Greatest standup comedian of all time?

Robin Williams

Richard Pryor (Williams is good though)

Henny Youngman. He practically invented the genre. I saw him during the twilight of his career. He still had it!

I think Jack Benny had the greatest sense of timing of any comedian, ever. But he doesn't really count as a standup comedian, I guess.

There are so many it is hard to pick a favorite. Recently, my favorites have been Bobcat Goldthwait, Stephen Wright, Paula Poundstone.

George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Robin Williams. They are the top of the pyramid. If my arm was twisted I'd have to give the number one nod to Carlin.

Steve Martin.... Richard Pryor. I can only speak from my lifetime, not all time.

Will not repeat,

Burns and Allen, David Letterman, and Johnny Carson

I dunno, I watch Robin Williams and I have the urge to give him a Ritalin and a Valium, hoping either or both will work.

What, no votes for Drew Carey, Roseanne, Denis Leary or Ellen DeGeneres? Or Jay Leno, Bob Hope or Andy Kaufman?

Actually, I'm gonna throw out Janeane Garofalo's name. Not that I think she's the funniest, but I think she does the greatest deadpan, like a female version of Stephen Wright, whose name I'm also throwing out here.

Too many to choose. Pryor was hysterical. Robin Williams used to be. Steven Wright still is -- but can he do an hour and a half? The hardest I've ever laughed at a comedian, though, was some giant bald guy in black leather named Tree. Saw him once, laughed manically, never heard of him again. Wish I could see Lenny Bruce...

Eddie Murphy was very funny...
Dave Atell is, might continue to be so...
Bobcat does Bono singing YMCA, so he gets kudos...
Been watching Wanda Sykes for a while.

Definite matter of taste, though. There's a couple of people mentioned here that bore me to tears (a feeling which I'm sure will be reciprocated).

Jes - me too, give R Williams something too calm him down!

Well, i'm stickin' my neck out, but i think that Sam Kinison really lived out there on the edge . . . i'm not really a fan of most standup comics, but that guy could slay me every time . . .

Here ya go, goys and birls:

THE Standup Comedy site.

This site includes an alphabetic listing of stand-up comedian links, including "tribute" sites to people like Kinison, John Candy, Chris Farley, etc. . . .

How about Flip Wilson and the Smothers Brothers?

Robin Williams can be hilarious, and he's so fast.

The funniest guys on morning radio:

http://www.bobandtom.com

Dang, i hate it when i lose a perfect post. Well, maybe not perfect, but i had a thought-out thought.

Soooo, people have said I'm a cheap audience ( i laugh at almost everything remotely amusing ), but i do have favourites. The two champions for me are George Carlin and Bob Newhart. The Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart still cracks me up - that subtle, slow boil effect is something I really appreciate. My particular appreciation for George Carlin is that his humour works as well on the page as in a stand-up format. I like those subtle smart guys. Whack me on the head humour has its place, but it doesn't last for me. Burp, and its gone.

Bob Newhart! Great stuff, that album. "Has anybody here ever been to Hawaii? You have, sir? Oh, great. It's sort of kidney-shaped, isn't it?"

Dead pan is certainly good. Also liked that in Jack Benny.

Also like sensual, totally mental humor - Groucho Marx!

Dave Chapelle.

Jack Benny has been mentioned previously here. His impeccable timing has been imitated by many, especially Johnny Carson.

The Jack Benny Show was always clever. It was at its cleverest when Mr. Benny himself did a stand-up routine at the beginning of each show. Benny's the best.