Top 5 Comedians?

[Chuck Mangione]

This guy has a very funny, grim and sarcastic humor to him that I like. Maybe a better choice for a British stand-up comedian than Gervais. Plus I love the whole Never Mind the Buzzcocks series. Usually has top notch comedians. Great stuff.
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Clash mention towards the end.
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[Chuck Mangione]

One of my favorite Dave Chappelle bits. Everything about his delivery is perfect. He knows how to use his voice when telling a joke.
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[Flex]

I assume we're basically talking comedians based on the strength of their stand-up (or stand-up-like-performances). Don't know if I could order the top five in any kind of definitive way, but:

Bill Hicks
Louis CK
Patton Oswalt
Stewart Lee
Richard Pryor

Expanded out to the top ten I'd add Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Sarah Silverman, Dave Chapelle and Bill Cosby. Chris Rock's best material would place him in the top five but he's so freakin' inconsistent. Even if he didn't consider himself such, Andy Kaufman is certainly worth praising in any discussion of this topic. Plenty of solid, funny stand-up material from the likes of Jim Gaffigan, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Norm MacDonald, Eddie Izzard, early David Cross, and so forth. Gilda Radner put out one pretty decent stand-up album before passing away. Never really connected with Mitch Hedburg, although I don't find him hateful or anything.

I have fond memories of growing up listening to Rodney Dangerfield cassettes.

[BostonBeaneater]

I hate these lists for a variety of reasons, all of which are pompous and properly pissy. Carlin is a modern profit with great insights to the silliness of humanity both goofy and evil. Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy deserve big props. Rodney Dangerfield, Sam Kinison, Louis CK, and Dave Chapelle all make me laugh quite a bit. Hell, I love Benny Hill more than anyone.

[BostonBeaneater]

No one fell over a chair better than John Ritter.

[BostonBeaneater]

Jesus, Groucho, Chicko, and Harpo.

[Chuck Mangione]

Jesus was pretty funny in his prime.

[Marky Dread]

Jesus was pretty funny in his prime.

Yeah but he hung around for too long.

[Marky Dread]

Derek and Clive
Bill Hicks
Richard Pryor
George Carlin
George Bush
John Belushi

[Wolter]

Jesus was pretty funny in his prime.

Yeah but he hung around for too long.

[Purple Hayes]

Bill Hicks and early Billy Connelly are the only stand-ups who have actually had me in tears, when I first saw Hick's "Revelations" it totally blew me away, a real shock and awe moment...

Like Heston I vividly remember when "An audience with Billy Connelly" was first broadcast, my then Wife and I couldn't get a sitter for our 1st born on New Years Eve 1985/86 and we had grumpily settled for an evening in front of the TV watching the usual dross that passed for seasonal entertainment back then, to say we weren't exactly a receptive audience would be a massive understatement. Halfway through his routine I had to leave the room because I was in so much pain, aching sides, tears and snot shooting out..

Of todays generation I like Doug Stanhope, Eddy Izzard and Louis Ck, I saw Stephen Merchant do an early stand-up at Shepherds Bush Hall a couple of years back and I think he's even funnier than Gervais who can be a bit hit and miss with me......His 1st line was something about not usually doing any stand-up but he was fed up with that fat bastard taking half the money for everything he did, he also had a couple of Golden Globes and Brit awards in a carrier bag which he used as props to great effect..

[Purple Hayes]

This guy has a very funny, grim and sarcastic humor to him that I like. Maybe a better choice for a British stand-up comedian than Gervais. Plus I love the whole Never Mind the Buzzcocks series. Usually has top notch comedians. Great stuff.
[youtube][/youtube]
Clash mention towards the end.
[youtube][/youtube]

If you like Jack Dee, check out his series "Lead Balloon" which has it's moments but has too much of a "Curb your Enthusiasm" rip-off feel to it for my liking..

[Marky Dread]

Jesus was pretty funny in his prime.

Yeah but he hung around for too long.

Still loving them shoes.

[JennyB]

No one fell over a chair better than John Ritter.

I was actually really sad when he died.

[101Walterton]

Bill Hicks and early Billy Connelly are the only stand-ups who have actually had me in tears, when I first saw Hick's "Revelations" it totally blew me away, a real shock and awe moment...

Like Heston I vividly remember when "An audience with Billy Connelly" was first broadcast, my then Wife and I couldn't get a sitter for our 1st born on New Years Eve 1985/86 and we had grumpily settled for an evening in front of the TV watching the usual dross that passed for seasonal entertainment back then, to say we weren't exactly a receptive audience would be a massive understatement. Halfway through his routine I had to leave the room because I was in so much pain, aching sides, tears and snot shooting out..

Of todays generation I like Doug Stanhope, Eddy Izzard and Louis Ck, I saw Stephen Merchant do an early stand-up at Shepherds Bush Hall a couple of years back and I think he's even funnier than Gervais who can be a bit hit and miss with me......His 1st line was something about not usually doing any stand-up but he was fed up with that fat bastard taking half the money for everything he did, he also had a couple of Golden Globes and Brit awards in a carrier bag which he used as props to great effect..

Eddie Izzard agreed.
I saw Billy Connolly in Auckland a couple of years ago. He was very very funny however I probably had the bonus of not having seen him at all on TV in 15 years so hadn't heard any of the jokes before. Also saw Ben Elton a while back who was good but he is very hit and miss, his writing is better than his stand up.