "Tune Me In" "The Crap Shootin' Rev" and "Would The Real Pigmeat Markham Please Sit Down." He's best know for the top ten hit from 1968 "Here Comes the Judge." He appeared on "Toast of the Town" "Rowan & Martin's Laugh In." He was the man on the Chitlin' Circuit, performing at the Regal in Chicago, Howard in DC, the Uptown in Philadelphia and of course the Apollo Theater.


28. Arsenio Hall

Arsenio Hall stand up

After hosting many shows in the early 80s and staring in films, this 'Black Pack' member became the first black with a late night TV show, “The Arsenio Hall Show.” Wat was goin' on before than, he was born in 1955 in Cleveland and by the age 6, was performing on stage, but not stand up just yet, he was a magician. He started performing comedy in 1977 during his college years an Ohio State then Kent State. BY the early 80's he became "Mr. Host" hosting everything from Soul Train, Solid Gold, Thicke in the Night and Half Hour Comedy Hour. When Joan Rivers decided to step down, he stepped right in as the Host for the Late Late Show on Fox. He was so good that they gave hihis own syndicated show, "The Arsenio Hall Show." His stand up was seen on Evening at the Improv, his best friend Eddie Murphy's produced Uptown Comedy Express and HBO's Comic Relief in 1989. Speaking of Eddie, he starred with him in Coming to America. He's been making a comeback this past decade hosting Star Search and many shows on the tube. Little know fact, the movie Coming to America was originally titles Quest and was to star another 'Black Pack' member, the guy is actually next on the list ...


27. Keenen Ivory Wayans

Keenen Ivory Wayans stand up

Another 'Black Pack' member, he shot to fame with the family series In Living Color in 1990, but was a fixture in comedy a decade earlier. He started his career in 1978 as a part time comic while still attending Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. By 1980, he was the hottest comic in NY not named Eddie Murphy. Eddie is actually quoted saying "I thought I was the only funny black guy in New York. Now I see there are two." He went to Hollywood to audition to pilots and got some roles like "For The Love of War" in 1983 a series and that same year did his stand up on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. After years of small roles, he finally got with his 'Black Pack' member Robert Townsend and they came up with the film "Hollywood Shuffle" in 1987. That same year, his other 'Black Pack' buddy Eddie Murphy got with him and Robert for his concert film, RAW. Now Keenen was in business, was a main performer on Townsend' specials on HBO and his own films like I'm Gonna Git U Sucka! and than In Living Color hit. This sketch show was the ultimate sketch show and nearly every member of the cast is here on this list. After ILC, he went into movies and actually back to stand up in 1999. He's performed his stand up on Evening at the Improv.


26. Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg stand up

Yep, she is a stand up comic peoples. Born in 1949 in New York City. She started her stand up career in 1981 in New York. In 1985, HBO gave her Whoopi Goldberg; Direct from Broadway, which was a success. That same year, she appeared in The Color Purple. The next year, along with comics Robin Williams and Billy Crystal, she created the Comic Relief series, that was on HBO for many years and included many comics. She hosted each of the specials, 11 in total. In 1990 and 91, had an HBO Comedy Hour; In Performance (1990) and Chez Whoopi (1991.) She’s a mainstay on the gameshow, Hollywood Squares. Over the years her movie credits include Burglar, Ghost and Sister Acts. She came back in 2007 on a stand up special on the Bravo Network.

[L.Kizzle]

25. Tommy Davidson

Tommy Davidson stand up

This brother rose to fame probably faster than anyone else on this list. He was born in 1964 and was raised by white foster parents after his mother a Civil Right activist could no longer care for him. He started his career in 1987 in Washington, DC, and by 1988 was in Hollywood where he was discovered by friends Robert Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans. Rob put him on HBO as part of Robert Townsend

[Rasheed1]

Lavell Crawford is a funny mofo me and my wife cracking the f* up at him just standing there wheezing.

person: Lavell! what the hell you doing over there?

Lavelle: Im breathing! what the hell it look like?

[Dasher]

I would have put Bill Bellamy in the top 10, hell maybe the top 5. He is the greatest pretty boy comedian of all time. "How To Be A Player" should be required viewing for anyone trying to juggle playmates.

[L.Kizzle]

I would have put Bill Bellamy in the top 10, hell maybe the top 5. He is the greatest pretty boy comedian of all time. "How To Be A Player" should be required viewing for anyone trying to juggle playmates.

Top 10 is a stretch, he's in the top 30, that's good company, don't you think? I got him over the likes of Jamie Foxx, the Torry brothers, Steve Harvey, ect.

[Dasher]

Well Steve is one of those unfunny cats. I generally never laughed at his standup.

[L.Kizzle]

Well Steve is one of those unfunny cats. I generally never laughed at his standup.

He's the least funniest from the Kings of Comedy, that's for sure.

[phoenix18]

Cedric at 23??

Dude is top ten to me.

Osama-wear was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

[L.Kizzle]

Cedric at 23??

Dude is top ten to me.

Osama-wear was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

Who's your top 10?

[beasly15]

bernie mac and chris rock are my tops. can't really mess with them..

[xcesswee]

Dave chappelle better be in top 5

[beasly15]

Dave chappelle better be in top 5

yeah, him too..

[L.Kizzle]

Dave chappelle better be in top 5

Good question, we will see. Who's your top 5?

[Gundress]

We all know that who's going be in Top 1 and 2, 3.