Comedy Central's top 20 stand-up comedians of all time.

[Raenelle]

20. Sam Kinison
19. Bill Hicks
18. Jonathan Winters
17. Don Rickles (he wouldn't have made my list)
16. Ellen DeGeneres
15. David Letterman
14. Bob Newhart
13. Robin Williams
12. Jerry Seinfeld
11. Johnny Carson
10. Eddie Murphy
9. Roseanne
8. Bill Cosby
7. Rodney Dangerfield (another who wouldn't have been in my top 20)
6. Steve Martin
5. Chris Rock
4. Woody Allen

And I was able to predict the top 3 in order, even before I watched any of the shows on their top 100.

3. Lenny Bruce
2. George Carlin
1. Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor is to stand-up what Marilyn Monroe was to feminine sexuality--endlessly imitated, but no one ever captures the perfection, the Form (as Plato would have had it) that they embody. I love Steve Martin, Chris Rock, Bill Hicks, George Carlin, but there's only one Richard Pryor--the Greatest.

[sasquatch]

1. Bill Hicks is #19?!?

This is nothing short of a fucking outrage. He is at least #5

[Raenelle]

2. Even more outrageous--I didn't mention it--denial or something

but their #21 was fucking Dennis Miller.

[Catholic Sensation]

3. where is chapelle

and stewart?

[NightTrain]

4. Richard Pryor! Woo-hoo!

A few years ago, I bought Rhino's boxed set of Richard Pryor's groundbreaking Warner Brothers albums. No matter how many times I play them, I still laugh my ass off with each spin.

[SEAburb]

5. What! No Redd Foxx!!

I'd put Redd ahead of almost all of stand ups on this top twenty list. Who could pick Seinfeld over Foxx?

[AngryAmish]

12. God rest his smutty soul

Sorry Krusty.

[rucky]

6. Buddy Hackett, anyone?

how about Shelley Berman?

[Nailzberg]

7. I am also outraged that Hicks was 19.

But I can see why they did it. He really wasn't appreciated in his time, and his making the list was a tip of the hat by the people that know he deserved more recognition.


He is in my top five.

[DS1]

11. Add my name to the list of Hicks at 19 contention

lower than Rodney-fucking-Dangerfield?

For shame Comedy Central, for shame!

[mitchum]

15. He does belong lower than Dangerfield

I know that it is seen as heresy on this board, but Hicks' technical chops weren't that great yet. A great deal of the material was VERY good, but his delivery was often rambling and halting. Unfortunately, Hicks didn't live long enough to remedy this, but chances are that he would have done so. Bill Hicks, RIP.

[Zinfandel]

8. Your list covers it for me... but old timers might add

Mort Saul...I'm a bit too young for him, but I know he was hot on that NY--SF circuit in the 50's, like Bruce, Cosby, Newhart, etc...

[MAlibdem]

10. He was #39 or so if I remember

I watched some yesterday

[mitchum]

14. Mort Sahl belongs in the Top 5...

even though he was technically a "sit down" comic.
Sahl was also before my time, but I have been able to find a lot of his routines. He was truly revolutionary and was the first to make a break from the older jokeman schtick.

[MAlibdem]

9. Ok, Louis Black needs to be in there somewhere

He may have been elsewhere in the Top 100, but anything over 35 is a travesty.

[Nailzberg]

16. Lewis just shot a sitcom pilot.

I just love his social and political commentaries. One of my favorite comics.

[mr_hat]

13. Tommy Cooper.