Funniest American Comedians of the last 50 years - nominations please!

[Wat_Tyler]

I start the bidding with Bill Hicks.

[baldguy]

1. Richard Pryor

[Wat_Tyler]

3. Good call.

A comic genius.

[Joe Power]

65. Has no equal...well, maybe...

Lenny Bruce

[candy]

2. John Belushi n/t

[Wat_Tyler]

5. Another good one.

[theboss]

55. I don't consider Belushi a comedian

He was a comedic actor, but I don't think he ever told a joke.

[theboss]

56. 1. Rodney Dangerfield

2. Richard Pryor
3. Robin Williams in his prime
4. Sam Kinison
5. Bill Cosby
6. George Carlin
7. Chris Rock

[jpgray]

4. Lenny Bruce

The commitment and craft that went into the bits during his peak was just incredible. "The Palladium"--what an awesome bit. Later of course he went overboard into legal analysis and went batty, but for a little while there I don't think anyone could touch him.

[Wat_Tyler]

8. Yeah - I think a lot of comedians owe him a great debt.

That generation, from '55 or so to the end of the '60s. Bit of a golden era, there.

[jpgray]

11. You can include Woody Allen in there too

Even though he vomited before just about every standup performance he did, his bits were great. His earlier films also had standup-like setups and punchlines.

[Wat_Tyler]

13. Yeah - his live album is fantastic.

He really is a true great.

[Ferrets Bueller]

18. Woody Allen for me, too!

Sleeper and Bannanas are two of my favorite comedies.

[Wat_Tyler]

21. Welcome to DU, Ferrets Bueller!

A man with good taste and some time on his hands. Until Jeffrey Jones shows up.

[Ferrets Bueller]

45. Thanks!

And I'll watch out for the "bad touch"

[Wat_Tyler]

47. Yeah.

Well, we are in the same thread as Woody Allen, after all.

[Bat Boy]

40. Welcome to DU!

Like the nom-de-plume!

[Wat_Tyler]

41. More like a nom-de-guerre....

given the state of the Lounge today.

[Bat Boy]

42. I prefer my own nom-de-guano.

[Ferrets Bueller]

46. Thanks!

I'm a Bat Boy fan too. :)

[Bat Boy]

51. I'm not a Bat Boy fan.

I am Bat Boy!

Don't screw with the illusion. It's really fragile.

[Bat Boy]

26. The Holy Trinity tie for first.

Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Richard Pryor.

Then there are the hundreds that tie for second.

[Joe Power]

66. I agree

Anyone who saw Chris Rock's latest HBO special knows that he is rapidly approaching that group, though.

[peekaloo]

6. Lily Tomlin

[THUNDER HANDS]

7. Don Rickles

[Sporadicus]

9. George Carlin

Trump and trick.

[tyedyeto]

61. Love this raunchy fella's act... n/t

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

10. I STILL miss Rodney. An original, and one funny S.O.B.

:toast:

[Bat Boy]

29. I met him once...

He was a sweet guy. Had all the time in the world for a young comic who barged into his green room after a show.

[LTR]

12. Robert Schimmel

Arguably the funniest guy around today.

And, of course, there are some of the legends:

Richard Pryor
Eddie Murphy
Sam Kinison
George Carlin (despised by many, but a highly intelligent guy)

[tridim]

14. Out of left field.. Joel Hodgeson

Robin Williams is another.

[Pooka Fey]

15. I nominate Phil Hartmann, Mel Brooks, and Woody Allen. n/t

[CO Liberal]

16. Steve Martin

A wild and crazy guy...

[democracyindanger]

17. David Cross nt

[Fiona]

19. Can't pick one...

George Carlin
Woody Allen
Paula Poundstone
Stank Madison
Alan King

[Wat_Tyler]

22. Good list. Clearly Allen and Carlin go in the poll.

[punpirate]

20. Anyone who explains...

... why he quit drinking and doing drugs by saying, "I got tired of waking up on the hood of my car, naked, with my car keys up my ass," has to be a contender: Robin Williams. :P

[Bok_Tukalo]

31. Steven Wright

"It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to have to paint it."

[punpirate]

49. Yup, another good `un...

"All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand." :P

[tuvor]

23. Emo Phillips

I caught my girlfriend in bed with another man. I was crushed.

I said, "Get off me, you two."

---

I was up before the judge the other day. He shakes his head at me and says, "Emo, Emo, Emo."

I said, "I'm the one in the middle, you drunken slob!"

---

[punpirate]

50. Oh, yeah...

"I invited a girl back to my apartment, and she asked if I had cable. I said, 'no, I think the ropes will do just fine.'"

[City Lights]

24. I like Lucille Ball or Robin Williams. eom

[Ron Green]

25. Jonathan Winters, Mort Sahl, Soupy Sales

[Osamasux]

27. Billy Crystal

As quick on his feet as anyone. Great range. Equally funny with prepared material or just off the cuff improv. Creative musical numbers, wonderful facial expressions, memorable characters, good impressions and the best Muhammad Ali ever.

Plus he's a guy who gets involved.

[tuvor]

28. I forgot another good one: Billy Connolly

If you ever feel you need to pee your pants, get one of his DVDs.

[Wat_Tyler]

39. Well, not an American citizen, of course.

Still, he did live there for a few years, so we can shoehorn him in.

[tuvor]

48. Sorry. Didn't notice the "American" part. n/t

[KittyWampus]

30. Robin Williams Nominated... Gilda Radner...

[Joe Power]

68. GILDA!

A rooster says good morning,
With a Cock-a-doodle-doo,
Good morning!

A horses neigh,
is just his way,
Of saying how are you?

A lion growls, hello
And owls ask, why?
and where? and who?

May I suggest,
you get undressed,
and show them your wazoo,

Oh, the animals!
The animals...
Lets talk dirty to the animals!
But you, Mr. Bunny,
...., Mr. Bear
If they dont love it,
They can shove it,
Frankly, I dont care....

Oh, the animals!
The animals...
Lets talk dirty to the animals...
Up yours, Mr. Hippo,
Piss off Mr. Fox...
Go tell a chicken,
Suck my dicken...
Give it chicken pox..

Oh, the animals!
The animals...
Lets talk dirty to the animals...
From birds in the tree tops..
to snakes in the grass!

But! Never tell an Alligator..
Bite...my...No!
Never tell an Alligator...
Bite...my...Yes!
Never tell an Alligator...
Bite..my...Snatch!

[KittyWampus]

32. Flip Wilson Made Me Laugh As Did Bill Cosby

[BlueFlu]

33. A favorite is Steven Wright... but I second the nomination for

Jonathon Winters... Even Robin Williams would say to pass on him to vote for Jonathon!

[peekaloo]

34. Rupert Pupkin

}(

[DELUSIONAL]

35. Whoopie Goldberg

[pnorman]

36. Jonathon Winters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Winters

I saw a Sixty Minutes interview of him a while back. He was going one on one with another (and much younger) comic, who appeared to hold him in the highet respect. The other guy was good, but Winters was SUPERB. I don't recall the details, but he really cracked me up. This was all in "real time" and, as far as could be determined, unscripted and unrehearsed.

pnorman

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

37. Chris Rock n/t

[Flying Dream Blues]

38. Richard Pryor, Robin Williams tie for first...n/t

[short bus president]

43. Kinnison.

'Cuz anger is fuckin' hilarious.

[yellowdogintexas]

44. Johnathon Winters, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, GildaRadner

Mel Brooks

[bobbobbins]

52. Andy Kaufman, without a doubt!

although he was more of a song and dance man.

[Gemini Cat]

53. Lewis Black.

Plus:
Richard Pryor
Mel Brooks
George Carlin
Mike Nelson/Joel Hodgeson
Kevin Murphy

[IcyPeas]

54. comedy is not funny

I swear I do have a sense of humor - but most comedy doesn't make me laugh. I don't like most of the above mentioned people. I don't watch sitcoms on the tv either - rarely find them funny. What's the matter with me?

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

57. Woody Allen

[terrya]

58. Mel Brooks.

Gotta be included. From his classic "2000 Year Old Man" routine with Carl Reiner to some of the funniest films ever made, Mel is a freaking genius of comedy.

[jmowreader]

59. Kinison, Carlin, Lenny Bruce...the obvious ones

One who's not obvious is Bobcat Goldthwait--yes, the loud guy in the Police Academy movies. His standup is exceptional...like the routine about why he changed from drinking beer to drinking two or three six-packs of Tab a day: "I've never drank a case of Tab then told a cop to blow me. Budweiser has a different effect."

[Catchawave]

60. Denis Leary

[mac56]

62. Bob Newhart

nm

[mcscajun]

63. Well...we are talking the last 50 years...

...so let's open up the field a bit for legendary comedians:


Don Ameche -- get a recording or two of "The Bickersons" with Frances Langford and you'll laugh yourself silly!

Shelley Berman -- "The Morning After...the Night...Before." Classic hangover routine. (recording: Inside Shelley Berman)

George Burns -- funniest 'straight man' ever.

Ernie Kovacs -- innovative, courageous, and he gave us The Nairobi Trio. :)

Groucho Marx -- need I explain? I didn't think so.

Stan Freberg -- Pioneer of satirical comedy in all media.

Tom Lehrer -- Piano, mathematics and humor never blended better.

Victor Buono -- his must-listen comedy album "Heavy" is priceless.

Sid Caesar -- The Giant of Golden-Age Television

(if there's anybody you don't know here...check out Laugh.com)

favorites more current:
Bill Cosby
George Carlin
Richard Pryor
Richard Jeni (he's just a Platypus Man)
Sam Kinison
Denis Leary
Robin Williams
Billy Connolly (yeah, yeah, he's Scottish...I know and I don't care! he's FUNNY!)

[kick-ass-bob]

64. Chris Rock.

Has anyone else said him yet? A quick scan and I didn't see him.

[Bluebear]

67. Phyllis Diller

[Phillycat]

69. Still, and always...Chris Rock.

I'd rather pick a battle-scarred veteran like George Carlin, but the fact is, no one has ever made me laugh the way Chris Rock does.