BS: Your favourite comedian

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: kendall
Date: 12 Jan 11 - 10:16 AM

Red Skelton never used a 4 letter word. He made it on talent alone.
Jack Benny was the master of timing.
Take away his cue cards and Bob Hope couldn't say his name.
Ernie Kovaks. Who could forget the "Nairobi Trio"?



Lilly Tomlin
Carol Burnett
Minnie Pearl

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 12 Jan 11 - 08:12 AM

May be it's the writers rather than the comedians causing the problem. Stand up comedy is a little bit different there are good ones that are making me laugh but there are so many of them especially doing the observation type comedy, too many to know who is who. It seems that everytime I look up there is a new face on my screen being as equally funny as the last but without the personality to stay in my memory. These days if one stands out at all I find myself calling the comedian whatshisname or whatshername.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 10:44 PM

George Carlin must of had a TIme Machine. He predicted so many scenarios that happened later.
He even played a guy who had a time machine in a Bill & Ted movie.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: topical tom
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 06:54 PM

For my favorite comedian I would have to choose the stand-up comedy of Bob Newhart. I also laugh heartily at Robin Williams. These are my two choices.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: pdq
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 12:31 PM

"Was there really a Golden Age of comedy that is now past and gone? Is there nothing worth watching any more except old reruns? Is there nothing funny about the world we live in now? Have we run out of funny things to say about it?"

ANS: yes, yes, no, yes

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 11:36 AM

I find it odd and kind of disturbing that most of the people mentioned in this thread are dead. Some have been dead a long time. And of those that are living, many are retired and don't perform much any more.

What does this mean? Was there really a Golden Age of comedy that is now past and gone? Is there nothing worth watching any more except old reruns? Is there nothing funny about the world we live in now? Have we run out of funny things to say about it?

I think we are cheating ourselves if we don't pay any attention to the younger comedians who are still performing.

The main reason I find this thread disappointing is that, by concentrating on the old-timers, it has told me very little that I don't already know.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 07:53 AM

The fork handle sketch is a classic. The Two Ronnies show was more of a must in my household than Morecambe and Wise especially at Christmas and it's good to see Ronnie Corbett still carrying on in his career too.

It is a shame that we have to go to past comedys to get a laugh, I find it difficult to find much to make me laugh these days. In UK so many comedy programmes now seem to end up getting axed not long after being launched. My Family with Robert Lyndsay is a strange one, sometimes it can be really quite funny another time the acting can be so wooden and hammy, it is never consistantly funny but I suppose it is just funny enough to keep it going compared to some others.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: theleveller
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 04:30 AM

This is probably the funniest Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett sketch ever!

fork handles

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 04:28 AM

The Odd Couple was a favourite of mine too also Taxi and Cheers both very funny, really good comedy. All the characters that were in those shows were brilliant.

Lily Tomlin (not to sure of the spelling) when she used to portray herself as a typical little 5 year old girl sat on a gigantic chair.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: theleveller
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 04:16 AM

"But to me, the language of 'your' guy is third grade stuff and does not - to me - it ucking funny make. "

Well, Ebbie, I think it does emphasise the difference between what is considered humour in the UK and the USA - nothing to do with men and women. You obviously don't understand the concept of Spoonerisms which have been an important part of UK comedy since the man himself told one of his students that he had "tasted an entire worm and must leave Oxford by the town drain." Rindercella very much carried forward the great pantomime tradition.

Ronnie Barker was a comic genius - not just in his writing but in the faultless delivery, timing and characterisations, which is why he had so many series on UK TV for so many decades. Sadly missed!

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Allen in Oz
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 03:00 AM

Phil Sinvers ?


Sorry

Phil Silvers !


Must be getting old
AD

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Allen in Oz
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 02:59 AM

Tommy Cooper
Spike Milligan

Phil Sinvers
Groucho Marx

AD

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 12:17 AM

Has anyone mentioned Laurel & Hardy yet? Or Buster Keaton [who I must admit has never made me laugh yet, but had a great following in his time]?

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 10 Jan 11 - 05:24 AM

and John Candy.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 10 Jan 11 - 04:24 AM

Mae West did some great funny quips like 'when I was good I was very very good but when I was bad, I was better' and 'It's not the men in my life, it's the life in my men' for the time quite risky.

Most of the mentioned comedians I've liked. Early Jasper Carrot was very funny and Billy Connolly. Lee Evans can also be very funny except that just recently he is tending to pepper his act with too many f words in his act he has never had to that before so why he is doing that now, who knows? His observation comedy is funny anyway but there you go he obviously thinks he needs it in his act.

When I was small watching Victor Borge on the London Palladium was a treat as was Jack Benny (just about remember) I've always liked that droll sense of humour. Jack Dee is another one of those and he's not too bad in situation comedy either. Dawn French, Victoria Wood (sometimes), Alison Steadman for her comedy character roles such as Abigail's party and the whole cast of the Royale Family, Caroline Aherne's writing is very underrated.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 09 Jan 11 - 04:18 PM

Marshall Dodge
Lionel Jeffries
George Carlin
Jonathan Winters

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 09 Jan 11 - 04:00 PM

Yeh gnu, that clip was all that I could find on YouTube. I loved the TV shows and I have seen Beattie perform Wingfield live on stage several times. I am truly amazed at how he can change characters so quickly by facial expression and voice. How he can carry on a four way conversation without getting mixed up is beyond belief. To my mind he is the best that I've ever seen!
If you have a TV connection that provides the Book Channel you can still get his show on Tuesdays.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: gnu
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 02:46 PM

Thanks... right back atchya.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ed T
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 02:36 PM

Just, that I enjoy the hurmour of your posts, when you are in thet kind of a posing mood.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: gnu
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 02:32 PM

Ed T... not sure what you mean, but if I twist it my way, thank you but there are far better.

Sandy... that Wingfield clip only gives a slight taste of the finely crafted and intricate tales woven so beautifully on Wingfield. I don't buy the DVD series compilations of TV shows but if I ever see such for Wingfield I will pay top dollar. Better than Red Green (yes, I said it).

Kendall... Tim Conway... amazing comedic actor... The Carol Burnett Show was NEVER missed in our house and I would guess in any house in NA. Amazing troupe.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 02:14 PM

My personal favourite was probably Derek Brimstone. Derek's song introductions were the inspiration of all that 1970's wave of folk comedians. Jasper Carrot, Mike Harding, Malc Stent, Billy Conolly - all of them mentioned Derek as the originator of the folk club style of comedy.

He's retired now, and the folk scene is more po-faced than is good for it.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ed T
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 01:31 PM

I nominate gnu, for a candidate, for putting forth best Mudcat humour.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: kendall
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 01:00 PM

Tim Conway and Foster Brooks.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 08 Jan 11 - 11:44 AM

Rod Beattie as Walt Wingfield.

Wingfield

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ed T
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 11:34 PM

Anyone remember Wayne and Shuster, from the Ed Sullivan days?
I believe Johnny Wayne died back in the early 90s.

Rinse the Blood Off My Toga

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: framus
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 10:20 PM

Thanks alanabit - great funny man, great musician - and so august.
I assume he is at his uncle's birthday party now.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 10:10 PM

Now, Rita Rudner. Some quotes are here.http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/rita_rudner.html

Previously, Sam Levenson. Some quotes are here. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/sam_levenson.html

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 01:17 PM

You are right, pdq; I did mean The Ritz Bros.

Sorry.

~M~ (old & confused!)

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: pdq
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 01:12 PM

... And how about the Marx Bros, the Mills Bros, the Three Stooges?

The Mills Brothers are comedy?

You perhaps meant the Ritz Brothers?

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 12:05 PM

well.... that watermelon bit got a bit old after awhile. When folks show up early so they can sit in the front row wearing raincoats, it loses a bit.
But I do like Red Green, even though it's almost impossible to find him any more in this area. They brought him back...at midnight Sat... then he disappeared again. They have some of the same 'themes', but endless variations on them.



(No...never saw Minchin)

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: olddude
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 11:15 AM

who was the guy that smashed watermelons with a big club ...
I thought he was a riot...

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 09:07 AM

At least two of us have mentioned him.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,I don't know
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 08:00 AM

Morecome & Wise, Jasper Carrott, Joe Brand, Eddie Izzard & Rick Myall

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: alanabit
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 07:43 AM

I am a belated admirer of Victor Borge. A lot of what made him so funny was that he understood the conventions of classical music so very well. And what a fabulous musician he was.
In fact, the tradition of comedians having other skills is long established. WC Fields was by all accounts a terrific juggler and we all know about Steve Martin's musicianship. Charlie Chaplin first entered America as a member of Fred Karno's clog dancers.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: scouse
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 07:29 AM

I can't believe that no one's mentioned Billy Connolly... One of the best alive today.
As Aye,
Phil.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: framus
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 11:04 PM

Bill D - have you heard an aussie called Minchin - same technique, but not so classical. Very funny, but not Borge.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Janie
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 10:16 PM

Glad you caught that Ebbie. Bill Cosby. (OK, you can laugh.)

Definitely Jackie Gleason and Red Skelton.

When I was young and very, very insecure, I found slapstick painful and embarrassing to watch. I suffered agonies for Lucille Ball.

Because I have been so out of the loop of popular culture for so many years, there is much about comedy that deals with popular culture today that I often simply do not get - something my ex and I still have in common.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 07:21 PM

I love the comedy of Red Green, there I said it

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Wesley S
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 07:09 PM

Let's clarify. Are we talking about comedians { as in stand-up comics } or comic actors ? Those are two different things.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 06:44 PM

Oh! Victor Borge,....indeed... He was one of a kind, and so creative. (He did repeat 'routines'...but he began a stage performer who had a different audience each night. I still laugh when he falls off the bench and pulls a seat belt out of it.)

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: framus
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 06:33 PM

Nobody's mentioner Victor Borge, or for us Brits, Humphrey Littleton when he wasn't playing jazz.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Becca72
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 04:39 PM

Wesley,
I LOVE Eddie Izzard - I simply forgot to include him on the short list. :-) Billy Connelly should be there as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 04:31 PM

& let us please hear it for Joe E Brown...

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 03:34 PM

Walter Matthau- yep, a great one.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 03:23 PM

"...Bob Hope, Danny Kaye, Jack Benny.... Red Skelton,....]. That was surely a vintage generation over there. And how about the Marx Bros, the Mills Bros, the Three Stooges?

I loved them as a kid, but Hope & Benny were too formulaic after I got older....though no one could deliver lines like Hope & Benny! Red Skelton was truly creative and often improvised on 'live' TV. The Marx bros. and Three Stooges had flashes of brilliance, but much of their material depended on the times. They are 'classics', worth studying and appreciating, but not what I'd choose for daily fare.\
(I will say, there was not much funnier than watching Harpo 'hand someone his leg' as a comedic non-sequitur.)

There are many 'forms' of comedy... from stand-up to simple joke telling to script-writing/directing, and I like some prime examples in various genrés. \

I DO wish Robin Williams & Jonathan Winters could "turn it off" occasionally, though they are brilliant most of the time. (One of the funniest routines I ever saw was Winters & Cliff Arquette improvising on the Jack Paar show about 'sail cats'...moggies which never made it across the road, and how useful they were when dry.)

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 02:53 PM

Walter Matthau - all he had to do is walk into a movie (usually by
          Neil Simon) with that hangdog face and he cracked me up:
   Some samples from the original Odd Couple:

Card player: What kinda sandwiches you got?

Oscar (Walter) : Brown or green

CP: What's in the green?

Oscar :Either very new cheese or very old meat.

(CP : I'll take the brown)


OR


Felix : laughing at Oscar for his ignorance in culinary matters: that's not spaghetti, that's linguini

Oscar : throwing it against the wall: "Now it's garbage"

AND
the look on his face as Felix starts clearing his sinuses in the diner- SPLITS MY SIDES LAUGHING

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: gnu
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 02:45 PM

Well... if we are talking about comedic actors/story tellers again, I identify with Walt on accounta I knew "these guys" in yesterday.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Wesley S
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 02:44 PM

What? No one for Eddie Izzard yet?

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 02:10 PM

Haven't watched comedy since the days of Gleason, Carney, Burns, (and even "I Love Lucy"), except reruns of old shows.
My favorite remains "The Honeymooners" on the Gleason show.

The only exceptions being some of the British situation comedies such as "Are You Being Served?" and "As Time Goes By".

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 01:52 PM

theleveller, I much prefer the story of Rindercella as I learnt it- your version to me defines the difference between women and men or perhaps the contrast between the humo(u)r across the ocean and the humor of the US. I dunno. But to me, the language of 'your' guy is third grade stuff and does not - to me - it ucking funny make.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: alanabit
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 01:33 PM

Yes, Ronnie Barker was great! No one has mentioned Charlie Chaplin. I believe his influence on comedy will be around for generations to come. The greatest comedian I have ever seen - or will - is virtually unknown outside the busking scene, although he will never be forgotten by anyone lucky enough to have seen him working. Phil Free's influence is at work on other performers, who have never heard of him. I have never seen anyone who was so naturally funny and totally without malice.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: theleveller
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 11:50 AM

oops missed off 'swanny'

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: theleveller
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 11:49 AM

Ronnie Barker. Who else could broadcast this on prime time television and not get a single complaint?

This is the story of Rindercella and her sugly isters.   

   Rindercella and her sugly isters lived in a marge lansion. Rindercella worked very hard frubbing sloors, emptying poss pits, and shivelling shot.   

   At the end of the day, she was knucking fackered.   

   The sugly isters were right bugly astards. One was called Mary Hinge,    and the other was called Betty Swallocks; they were really forrible huckers;they had fetty sweet and fetty swannies. The sugly isters had tickets to go to the ball, but the cotton runts would not let Rindercella go.   

   Suddenly there was a bucking fang, and her gairy fodmother appeared. Her name was Shairy Hithole and she was a light rucking fesbian. She turned a pumpkin and six mite wice into a hucking cuge farriage with six dandy ronkeys who had buge hollocks and dig bicks.   

   The gairy fodmother told Rindercella to be back by dimnlight otherwise, there would be a cucking falamity.   

   At the ball, Rindercella was dancing with the prandsome hince when suddenly the clock struck twelve. "Mist all chucking frighty!!!" said Rindercella, and she ran out tripping barse over ollocks, so dropping her slass glipper.   

   The very next day the prandsome hince knocked on Rindercella's door and the sugly isters let him in. Suddenly, Betty Swallocks lifted her leg and let off a fig bart. "Who's ust jarted??" asked the prandsome hince.

   "Blame that fugly ucker over there!!" said Mary Hinge. When the stinking brown cloud had lifted, he tried the slass glipper on both the sugly isters without success and their feet stucking funk.   

   Betty Swallocks was ducking fisgusted and gave the prandsome hince a knack in the kickers. This was not difficult as he had bucking fuge halls and a hig bard on.   

   He tried the slass glipper on Rindercella and it fitted pucking ferfectly.   

   Rindercella and the prandsome hince were married. The pransome hince lived his life in lucking fuxury, and Rindercella lived hers with a follen

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 11:30 AM

Marx brothers, Oh yea ... never cared for Bob Hope, how about Jerry Lewis ... laughed my face off as a kid. Today, naw

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,hilo
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 11:03 AM

Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Billy Connolly, John Cleese, Ronnie Corbett, Jo Brand (sometimes)

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 09:13 AM

Groucho's my all-time favorite, with W.C. Fields a near second. George Carlin was brilliant and no one can match the frenetic stream-of-consciousness of Robin Williams. Of modern day standups, I loved Mitch Hedberg and Dmitri Martin is very funny but lately most of my faves are from the other side of the pond: Billy Connelly, Russell Brand, Ed Byrne, Dylan Moran, Jimmy Carr, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 08:50 AM

... and then we had Arthur Askey, Richard Murdoch, Eric Barker, Cyril Fletcher...

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Becca72
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 08:48 AM

George Carlin will forever be my favorite but I also love Bob Marley (local guy), Denis Leary, Gary Gulman and John Heffron (both Last Comic Standing contestants), Steve Martin, Jon Stewart, and the list goes on and on. As a teen and early 20's I watched a LOT of Comedy Central.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 08:46 AM

Interested that nobody has mentioned Bob Hope, Danny Kaye, Jack Benny [tho one mention of Red Skelton, only it called him Skeleton!]. That was surely a vintage generation over there. And how about the Marx Bros, the Mills Bros, the Three Stooges? & all those are Stateside. Over here I grew up with Tommy Handley, Vic Oliver [who did a regular Hi-Gang show with visiting Americans Bebe Daniels & Ben Lyon], Ted Ray, Tommy Trinder, Ronald Frankau, Billy Bennett ~~ just about the tail-end of the old Music Hall tradition. My father had seen such as Marie Lloyd, Dan Leno, Albert Chevalier, Gus Elen... But they, alas, all before my time; tho an aged Nellie Wallace was still going in my childhood in the 30s-40s. And I recall seeing the great Suzette Tarri, as part of audience for a radio show, The Happidrome, in 1943, which had its own resident team of comics, led by Harry Korris.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 08:37 AM

I am with Bill, but I never cared for George Carlin at all. The other for sure ... Spaw is on my list

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Bobert
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 08:09 AM

I'm with Patsy... Richard Pryor...

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Steamin' Willie
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 05:40 AM

Richard Bridge.


(Happy New Year Joe...)

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 05:36 AM

Richard Prior at the Apollo was hilariously funny but because of the content was forbidden by my mother to watch him but recently it has been re-shown and it is still funnier than ever.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 04:55 AM

No one makes me laugh like my own family. My kids usually.

But when my Mom, her twin, my cousin Peggy get around the kitchen table I always take a precautionary trip to the bathroom before I join them.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 02:48 AM

"...and-don't laugh....Bill Crosby." Janie

Now, was that Bing? *bg*

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 12:46 AM

You're all reminding me of others I liked as well. The question with some of them becomes "are they only a comedian," and if they act all of the time in funny movies, is that the same as being a comedian? Offstage, not in the cinema, are some of these people also funny? I haven't seen interviews with all of them, so I'm just asking.

I've seen Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters in interviews - they can't turn it off. But what about Peter Sellers? I don't remember if I ever saw interviews, if he was the same when he wasn't performing in a film?

One of the guys I remember hearing years ago on talk shows interviews who was incredibly funny was Douglas Adams, but he was a funny writer, not a comedian, in the strictest sense. (Hitchhiker's Guide)

Of course I wouldn't say people can be only one thing, but we get our humor from any different sources, so parsing it out some is interesting.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Janie
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 12:08 AM

I've been more than a bit of a radio and TV media hermit for the past 25-30 years. If it ain't on NPR I ain't heard it.

Other than Jon Stewart, Steven Colbert and Tina Fey, who are all so well known that they can't be missed, I don't know who is doing good and pertinent comedy these days.

From the old days -
Robin Williams (he did at least one fabulous HBO stand-up special)
George Carlin
Steve Martin
Eddie Murphy
Lennie Bruce
Gilda Radner (and just about the whole crew of the first years of Saturday Night Live)
and-don't laugh....Bill Crosby.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 11:56 PM

I am watching for news of my cousin, the only one who is my age. She's just started doing stand-up and I admire her greatly for doing so at the age of 57! If you get a chance in the Salt Lake area, check out Cindy Sisson. She was a riot on the phone, today.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Beer
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 11:28 PM

Ebbie,
I couldn't watch the P....K because he stole my fathers line..

Years ago (I did write the following in some thread.)I was riding in my Dad's Model T when it veered to the left and went in the ditch. I said to Dad ( I was about 3or4)"What happened?" and his reply was "The Devil Made Me Do It".
So when I heard for the second time someone by the name of Flip Wilson making money on my father's invention I was very pissed.
True, but not seriously angry. Just a true story of the past.
Ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ebbie
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 11:06 PM

For a long time Flip Wilson was my favorite. Not necessarily his slapstick broad comedy but the stiletto stuff he used to slip in.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Beer
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 10:18 PM

Red Skeleton
Peter Sellers
W.C. Fields
But many more as well.
ad.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Amergin
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 10:12 PM

Stephen Lynch...

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Little Hawk
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 10:02 PM

Peter Sellers, Bill Cosby, John Cleese.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 09:35 PM

Bob Saget in his HBO special "That Ain't Right". I liked the songs that
he did.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ed T
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 09:18 PM

Dan Quayle and George W Bush made me laugh.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 09:03 PM

I think Lewis Black is my favorite of those currently performing stand-up. He's highly opinionated about politics and I agree with just about everything he says. But of course, he's funny, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Amergin
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 09:02 PM

Steve Martin....Bill Cosby...and George Carlin.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: alanabit
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 08:34 PM

I liked Bill Hicks of the US comedians. I would probably have liked several more had I seen them. Of the UK comedians, my favourites were Spike Milligan and Peter Cook. The Goodies were also a unique and vibrant comedy team, who operated on a shoestring budget. They are often overlooked when people reminisce about comedy. The best comedy series I ever saw was David Nobbs, "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin", which featured the incomparable Leonard Rossiter.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: pdq
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 08:26 PM

Norm Crosby

Jackie Vernon (cleaner stuff)

Jonathan Winters

John Cleese (weird but brilliant)

Johnny Carson (yes, he was that good)

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 08:08 PM

I like some wit in with the comedy, and I don't know that I could name any pure plays. Dick Cavett isn't a comedian, but he is very funny. Same with people like Garrison Keillor and Calvin Trillin. Of the late night hosts who are considered comedians, I used to watch Jay Leno, but several years ago switched over to David Letterman and my favorite of the late guys is Craig Ferguson. He can do wit, he can do silly, and he can do lots in between.

Of the stand up folks who didn't host shows, I think George Carlin was my favorite. He, again, manages wit along with all the rest. I like Joan Rivers for the way she dishes it out, and I love the clever spontaneity of Paula Poundstone. As a kid I loved the Bill Cosby albums and specials, and when I hear them today, I still find them funny (but I heard them so often as a kid that there isn't an element of surprise now. I enjoy watching my kids listen to them!)

Of the British comedians, Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, and Dawn French are names that come to mind.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: akenaton
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 07:47 PM

I dont much care for "stand up comedy" though I realise it is a particularly difficult medium.....

I much prefer situation comedy if well written.

In Scotland we had several series of "Rab C Nesbitt" written by Ian Pattison, which were very successful...and very funny
"Steptoe and Son", "Till death us do part" and the famous "Monty Python" series.

My all time favourite is a little known series called "Early Doors" which has beautifully observed comedy characters and is based on a North of England Pub and its landlord and customers.

It can be viewed on Youtube....both series
here

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 07:40 PM

ummm.. Ernie Kovacs, Buddy Hackett, Emo Phillips, Cliff Arquette (Charlie Weaver), Steve Allen, Mel Brooks......and.... George Carlin!

as you see, I favor older ones...mostly 'different' ones who had something to say.

Subject: RE: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: Ed T
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 07:08 PM

Steve Martin, Bob Newhart, and Bill Maher (if he is considered such).

Subject: BS: Your favourite comedian
From: gnu
Date: 05 Jan 11 - 06:30 PM

I am a great fan of humour. I love to laugh. I love to make people laugh. I often cross that line and offend but I still give it a shot because it`s worth taking the chance to get even one laugh. It`s better than playing and singing on a good night.

My fav of all time, so far, is Derek Edwards.

His YT vids are good but the best stuff is not on YT. I assume it is the same for many performers of all genres. Still, the guy cracks me up. Maybe it`s just that I relate to him. In any case, I like em all, but Derek tickles my funny bone in a country boy way that resonates in my soul.