Who are the Top Comedians of All Time?

  • Thread starter Ivan Seeking
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In summary, There are many funny people who have made their mark in the world of comedy, from actors like Robin Williams, Steve Martin, and Jerry Seinfeld to old-timers like Jack Benny and Abbott & Costello. Some people also enjoy the humor of Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Eddie Murphy, and John Cleese, while others appreciate the comedic talents of comedians like Bill Cosby, Matt LeBlanc, and Lisa Kudrow. Many people also have a soft spot for classic shows like "Your Show of Shows" and "I Love Lucy," and the timeless hilarity of Monty Python continues to entertain audiences of all ages. Ultimately, everyone has their own personal favorites when it comes to the funniest people
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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Who is the funniest person or three that you have ever seen, heard, or the funniest author if that applies instead.

I think at his peak Robin Williams was incredibly funny. So was Steve Martin and many from the SNL crowd. When I was a kid, there was also a old guy around that went by the name of "Dean Martin's Uncle". I don't know if he really was Martin's uncle or not but this guy could walk back and forth on a stage telling one liners that would keep me and my dad in stitches as long as he talked.

Of course, what's funny today may be another thing tomorrow. I once thought Bugs Bunny was about the funniest wabbit awound.
 
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  • #2
Bill Cosby and Jerry Seinfeld are the funniest I think.
Another really good one is Sarah Silverman (funniest woman I think. Hot too!) I have a few video clips of her on Conan. I think I'm going to go watch them now. :)
 
  • #3
When I was younger, I used to enjoy Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean)
 
  • #4
remcook said:
When I was younger, I used to enjoy Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean)

Aww, whatever happened to him? Johnny English was just about the worst movie ever. I heard tat he was being treated for depression but later found out that it's not true.

Bring back Mr. Bean!
 
  • #5
Since I've seen the movie "Man on the Moon" I must say I'm a fan of Andy Kaufman, though I don't know him very well. Actually I've only seen that half hour original material that came with the DVD, e.g. the "And the Bird Goes" song and some woman-wrestling scenes. But that was just soo cool :smile:

Weird, but cool.
 
  • #6
I think the funniest person I've ever seen on TV is Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow of FRIENDS because they are always able to say the funniest, stupidest yet wittiest things all at the same time.
 
  • #7
It's funny that Matt LeBlanc has never hosted SNL (to my knowledge).
 
  • #8
check said:
Aww, whatever happened to him? Johnny English was just about the worst movie ever. I heard tat he was being treated for depression but later found out that it's not true.

Bring back Mr. Bean!

Johnny English was good. I like Mike Harding. He is a class comedian. Or Jim Davidson. Man, both really funny. :biggrin:

The Bob (2004 ©)
 
  • #9
Robin Williams -if you haven't seen the Bravo interview with RW on 'Inside the Actor's Studio, with James Lipton... well, too bad !
Jerry Seinfeld
Steve Martin
Jerry Lewis
Richard Pryor
John Stewart
Kevin Nealon
Chris Rock
and occasionally, Mike Myers

Rowan Atkinson is incredibly talented, but I really can't take maore than 10 minutes of his goofing off.
 
  • #10
Jeff Foxworthy is pretty funny. I also like Robin Williams. Eddie Murphy can be hilarious. John Cleese in Faulty Towers. Colin Mockery (sp? from Whose Line Is It Anyway?)
 
  • #11
My favorites:

Bill Cosby
Steve Martin
Woody Allen
Jonathon Winters
Mel Brooks

Have any of you ever seen reruns or clips of "Your show of shows"? It was incredibly funny. It went off the air even before I was born, but it still holds up.

Njorl
 
  • #12
I'm not very in touch with comedy. But I have to say that "Whose Line is it Anyway?" cracks me up pretty well.
 
  • #13
I think the single funniest person on the planet is Hal Holbrook doing Mark Twain in his show Mark Twain Tonight!.

If you've never seen it, check out your local video store. Some have it on tape.
 
  • #14
I am old enough to remember Red Skelton and his gentle brand of humor.
 
  • #15
definetly, Rowan Atkinson
 
  • #16
allanpatrick said:
I think the funniest person I've ever seen on TV is Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow of FRIENDS because they are always able to say the funniest, stupidest yet wittiest things all at the same time.

That doesn't make them comedians though. They don't write their own lines. If you think that they're funny on FRIENDS, you should give credit to the writers.
 
  • #17
check said:
That doesn't make them comedians though. They don't write their own lines. If you think that they're funny on FRIENDS, you should give credit to the writers.
Er...no. There are no "actor-proof" jokes that can't be screwed up by bad delivery. I majored in acting in college and saw some of the funniest lines you could imagine turned to lead balloons by people with no sense of timing or delivery.

On the other hand, a good actor can take something that is only marginally funny on paper and turn it into a gut busting show stopper with just the right inflection.

If a joke works, it is 100% due to the actor.
 
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  • #18
I'm probably the only person with this opinion : I enjoyed John Cleese more in Fawlty Towers than Monty Python.
 
  • #19
Bill Cosby is amazing. My favorite was his "Those of you with or without children, you'll understand" routine.
I also loved Gilda Radner and Steven Wright.
 
  • #20
This got me to thinking about some of the older comedians.

Jack Benny

Abbott & Costello - Who's on first?

George Burns & Gracie Allen

Groucho Marx had some great one liners.

Lucille Ball in her "I love Lucy" series.
 
  • #21
I'm too young to remember those guys.
 
  • #22
Ivan Seeking said:
I'm too young to remember those guys.
:devil:

My favorites were the Looney Tunes cartoons where Jack Benny & Abbot & Costello were mice. Those are classics. :biggrin:
 
  • #23
Oh wow, I remember those. Yes I liked them also.

Of course, I always watched the re-runs of You Bet Your Life. I loved Groucho Hurray for Captain Spalding Marx. A&C Who's on first: I've probably heard it several dozen times.

Moving ahead a decade or so, some of the old Monty Python Stuff used to keep me in stitches.
 
  • #24
Robin Williams and Bill Engval.
 
  • #25
Ivan Seeking said:
Moving ahead a decade or so, some of the old Monty Python Stuff used to keep me in stitches.
The guys from Monty Python, Terry Gilliam, Michael Pallin, John Cleese, are a riot. My two favorite movies that they did are "The Holy Grail" & "Time Bandits". They're both they type of movie that you have to watch several times to catch all of the jokes.

I LOVE the credits for the Holy Grail.

Møøse trained to mix concrete and
sign complicated insurance forms by JURGEN WIGG

Editor JOHN HACKNEY
Møøses' noses wiped by BJORN IRKESTORM-SLATER WALKER
Large møøse on the left half side of the screen in the third scene from the end,given a thorough grounding in Latin, French and "O" Level Geography by BO BENN
Suggestive poses for the møøse suggested by VIC ROTTER
Antler-care by LIV THATCHER


For those of you that would like a refresher on the "credits" for the Holy Grail, or "gasp", for those of you that have never seen it. Here's a link. Enjoy!

http://www.esquilax.com/mpython/mp2.html
 
  • #26
Steve Martin (not only is he funny, he's really good with a lariat, too)
Red Skelton
Laurel and Hardy
Jerry Seinfeld
Gilda Radner
Art Carney (Jackie Gleason is good, but I really felt Art Carney and the actress that played Gleason's wife really made the Honeymooners work)
 
  • #27
Funniest comedians:

1. Jerry Seinfeld
2. Jay Leno
3. Conan O'Brien
4. Chris Rock

In that order.
 
  • #28
zoobyshoe said:
Er...no. There are no "actor-proof" jokes that can't be screwed up by bad delivery. I majored in acting in college and saw some of the funniest lines you could imagine turned to lead balloons by people with no sense of timing or delivery.

On the other hand, a good actor can take something that is only marginally funny on paper and turn it into a gut busting show stopper with just the right inflection.

If a joke works, it is 100% due to the actor.

It's true that they may be good actors and very funny on television, but I doubt that if you'd meet them on the street, or, better example, see them being interviewed on a talkshow, they'd be nearly as funny.
 
  • #29
Some of my favourites:
- Steve Martin
- John Cleese
- Rowan Atkinson
- Jay Leno
- Douglas Adams (author)
- Homer Simpson :smile: :smile:
 
  • #30
In no particular order

Tommy Cooper
Rowan Atkinson
John Cleese
Lee Evans
Roy "Chubby" Brown (for that lower-middle class humour)
 
  • #31
Tommy Cooper
Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean wasn't that great tho', but Black Adder and Not the Nine O'clock News were.)
Monty Python crew
Harry Enfield
Ben Elton (only his writing tho' which includes Black Adder and the Young Ones)
Eddie Izzard
Bill Murray
Jerry Seinfield
 
  • #32
I just finished watching a movie with Will Ferrell in it.

He's hilarious.

He goes right at the top of "best comedians".
 
  • #33
Dagenais said:
I just finished watching a movie with Will Ferrell in it.

Anchorman? The local news reporters were raving about it one morning - too true they say.
 
  • #34
I like Darrell Hammond for imitations
 
  • #35
Anyone seen the "Carry On" series ? I saw them as a kid and thought they were hilarious. Now I'd probably feel differently.

Just your regular crude, ribald slapstick...but they tickled me silly.
 

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