Ken Dodd - shit.
Stan Boardman - shit.
Ricky Tomlinson - OK.
Joh Bishop - OK, but one trick pony - the put upon dad who likes to reminisce about his childhood.
Jimmy Tarbuck - Good.
From living up there for a few years, I DO undertsand where this comes from. Its (obviously) not that scousers are particularly funny, and tell spectacularly brilliant jokes, but what is different there to other places I've lived is the CONSTANT banter.
Not especially WITTY banter, but it is pretty much non-stop. The sort of thing you are used to in say, your Sunday-league football dressing room - but up there this was evident everywhere - offices, shops, pubs, everywhere. Some might find it TEDIOUS as opposed to WITTY, but there you go...
On what basis?
You may not like him, but to say he is shit is a ridiculously stupid statement.
The longevity of his career his testament to how good he is. in his eighty's he was still selling out venues.