Top 100 stand up comics

[JungleCat03]

This was on TV last night.

Thought it was crazy that Billy Connelly was voted no 1. Democracy sucks!

He's definitely a funny guy but surely not the no 1 stand up of all time.

My list would have gone:


Bill Hicks

A bile spitting, chain smoking, fire-breathing legend. Grabbed america by the balls and refused to let go right up to his tragic early death.
Goat-boy surely the best stand up routine of all time?

Richard Prior
Sour faced, dry comic genius used the  dark elements of his upbringing to make the world laugh.

Jack Dee
Master of the dead-pan delivery. His sarcastic cynicism can be roughly translated as "ffs, neverends"
in poker talk.

Ross Noble/ Bill Bailey

Ross interacts in a unique way with his audience, performing much of his act on the fly. Super sharp, highly surreal and very funny.

Bill Bailey gets special mention for being the funniest comedian to integrate music successfully into his act. Some of his stuff is just downright brilliant and his troll-like, middle earth appearance belies his immense intelligence.

Ricky Gervais

Took to stand up comedy like a duck to water. Delivers his act flawlessly and can take any subject and make it funny. Great natural comedian.

Lots of quality perfomers missing off this list though

Who are your faves?

[Horneris]

This was on TV last night.

Thought it was crazy that Billy Connelly was voted no 1. Democracy sucks!

He's definitely a funny guy but surely not the no 1 stand up of all time.

My list would have gone:


Bill Hicks

A bile spitting, chain smoking, fire-breathing legend. Grabbed america by the balls and refused to let go right up to his tragic early death.
Goat-boy surely the best stand up routine of all time?

 

All the way.

Was hoping hed make your list + there he was right at the top.

2nd: Lee Evans for me.
His intro on the Scotland xl tour has me breaking out into tears everytime. And hes just so comedy.

[NoflopsHomer]

Doug Stanhope.

[Colchester Kev]

Chubby Brown

Jethro

Peter Kay

[TightEnd]

Jimmy Tarbuck

[Colchester Kev]

Jimmy Tarbuck

you mean Laz's mate ??

[happybhoy]

I'll add another for Bill Hicks, legend.

[The Camel]

I was really surprised how many really moderate comedians made the top of the list.. eg: Ross Noble, Jimmy Carr, Jim Davidson etc etc.

Dave Allen, a true genius, came in about 75th. Just shows democracy doesn't work!

[boldie]

Democracy never works. Blair running the country should have been a clue there.

and anyone who doesn't put Richard Pryor at the top of the list should not be allowed to vote

[ACE2M]

saw gervais last week and it was a bit disappointing.

All others i agree with especially bill hicks and bill bailey.

'Heavens, Have a plum', 'i don't want a plum'

'the pale mythical wardens of the treasure'

genius, have been saying everything like Bill Bailey for a couple of years now.

[AndrewT]

Blimey, I've just spent 15 minutes reading a thread about this programme on another forum and then come back here to find this.

OK, here goes.

Ross Noble - 'Wouldn't it be funny if monkeys read the news? Whilst wearing hats. Monkeys wearing hats, eh?' - sod off. If you want proper funny animal whimsy, watch Bill Bailey.

Ricky Gervais - I'm sure the Wikipedia page for 'One Trick Pony' is just a photo of his fat face. David Brent is over - that was all you ever were. Your stand-up is appalling. Do your funny dance or sod off.

Billy Connolly - utterly devastatingly funny back in the day. Not just someone who 'told jokes' but who really delivered them. Sad he's become an unfunny bitter man in the past 20 years.

Bill Hicks - a revelation at the time, truly took stand-up into a new place. His death not only robbed us of a huge talent, but has also robbed us of the chance to see how he fared over a period of time. Like Hendrix, Bolan, Buddy Holly etc he never had the chance to 'go crap'.

Richard Pryor - undoubtedly an important comedian, hurt by the fact that most of the footage of him we have doing stand-up is from his rambling, drug-addled period. Still quite funny, but those who saw him earlier say it doesn't compare to his previous performances.

Dave Allen - the absolute master of comic timing. Had the ability to have you hanging off every word, drawing you into his story.

Bernard Manning - a lot of reactionary crap gets spouted about him, the fact is his timing is spot on and he can deilver a punchline like few others.

Peter Kay - Superb early on ('Top at the Tower' is hilarious) but suffers from the fact he now has no more jokes. That's it, he's done.

That's enough for now.

[thetank]

Is the show repeated on ITV2 or anything?

Would have liked to have seen this.

[boldie]

saw gervais last week and it was a bit disappointing.

All others i agree with especially bill hicks and bill bailey.

'Heavens, Have a plum', 'i don't want a plum'

'the pale mythical wardens of the treasure'

genius, have been saying everything like Bill Bailey for a couple of years now.

young mr bailey is funny.

i was rather surprised Rich Hall wasn't on the l;ist...I have tickets to go see him in Glasgow on the 24th and can't wait!

Also for Richard Pryor..listen to the records they are better than the video's (and even they kick Bill Hick's arse)

Also Lewis Black is a very very funny man (and was doing the Bill Hicks thing before your MR Hicks was doing it)

[AndrewT]

Is the show repeated on ITV2 or anything?

Would have liked to have seen this.

It's a Channel 4 programme so will probably turn up next bank holiday. Maybe on E4 at some point.

[thetank]

Oooh, it might be on Virgin Telewest replay 4OD then.

I can watch it while you're all getting lost in 24.