September 23, 20205 yr What do y'all think? Obviously this is hugely subjective but just wanted to hear what some favorites are. Just sat down and started Richard Pryor Live in Concert (1979). This would have to make a short list for me, as would Live at The Sunset Strip (1982) and Here and Now (1983). I think my #1 is probably Chappelle For What It's Worth (2004). The entire special from start to finish is killer. Others I love are Louis C.K. Live at The Beacon Theatre, Steve Martin Let's Get Small, Daniel Tosh Completely Serious... Well fuck, there's just too many to name really. What is #1 for you and some honorable mentions?
September 23, 20205 yr Hard to disagree with anything mentioned already, but don't sleep on the great standup from the past decade. John Mulaney's "Kid Gorgeous" or "The Comeback Kid" Mike Birbiglia's "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend" Bill Burr's "Let It Go" Tom Segura's "Completely Normal." Edited September 23, 20205 yr by Tom
September 23, 20205 yr The single funniest start-to-finish standup special ever, in the history of comedy, is as stated above, Eddie Murphy's "Delirious" It was like releasing Led Zeppelin I, II, III, IV, Houses of the Holy, and Physical Graffiti.......all at once. I appreciate that there were old school comics that didn't benefit from Netflix and Youtube, and put out incredible shit like Carlin, Pryor, Bruce, et. al. Having said that, thanks for starting this thread because there are a number of worthy discussions to be had on the second funniest and here...we...go Edited September 23, 20205 yr by Lobo
September 23, 20205 yr Pryor's career, start to finish, may be the best of any comedian of all-time. I grant you that. Richard's overall body of material may never be topped. But nobody, ever, did a funnier hour-long than "Delirious." There is no equal as far as a single special. Ever. There are better bits, better comics, better careers, better trend setters, better ground breakers. But nobody ever did an hour set funnier than "Delirious." But I love talking comedy, so we can take this anywhere else.
September 23, 20205 yr Delirious and Raw are the only two stand-up specials that I continually laugh throughout the entire show, no matter how many times I watch. Both are structured so perfectly, it’s amazing to realize how young he was when he did those shows. I enjoy a wide variety of comedy (Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Louis CK to name a few), but they pale in comparison to Eddie.
September 23, 20205 yr I still have the '79 Pryor stand up on dvd, watch it periodically. Murphy sucked as a stand up comedian, Raw and Delirious are about as funny as a root canal. Always liked Carlin but have developed a deeper appreciation for his work the older I get, just classic stuff. His baseball/football bit may be the best ever, so on point. Rodney Pryor Carlin
September 23, 20205 yr Author 55 minutes ago, Underdog said: I still have the '79 Pryor stand up on dvd, watch it periodically. His Doberman Pinscher impression fucking slays me every time.
September 23, 20205 yr Anything Carlin and Pryor did. Chris Rock's Bigger and Blacker Denis Leary's No Cure for Cancer
September 23, 20205 yr I don’t know about the best, but I really like Segura and Kreischer. Also, Eddie Murphy is unbelievable. Sam Kinison’s special was hilarious.
September 23, 20205 yr Agreed on Delirious and Raw - they are timeless. Another one I love is The Original Kings of Comedy. Bernie Mac and Steve Harvey absolutely kill it.
September 23, 20205 yr 15 minutes ago, ztejas said: His Doberman Pinscher impression fucking slays me every time. The stuttering chinese waiter for me. The whole woods bit is great as well, the crinkling of the leaves noise he makes.
September 23, 20205 yr Author Just now, Underdog said: The stuttering chinese waiter for me. The whole woods bit is great as well, the crinkling of the leaves noise he makes. His storytelling was pretty unrivaled until Chappelle came along. Obviously you can tell Pryor was probably Dave's biggest influence but if he was doing a Pryor impression early on it was just as damn funny. Chappelle has obviously morphed into something more than that, though.
September 23, 20205 yr Author What about females? Not as strong of a contingent but I'd put Wanda Sykes up there with the rest of the titans. Margaret Cho is fucking hilarious as well. As is Silverman.
September 23, 20205 yr Going off of this what is the greatest comedy record/album of all time. It seems like that's how people heard these specials back in the day like Cosby or Newhart.
September 23, 20205 yr Just now, ztejas said: What about females? Not as strong of a contingent but I'd put Wanda Sykes up there with the rest of the titans. Margaret Cho is fucking hilarious as well. As is Silverman. Garofolo's HBO special is good. Silverman's is good.
September 23, 20205 yr Author 1 minute ago, usmc0331horn said: Garofolo's HBO special is good. Silverman's is good. Both super sexy in my book, too.
September 23, 20205 yr Author Jeselnik is another one I love. You don't see many contemporary guys that are built on all one liners and quick punchlines a la Dangerfield. Thoughts and Prayers (2015) is fucking brilliant. Quick clip from that one Edited September 23, 20205 yr by ztejas
September 23, 20205 yr 1 hour ago, Steamboat1874 said: Richard Pryor says hello to all of you younguns....... Flip Wilson says hello to Richard Pryor.
September 23, 20205 yr 29 minutes ago, ztejas said: What about females? Not as strong of a contingent but I'd put Wanda Sykes up there with the rest of the titans. Margaret Cho is fucking hilarious as well. As is Silverman. Currently enjoy Anjelah Johnson's work, saw her perform live last year to her opening show for Technically Not Stalking Tour, absolutely hilarious comedienne. Growing up it was Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers saw Joan perform in Vegas once, good show , always liked Cathy Ladman.
September 23, 20205 yr Dave Chapelle's Equanimity is one of my favorites with him. Agreed on Delirious Gabriel Iglesias-I'm not fat, I'm fluffy Brad Williams-Fun Sized-I think he's a little known comic Chris Rock-Bigger and Blacker Someone upthread mentioned Kings of Comedy-Agreed. The Bernie Mack bit about his devil child niece getting cookies is one of the best bits ever. Used to quote that one all the time.
September 23, 20205 yr Chris Rock - Bring the Pain. it's a masterpiece. "I take care of my kids!" hell, even Michael Scott appreciates its greatness. Edited September 23, 20205 yr by Jive Turkey
September 23, 20205 yr Shit. Had totally forgot about Cosby and his Himself bit, an absolute classic. It's worth viewing especially if you're a parent. Back in the day when I was a regular Tonight Show/daytime talk show watcher, you had the likes of David Brenner, John Byner, Robert Klein, Leno, Letterman, Tom Dreesen, Shandling, Wright, Miller, Jeni, Pollack, a shitload I'm sure I'm forgetting. George Wallace(Non-Gov) is another one of my favorites, think he gets overlooked quite a bit, really enjoyed his bit with Seinfeld in the Comedians Getting Coffee series.
September 23, 20205 yr 26 minutes ago, DallasHorn26 said: Brad Williams-Fun Sized-I think he's a little known comic What you did there, I saw it. In a little way, I saw it.
September 23, 20205 yr All great stuff here. Sinbad's "Brain Damaged" doesn't get enough recognition IMO. When he starts around the 44min mark, that whole bit about butt whuppins always brings me to tears.
September 23, 20205 yr 2 hours ago, Biff Tannen said: Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill i was nodding and repping all the Delirious mentions and then i saw this and starting giggling... i've never laughed more as a snarky smartass adult than i did start to finish with Dressed to Kill.
September 23, 20205 yr 22 minutes ago, mchookem said: i was nodding and repping all the Delirious mentions and then i saw this and starting giggling... i've never laughed more as a snarky smartass adult than i did start to finish with Dressed to Kill. They set off from Plymouth and landed in Plymouth. How lucky is that? Cake or death? Do you have a flag?
September 23, 20205 yr 8 minutes ago, OWLVIS said: Yeah, pretty much invented the form, went #1 overall album on the billboard charts for multiple weeks, and won best album and best new artist grammies. Recorded in Houston too.
September 23, 20205 yr If you don't cry laughing at his bit about the monkey and guns, you are dead inside. Never saw Eddie Murphy live obviously, 'cause I was 10 when he was touring. I've done some work with a dozen comedians and probably saw 100 paid shows over the years, but Eddie Izzard in Austin about 5 years ago was by far and away the funniest "event" that I've ever witnessed in person.
September 23, 20205 yr 30 minutes ago, mchookem said: i was nodding and repping all the Delirious mentions and then i saw this and starting giggling... i've never laughed more as a snarky smartass adult than i did start to finish with Dressed to Kill. Cake or Death!! Cake, please... Very, well. Didn't realize there was going to be such a run on cake. Also, Robert Schimmel's "Unprotected" is pure gold. ***Edit. Wow, within 4 minutes, got the Cake or Death and Schimmel nods above. Ha. Edited September 23, 20205 yr by Texas St. Armadillos
September 23, 20205 yr Anyone ever listen to Gene Tracy? Used to listen to an 8-track of his, as a youngin' funniest mofo I had ever heard. NSFW Spoiler
September 23, 20205 yr Bring The Pain, Thoughts & Prayers and Dressed To Kill would be my top choices. Edited September 23, 20205 yr by 4th&Five
September 23, 20205 yr You can't have a greatest list without Richard Pryor on it somewhere in the top 5.
September 23, 20205 yr Hammer me for it not being standup, but any time Robin Williams was on Carson. True natural humor. When you make kings of comedy lose their spot, it's legit. Edited September 23, 20205 yr by slorch
September 23, 20205 yr ^ absolutely, Onboard. "Is it Something I Said" is easily one of the Top 5 comedy albums/specials of all-time. And Pryor is probably the best all-around stand-up of all time, or at least the best since the art-form began in the sense we know it now. I don't think there's anyone who would dispute Pryor as an all-time Top 5 comic. Or if they protest that fact, they at least have the good sense to shut up about it and get back to their Larry the Cable Guy records. But again, gotta give credit where credit is due, Eddie Murphy is not an all-time Top 5 standup comic. His body of work just isn't there. But there is just not a funnier 70 minutes in all of recorded human history than "Delirious." 37 years later, it's insane how fucking funny it is start-to-finish. There just isn't more than 60 seconds of non-gut busting humor anywhere in it. No dead space, anywhere. Nothing but start-to-finish crying laughter as relevant today as it was back then. It'll never be topped. But there are far, far better comics out there. I'll grant that.
September 23, 20205 yr All the Richard Pryor ("CHEETAH!") mentioned above along with Chapelle are fantastic. I'll throw out Martin Lawrence's "You So Crazy" as well.
September 23, 20205 yr Also, maybe it's my age, but there was nothing more ubiquitous in the late aughts then this playing at every house party you went to at some point:
September 24, 20205 yr 10 hours ago, Texas St. Armadillos said: Cake or Death!! Cake, please... Very, well. Didn't realize there was going to be such a run on cake. Also, Robert Schimmel's "Unprotected" is pure gold. ***Edit. Wow, within 4 minutes, got the Cake or Death and Schimmel nods above. Ha. Slut Benwalla
September 24, 20205 yr On 9/23/2020 at 9:10 AM, ztejas said: What about females? Not as strong of a contingent but I'd put Wanda Sykes up there with the rest of the titans. Margaret Cho is fucking hilarious as well. As is Silverman. no
September 24, 20205 yr Bernie Mac's segment of Original Kings of Comedy is outstanding but I can't believe there's no mention of Patrice O'Neal's Elephant in the Room.
September 24, 20205 yr On 9/23/2020 at 12:49 AM, longhornmatt said: Norm’s bit about “Janice” and serial killers is probably my favorite individual bit from a standup routine. That's an all time bit. Hilarious.
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