Who’s The Greatest Comedian Of All Time?

gdub411 wrote: I 'll take Jim Carey.

I was wishing someone would

Well, this Other gay get's lotta votes...

Im currently into eddy murphy like someee CRAZY motherf**ker!

 

illustrated wrote: mirco wrote: Well, this Other gay get's lotta votes... Other gay?

Other guy... my mistake (as usual).

Off this list - Bill Hicks, who would also be high on any list of comedians I could draw up.

I've probably laughed hardest at the incomparable Viv Stanshall's John Peel sessions in years gone by - those of you who know him only as the Bonzo's lead singer are directed to Sir Henry At Rawlinson End (but not the dismal Sir Henry At Ndidi's Kraal). Sample quotes:

"I don't know what I want but I want it now"

"If I had all the money I'd spent on drink, I'd spend it on drink"

"I never met a man I didn't maim"

The Scottish genius Ivor Cutler also deserves a mention, although I suspect that neither of these will make sense to anbody outside the UK.

 

george carlin: tonights forcast...DARK...with nscattered light to come in
the morning

I am still VERY annoyed that no-one has mentioned Peter Cook aside from me! Hasn't anyone seen or heard 'Beyond the Fringe' or 'Not Only...But Also'?!! If you possess ANY knowledge of comedy (real comedy that is...i.e. British, sorry guys) you MUST be aware of Peter Cook!

That doesn't mean that America hasn't produced any great comedians: Bob Newhart, The Marx Bros, Buster Keaton...strangely, none are on this list! Offhand, I was almost offended by the fact that the poll focused on all American stand-up comedians. (Chris Rock?! For god's sake! )

Edited by Rob The Good

No Chris Morris?  Come on people, the man's a comedy genius.

What about the humour mixed with music? There is an argentina band call Les Luthiers, that makes it's own instruments from a very strange sort of materials: toilet seats, labs tubes, various sizes cans, etc. Those instruments actually works, and they play in live concerts with them. Its shows are ilarius, at least the two which I had the chance to attend.

All:

I hesitate to get all philosophical on you (sure...), but...

First, comedy, like music, is largely about taste: what is "funny" to  one person may not be funny to another.  Second, I think there is a difference between actors who do comedy (i.e., "comedic actors") and "real" comedians, who focus on their comedy (even if they happen to do a few movies).  In this regard, we would seem to require two separate lists.

The poll list clearly reflects a "youthful" perspective.  There is virtually no one - either comedic actor or comedian - pre-1960s.

For example, where are Milton Berle (who practically invented "visual" comedy, being the first comedian with a TV show), Jack Benny, Alan King, Red Buttons, Red Skelton, Morey Amsterdam, Peter Sellers and virtually the entire cast of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," including Jonathan Winters (how on earth did all of you forget him?), Dick Shawn (arguably the funniest man who ever lived), Sid Caesar, Don Knotts, Phil Silvers, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Terry-Thomas, Jimmy Durante et al?

Where are the early TV-based comedians - Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Lucille Ball et al - who blazed the trail for the "sit-com," and stars from Carroll O'Connor to Ray Romano?  Indeed, as an aside, not a single female comedienne or comedic actor has been mentioned: from Lucille Ball, Audrey Meadows, Joyce Randolph, Phyllis Diller and Zasu Pitts to Jean Stapleton, Elayne Boosler, Rita Rudner et al.  And, as many have noted, also missing are the pioneers of film comedy, including Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costelle et al.

Also missing are the trail-blazing stand-up comedians (all of whom eventually went into film), including Woody Allen (completely forgotten here!!), Robin Williams, Steve Martin (how could all of you forget him?) and Eddie Murphy, who blazed the trail followed by Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Dennis Miller, Dennis Leary, Steven Wright et al.

Finally, missing is any mention of "Borscht Belt" comics like Myron Cohen, Zero Mostel, Jackie Mason et al, who created an entire genre which survives to this day; indeed, you would not have George Carlin without them.

Even given all of the above, I know I am leaving out many, many important names - innovators, influencers, trailblazers.  And one member is entirely correct that we are being very "english-speaking-centric" about this list.  There are dozens of major comedians in other countries.

Again,  my apologies for "waxing philosophical."  But comedy is, after all...serious business.

Peace.