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Who is/are your favorite comedian/comedians? (Original Post) debm55 Mar 18 OP
Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, and Robin Williams. cloudbase Mar 18 #1
Agree. They were so funny. debm55 Mar 18 #2
Jim Gaffigan Coventina Mar 18 #3
Yes, forgot about Jim and George Carlin too. debm55 Mar 18 #4
Love him...seen him twice in person. Nt Mark.b2 Mar 18 #20
Jake Johannsen underpants Mar 18 #5
underpants. Thank you. Bill Cosby has fallen so low. I liked his albums, but I couldn;t listen know. Which is sad debm55 Mar 18 #34
John Pinettte. Sadly, he's no longer with us. rsdsharp Mar 18 #6
Ty rsdsharp debm55 Mar 20 #77
Bob Newhart!! Coventina Mar 18 #7
"Nutty Walt is bringing us a boatload of leaves". Permanut Mar 19 #55
LOL!!! Coventina Mar 19 #60
Thank you Permanut, debm55 Mar 20 #75
Coventina,,,,,, Upthevibe Mar 19 #61
TY Coventina. debm55 Mar 20 #78
Charlie Chaplin Cartoonist Mar 18 #8
Ty Cartoonist. debm55 Mar 20 #76
George Carlin Richard Pryor plus,,, KarenS Mar 18 #9
He was funny for a young audience who could relate blm Mar 18 #16
I'm in Phoenix Metro area KarenS Mar 18 #18
TY KarenS debm55 Mar 20 #79
Of all time I would say George Carlin. Mr.Bill Mar 18 #10
Thank you, Mr. Bill. debm55 Mar 18 #35
Pryor, Carlin, Steven Wright, Bill Hicks, Maria Bamford, Sarah Silverman LudwigPastorius Mar 18 #11
Thank you LudwigPastorius. They will keep you laughing debm55 Mar 18 #36
From early TV days: Sid Ceasar Basic LA Mar 18 #12
Thank you, Basic LA. They were so funny. debm55 Mar 18 #37
Imogene Coca! leftieNanner Mar 20 #96
Ty, leftieNanner. debm55 Mar 20 #98
What a crew! Basic LA Mar 20 #106
Richard Pryor, Katt Williams, George Carlin, Robin Williams LoisB Mar 18 #13
TY LoisB, all are great comedians. debm55 Mar 18 #31
Buster Keaton and Dick van Dyke were my idols growing up. cayugafalls Mar 18 #14
Thank you cayugafalls. I really love silent movies. Buster Keaton and Dick van Dyke are great. debm55 Mar 18 #30
Roseanne Rosaannadanna!!! elleng Mar 18 #15
Ty elleng. Loved and miss, Gilda. debm55 Mar 18 #29
Mike Nichols & Elaine May, Lenny Bruce and no_hypocrisy Mar 18 #17
thank you no_hypocrisy. debm55 Mar 18 #28
Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams madamesilverspurs Mar 18 #19
Yes, to both. TY madamesilverspurs. debm55 Mar 18 #24
Russell Peters is my fav.... Mark.b2 Mar 18 #21
Thank you Mark,b2 debm55 Mar 18 #25
Wow... so many... OldBaldy1701E Mar 18 #22
Oh wow, Yes there are so many. but they all made us laugh. TY OldBaldy1701E. debm55 Mar 18 #26
Almost forgot... OldBaldy1701E Mar 19 #66
A Drag Queen doing a show off Bourbon Street BOSSHOG Mar 18 #23
Thank you, BOSSHOG. You sound like you really enjoyed yourself . Laughter is the best medicine. debm55 Mar 18 #27
We found it incredibly BOSSHOG Mar 18 #32
Thank you BOSSHOG. Great memories are the best. debm55 Mar 18 #39
and Carol Burnett!!! elleng Mar 18 #33
How could I forget Carol. Her show was LOL funny. Thank you elleng. debm55 Mar 18 #40
Mercy Percy Squeaky41 Mar 18 #38
Don;t remember the show, but I have seen clips of them. Another LOL show. TY, Squeaky41. debm55 Mar 18 #41
OMG Kovacs was a comic genius! I am old enough to remember his show yellowdogintexas Mar 18 #43
And the Nairobi Trio! Permanut Mar 19 #56
I am going with current because all my favorite comedians from the past are no longer here yellowdogintexas Mar 18 #42
Ty yellowdogintexas debm55 Mar 20 #74
Phyllis Diller was pretty damn funny... 3catwoman3 Mar 18 #44
Ty, 3catwoman3 debm55 Mar 20 #80
Mel Brooks and The Wizard Mar 18 #45
TY, The Wizard debm55 Mar 20 #81
George Carlin, Hannah Gadsby and Tig Notaro Lunabell Mar 18 #46
Tig is fun to watch limbicnuminousity Mar 19 #51
TY Lunabell debm55 Mar 20 #82
paul winchell ,(vaudaville, radio and tv.) red skelton(early tv) lucy ball.(tv).. without her, thered be no star trek AllaN01Bear Mar 18 #47
Ty, AllaN01Bear debm55 Mar 20 #91
Lot of oldies have been mentioned. But I'll go with a newer one. Xolodno Mar 18 #48
TY, Xolodno debm55 Mar 20 #92
Rhys Darby... Tikki Mar 19 #49
TY Tikki debm55 Mar 20 #94
Neal Brennan, Iliza Schlesinger. limbicnuminousity Mar 19 #50
TY limbicnuminousity. debm55 Mar 20 #97
Kathleen Madigan and Trea Crowder. rubbersole Mar 19 #52
rubbersole...... Upthevibe Mar 19 #63
I haven't heard it, but I'm going to now. Thank you! rubbersole Mar 19 #70
rubbersole .............. Upthevibe Mar 20 #73
Thank you, Utv! rubbersole Mar 20 #118
TY rubbersole. debm55 Mar 20 #99
Whoopee Goldberg when she used to do standup. RandySF Mar 19 #53
TY, RandySF debm55 Mar 20 #100
Phil Hendrie. I can't count the times he's had me laughing so hard that I couldn't breathe. C Moon Mar 19 #54
TY, CMoon. debm55 Mar 20 #103
Thanks for all the reminders. returnee Mar 20 #116
Wanda Sykes NJCher Mar 19 #57
TY NJCher debm55 Mar 20 #109
Robin Williams, George Carlin, and Tom Poston lapfog_1 Mar 19 #58
TY lapfog_1 debm55 Mar 20 #108
George Wallace, Lewis Black, George Carlin and Richard Pryor. brush Mar 19 #59
Ty brush debm55 Mar 20 #110
Robin Williams. Elessar Zappa Mar 19 #62
Thank you Elessar Zappa, Me too. debm55 Mar 20 #111
Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, George Carlin Mad_Dem_X Mar 19 #64
Thank you Mad_Dem_X debm55 Mar 20 #112
Why Mel Brooks is ....VERY, VERY, IMPORTANT...Mel created movies so you could see his comedies . (you can also learn Stuart G Mar 19 #65
Over the years I've gotten the most laughs from The Smothers Brothers lpbk2713 Mar 19 #68
Every is fine. Ty lpbk2713 debm55 Mar 20 #90
Agree, Ty Stuart G. debm55 Mar 20 #113
Dennis Wolfberg Polybius Mar 19 #67
Thank you Polyblus. debm55 Mar 20 #89
Mel Brooks. malthaussen Mar 19 #69
TY Mal debm55 Mar 20 #86
Rodney Dangerfield, George Carlin and Joe E Brown Emile Mar 19 #71
TY Emile debm55 Mar 20 #85
Robin Rebl2 Mar 19 #72
Ty Rebl2 debm55 Mar 20 #83
Chris Rock. Kate McKinnon, Richard Pryor, Eddy Murphy, Steve Martin Jrose Mar 20 #84
TY Jrose debm55 Mar 20 #115
Everyone previously mentioned and FalloutShelter Mar 20 #87
Ty, FalloutShelter. debm55 Mar 20 #88
Art Metrano Doc_Technical Mar 20 #93
TY Doc_Techical debm55 Mar 20 #105
Rodney MichMan Mar 20 #95
Ty, MichMan debm55 Mar 20 #101
Both jokes are hilarious 😂 Emile Mar 20 #117
Lenny Bruce thucythucy Mar 20 #102
Ty thucythucy debm55 Mar 20 #104
Mitch Hedberg ibeplato Mar 20 #107
TY ibeplato. debm55 Mar 20 #114
Sid Caesar on "This is Your Life" with Carl Reiner ailsagirl Mar 20 #119
Thank you, allsagirl debm55 Mar 20 #120
I would also include GP6971 Mar 20 #121
agree Thank you GP6971 debm55 Mar 20 #122
My favorite 2 comedians are the first ones. Lucille & Ricky from ..."I Love Lucy" Stuart G Mar 24 #123

underpants

(182,803 posts)
5. Jake Johannsen
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 05:35 PM
Mar 18

I always liked his delivery and content.

Honestly, I grew memorizing Bill Cosby albums and loving Woody Allen movies. 😬😳

debm55

(25,212 posts)
34. underpants. Thank you. Bill Cosby has fallen so low. I liked his albums, but I couldn;t listen know. Which is sad
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 09:43 PM
Mar 18

because he was talented.

KarenS

(4,075 posts)
9. George Carlin Richard Pryor plus,,,
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 05:38 PM
Mar 18

I used to think Sam Kinison was funny until I watched him again with older eyes,,, good grief not sure why I thought he was funny,,,,

on edit,,,,

add Dick Van Dyke, Smothers Brothers, there are so many,,,,,

blm

(113,061 posts)
16. He was funny for a young audience who could relate
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 05:58 PM
Mar 18

To his sophomoric stylings, which is a large demographic. It is different looking back, but, he really was a kinder, sweeter fellow than he portrayed in his act.

KarenS

(4,075 posts)
18. I'm in Phoenix Metro area
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 06:11 PM
Mar 18

I saw Sam Kinison at the Celebrity theater must have been in 1991 (I just looked it up),,, I was 42 at the time

saw George Carlin in Tucson it looks like that would have been in 1999,,,,

never saw the others live.

LudwigPastorius

(9,145 posts)
11. Pryor, Carlin, Steven Wright, Bill Hicks, Maria Bamford, Sarah Silverman
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 05:45 PM
Mar 18

...and of course, Rodney Dangerfield

leftieNanner

(15,100 posts)
96. Imogene Coca!
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 02:25 PM
Mar 20

I saw her with Rene Auberjonois in San Francisco in The Foreigner. Funniest thing I've ever seen!! I couldn't breathe.

Saw Bill Cosby at the Circle Star Theater once too. Very funny but sad and twisted the way it turned out.

 

Basic LA

(2,047 posts)
106. What a crew!
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 02:39 PM
Mar 20

Sid Ceaser, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner (Rob's dad), & Howard Morris. They were doing live 90-minute shows each week. Later it went to an hour and Nanette Fabray replaced Coca.
And of course they had Neil Simon, Mel Brooks, & Woody Allen as comedy writers.
I didn't know of Coca's subsequent stage work, but would love to have seen that.
And, well, Bill Cosby had everyone laughing until he didn't. Who could've known.

LoisB

(7,206 posts)
13. Richard Pryor, Katt Williams, George Carlin, Robin Williams
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 05:56 PM
Mar 18

equally, well maybe a slight edge to Carlin.

cayugafalls

(5,640 posts)
14. Buster Keaton and Dick van Dyke were my idols growing up.
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 05:57 PM
Mar 18

I tried emulating them at every turn.

I got into a lot of trouble but by the age of ten I could do a prat fall that looked incredibly real and was doing comedic stunts on my bike a la Keaton.

I once jumped a modified banana seat bike with ultra extended forks over a 2 foot 30 degree incline ramp into a bedsheet that we suspended between the alley. Needless to say, the sheet wrapped around me and the bike and when I landed it took everything I had to maintain control and stop, but everyone watching thought it was the funniest thing they ever saw...

madamesilverspurs

(15,804 posts)
19. Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 06:23 PM
Mar 18

Way back when, on our old black and white TV, Winters would have "improv" minutes with suggestions from the audience. He was quick, and unfailingly hilarious. And he could do more with facial expressions than others could do with words.

Williams -- no explanation required.


.

Mark.b2

(261 posts)
21. Russell Peters is my fav....
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 06:37 PM
Mar 18

His bit on the different kind of Asians (of which he's one) is side-splitting. He can do the best accents.

OldBaldy1701E

(5,128 posts)
22. Wow... so many...
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 07:53 PM
Mar 18

I cannot pick just one, but there are several who rank as legendary...

Johnathon Winters
Mel Brooks
Carl Reiner
Bill Hicks
Richard Pryor
Steve Martin... just to name a few...

debm55

(25,212 posts)
26. Oh wow, Yes there are so many. but they all made us laugh. TY OldBaldy1701E.
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 09:31 PM
Mar 18

Last edited Mon Mar 18, 2024, 10:03 PM - Edit history (1)

OldBaldy1701E

(5,128 posts)
66. Almost forgot...
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 02:32 PM
Mar 19

Carol Burnett
Billy Hayes
Madeline Kahn
Irene Ryan
Lucille Ball

(Almost embarrassed to say I realized that first list was completely male... I will not forget those great female comediennes of the past and present. I didn't forget you, Catherine O'Hara... not right after St. Paddy's Day!)

BOSSHOG

(37,055 posts)
23. A Drag Queen doing a show off Bourbon Street
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 08:59 PM
Mar 18

In New Orleans during Mardi Gras early 90s. I thought I was going to die laughing along with everyone else in the street. Lots of profanity, lots of put downs. Not child friendly. But I’ve never laughed as hard then or since.

BOSSHOG

(37,055 posts)
32. We found it incredibly
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 09:39 PM
Mar 18

Difficult not to enjoy ourselves when we visited New Orleans, which was often. We lived 40 miles away. I’m too old for the fun now but we have the memories. And the pictures.

yellowdogintexas

(22,252 posts)
43. OMG Kovacs was a comic genius! I am old enough to remember his show
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 10:18 PM
Mar 18

He pretty much perfected sketch comedy.

Also Steve Allen - a certified genius and multi talented man

yellowdogintexas

(22,252 posts)
42. I am going with current because all my favorite comedians from the past are no longer here
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 10:16 PM
Mar 18

Trae Crowder, Drew Morgan and Corey Ryan Foster.(AKA The Liberal Rednecks)
Stephanie Miller
Frangela
Hal Sparks
John Fugelsang
Bob Cesca (technically not a comedian but he might as well be)
The Banana Boys: Kurt Braunoler and Scotty Landis

I listen to a number of hilarious podcasts but I don't list the hosts as comedians because they are doing other things with their lives.


Lunabell

(6,080 posts)
46. George Carlin, Hannah Gadsby and Tig Notaro
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 10:25 PM
Mar 18

In that order. RIP George, you were hilarious. And if you haven't seen the other two, you gotta see their acts.

AllaN01Bear

(18,216 posts)
47. paul winchell ,(vaudaville, radio and tv.) red skelton(early tv) lucy ball.(tv).. without her, thered be no star trek
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 10:32 PM
Mar 18

bob hope, bing crosby) vaudaville, radio. movies and early tv. dick van dyke . mary tyler more . list gos on and on.

Xolodno

(6,395 posts)
48. Lot of oldies have been mentioned. But I'll go with a newer one.
Mon Mar 18, 2024, 11:03 PM
Mar 18

Gabriel Iglesias, aka, Fluffy,. He brings a comedic view of what actually happens to him. For example, once the police asked for identification right in front of the poster at a theatre featuring him that night. So he pointed to it and did the pose he did for the poster.

limbicnuminousity

(1,402 posts)
50. Neal Brennan, Iliza Schlesinger.
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 01:32 AM
Mar 19

Of course Robin Williams, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, but for anything close to this century it has to be Brennan and Schlesinger. Brennan's Blocks special is pretty amazingly good.

Upthevibe

(8,051 posts)
63. rubbersole......
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 01:55 PM
Mar 19

I LOVE both Kathleen and Trea!

Do you listen to Kathleen's pubcast? Are you a Termite? I LOVE her pubcast (it's very different than typical ones. She does it just for fun with no advertising),

rubbersole

(6,690 posts)
70. I haven't heard it, but I'm going to now. Thank you!
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 03:26 PM
Mar 19

I first heard both of them on the Stephanie Miller Show. Kathleen thinks in funny. A remarkable gift.

Upthevibe

(8,051 posts)
73. rubbersole ..............
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 09:55 AM
Mar 20

Her pubcast is on Wednesdays.

It's just her sitting at a desk/table going through various notes with things she wants to talk about that are completely light hearted. She stays away from politics. She's having a cocktail and will sample various snacks that she's gotten or been given during her touring. She has one person that we never see who she can talk to (along with us). It's a woman who Kathleen has nicknamed Paddles.

She calls her listeners "Termites" because when one of her comedian friends stays with her, at the end of the day he'll say, "Night, night, Termite" (and she got a kick out of that). I went back to some of her earlier shows (which started during the Pandemic) to get some context.

rubbersole

(6,690 posts)
118. Thank you, Utv!
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 05:07 PM
Mar 20

I also told the missus about her pubcast. She's even a bigger fan than I. Thanks again!

returnee

(43 posts)
116. Thanks for all the reminders.
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 03:44 PM
Mar 20

My favorites: Stephen Wright, Steve Martin, John Fugelsang, and John Mulaney. Probably others I can’t remember.

lapfog_1

(29,204 posts)
58. Robin Williams, George Carlin, and Tom Poston
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 03:16 AM
Mar 19

Tom was always the "setup man" in a comedy skit in Mork and Mindy plus the Bob Newhart Show.

Stuart G

(38,427 posts)
65. Why Mel Brooks is ....VERY, VERY, IMPORTANT...Mel created movies so you could see his comedies . (you can also learn
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 02:20 PM
Mar 19

Mel's comedic tricks if you watch enough times. )

lpbk2713

(42,757 posts)
68. Over the years I've gotten the most laughs from The Smothers Brothers
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 02:58 PM
Mar 19


I had most of their LPs



Ed: Sorry ... I meant for this to be a stand-alone thread.

malthaussen

(17,195 posts)
69. Mel Brooks.
Tue Mar 19, 2024, 03:18 PM
Mar 19

His movies have never failed to make me laugh.

As for stand-up, I don't follow it much at all. George Carlin, maybe, or Tom Lehrer if we stretch the definition of "stand-up."

-- Mal

Jrose

(822 posts)
84. Chris Rock. Kate McKinnon, Richard Pryor, Eddy Murphy, Steve Martin
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 02:04 PM
Mar 20

All, by the way, appeared or starred on SNL at least once!

MichMan

(11,929 posts)
95. Rodney
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 02:24 PM
Mar 20

Two of his routines stand out to me from an old appearance with Johnny Carson

1) "Johnny I need to cut down on my smoking. My wife and I agreed that we would only light up after sex. I am still smoking the same pack I've had since 1976, but she's up to three packs a day!"

2) This is my favorite;

"Johnny, thought I would check out a gay bar this week for the first time. What a meat market ! There were at least 10 guys for every guy"

thucythucy

(8,052 posts)
102. Lenny Bruce
Wed Mar 20, 2024, 02:35 PM
Mar 20

This is a show from early 1961.

His jokes on the Kennedy inauguration are hilarious.

Plus so many classics: Christ and Moses, Tits and Ass, a Black Black Woman and a White White Woman...

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