15 Greatest Stand-Up Comics
#15 Jerry Seinfeld
The first name (or should I say last) of observational comedy, Seinfeld's humor, both through his stand-up routine and hit sitcom, has oozed its way into how so many of us observe the world around us, with all it's little everyday foibles and nuances.
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15:
Jerry Seinfeld
The first name (or should I say last) of observational comedy, Seinfeld's humor, both through his stand-up routine and hit sitcom, has oozed its way into how so many of us observe the world around us, with all it's little everyday foibles and nuances.
14:
Patrice O'Neal
The late Patrice O'Neal was a comedic force of nature: an acerbic, intelligent, completely uncensored social commentator that garnered the respect of blacks and whites, liberals and conservatives thinkers alike. His final comedy special was oh-so-appropriately entitled 'Elephant In The Room.'
13:
Patton Oswalt
The smart, nerdy Oswalt has been performing his hilarious brand of humor since the late eighties and saw himself through the alternative comedy boom. He's released a number of great stand-up comedy albums, including 'Werewolves and Lollipops,' and was featured in the documentary 'The Comedians of Comedy.'
12:
Dave Chappelle
Before the brilliant 'Chappelle's Show' and 'Half-Baked,' Dave Chappelle honed his comedic abilities on stage, becoming one With an easily likable, effortlessly engaging stage presence, Chappelle once did a five-hour (!) set at L.A's Comedy Store.
11:
Rodney Dangerfield
One of the true kings of the one-liners, Dangerfield didn't actually start his stand-up career in earnest until he was in his forties, opening the famous comedy club Dangerfield's in New York City. His appearances on 'The Tonight Show' were legendary.
10:
Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy is almost like the stand-up version of Jimi Henrix. Except, instead of dying, he decided to just collect paychecks doing uninspired family comedies. But in his prime he was an absolute dynamo: a rare talent combination. 'Raw' and 'Delirious' are testaments to his superb abilities. He also needs to get credit for discovering Chris Rock.
9:
Steve Martin
Martin has blossomed into a true renaissance comedy man: he's an actor, author, playwright and musician. But first, he was a stand-up comedian. The recent publishing of his memoir 'Born Standing Up' has given rightful attention to his stage days as a self-mocking, self-referential, almost meta-comedian, unique in his or any time.
8:
Chris Rock
You could argue that Rock's stand-up comedy rise in the mid-to-late nineties revived the genre (along with the budding alternative comedy scene that was forming). His upfront, brutally honest take on race, relationships, politics and language got people of all types and backgrounds quoting his words. Sometimes getting them in trouble, I'm sure.
7:
Louis CK
Louie's meteoric rise in the last number of years has contributed to people discovering his brilliantly cynical and defeated outlook on life. His last four comedy specials, 'Shameless,' 'Chewed Up,' 'Hilarious,' and 'Live at The Beacon,' are truly one of the best runs of comedy hours ever put together. Along with his amazing television show, 'Louie,' the perpetually crestfallen single dad is still very much on the rise.
6:
Dane Cook
A few years back, Cook skyrocketed to another stratosphere of stand-up comedy success. One of the highlights: selling out Madison Square Garden. Something few comics ever could pull off.
5:
Woody Allen
Yes. Before the decades of brilliant filmmaking and personal controversy, Woody was a stand-up pioneer. After being pushed into stand-up by his managers early in his career, he quickly became a sensation, coining one immortal comedic quip after another, just as he has in his many great movies. The age of YouTube has made it easier to find his original performances, and thank god for that.
4:
Bill Cosby
It's tough for many of us now who know Bill Cosby as the patterned-sweater wearing father on 'The Cosby Show,' or as the grumpy old man always complaining about black youths, to imagine him as anything else. But make no mistake, during the late sixties and seventies Cosby was an unrivaled master of comedic storytelling. so much so that even Richard Pryor mimicked Cosby's act early in his career before switching gears. Take one look at 'Bill Cosby: Himself' to see what we mean.
3:
Bill Hicks
You hear so often of artists dying much too young. Very few cases are better examples than that of William Melvin Hicks. Cancer took him at the age of 32 (32!), cutting short a life of true comedic brilliance that, despite the incomparable body of work left behind, was still just beginning to blossom. Those of us who know his work mourn the fact that he's not here to guide us through the madness of this modern world, with his fearless mind and genius observation. I would say "Rest In Peace, Bill", but he would never be resting.
2:
Richard Pryor
Pryor not only became one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time, he also became one of the most iconic black entertainers of all time. His comedy specials, especially 'Richard Pryor Live,' are masterclasses in the art: unique combinations of physical performance and astute human observation.
1:
George Carlin
It's not just that Carlin's stand-up career spanned six decades. It's that he excelled at EVERY type of comedy. Early on it was impersonations and slapstick and clean Vegas acts, then he transitioned to rebellious countercultural humor, then he pioneered observational comedy, then he mastered critical social commentary, then he went out as the angry old sage of funny. You could arguably have a Mount Rushmore of comedy with four of his faces.
