I was watching some of my favorite comedy specials, so I just figured I'd bring this question up. What's your favorite comedian? For me, my favorite comedian of all time is George Carlin. He's just a genius, everything he says was on point and he was certainly ahead of his time. I especially loved his comedy routines on Religion and America. Most of his views on those topics I agree with along with many others.
George Carlin is definitely one of my favorites as well but to get another name in here I need to say Gabriel Iglesias, I absolutely love the fact that he can do so many voices. He can really make you laugh and visualize the whole joke. An additional thing about him, he used his popularity to help other comedians by inviting them to his show and promoting them even when he is on stage.
Eddie Izzard, especially Dress to Kill. I also have a soft spot for Steve Martin's wild and crazy guy. Martin said that when everyone else was getting serious, he got silly.
Sacha Baron Cohen - BORAT is, without a doubt, the funniest feature film ever made. Here in the UK, his earliest creation, Ali G, used to do sit-down interviews with politicians and government officials. It was so ahead of it's time, nobody ever questioned whether he was real of not. Their reactions were almost always hilarious and Cohen's composure and ability to stay in character was unbelievable.
Stewart Lee as a stand up. Sean Lock on panel shows. Chris Morris or Steve Coogan in terms of sitcoms/ sketch shows or as comic actors.
Dave Allen. Peerless, if anyone likes George Carlin then take the time to see Dave Allen, his monologue about God creating the Garden of Eden is a masterpiece.
Also, I have to admit to liking Lee Mack, Bill Hicks, Ed Byrne, Dylan Moran, Dara O Brain and Frankie Boyle.
damn i find Ed Byrne hilarious! is commentary on Goths and Emos is pretty funny, and i would love to sit at the front of one of his shows dressed normally (see profile picture) to see if he would make a comment at all. (for the s***s and giggles as it can be said)
Rodney Dangerfield was an awesome comedian, in my opinion, especially when you consider that even young teenagers liked his humor despite the fact that Rodney was elderly. His No Respect gig was second to none.
Lucille Ball. I can hear you all groaning. That's ok. Her comedy was innocent and from a different era and maybe she's not very politically correct to today's mindset, but she was a profoundly funny woman to me. Her and Carol Burnett. Just legendary, the both of them.
Yes! This! Eddie Izzard, especially in Dressed To Kill, had me laughing harder than anyone since I first discovered Monty Python. I mean, falling-off-the-chair, rolling-on-the-floor laughing. The man is a genius. Every comedian out there seems to just talk about their girlfriends and their relationship problems, but Eddie talks about everything! Steve Martin was great, too. I had his albums back in the seventies - great stuff! I'm a bit mad at him, though, because he doesn't do standup any more. He just acts. He's a mediocre actor, but a brilliant standup! Why does a man abandon what he's great at in order to do something he's crap at? Grr.
I find Ricky Gervais really quite objectionable of late (probably through over-exposure and general smugness); but he did a couple of really well-constructed stand-up routines some years ago. I forget what they were called now.
I don't care for Ricky Gervais most of the time, but I think Karl Pilkington may be the funniest man alive. I've not mentioned him till now because I don't think it's an act.
He's from my area, my old geography teacher used to teach him. I went to see him in Newcastle and he happened to come out of the sound stage door when I was walking past and my friend and I started a conversation with him. We talked about Cramlington, where he's from, I used to work there, and he said if we wanted he would go to the pub with us for a few drinks. That ended up happening.
You think that's a claim to fame? I once bought a drink for Anthony Costa of Blue "fame". Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
I think this is almost deserving of a new thread. Interactions with the moderately famous. I was once pissed and shouted "Dan!" repeatedly at Stephen Mangan, when all he was known for was Dan in Alan Partridge. I think it was the twentieth time he had heard it that day.
