Your favourite ever comedian

[Norman Potting]

Someone who has not appeared on this thread (I don't think) and was in the "...I assumed he was no longer with us.." category until this popped up yesterday...
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/feb/10/mel-brooks-donald-trump-doesnt-scare-me-hes-a-song-and-dance-man?CMP=fb_gu see also



Honourable mention for Marty Feldman who appeared in a few of his films as well as being funny in his own right - remember a bizzare sketch of his involving giving directions to someone by writing them all over a car in marker pen.

...And for what its worth..

The Goons, especially Milligan. Could Monty Python have happened without them?
Morecambe and Wise.
Harry Hill.
Bill Bailey.
Milton Jones - you have to think about his stuff - "....you know that film "Minions", I sent someone to watch it for me the other day...".
Scared Little Weird Guys - Aussie musical duo who I enjoyed watching at the Edinburgh Festival on two consecutive years.
...Plus numerous other forgotten comics who have amused me over the years, particularly at the Jongleurs in Clapham near which Bro. in Law lived many years ago.

 

[Insel affe]

I do like the following

Ron White
Craig Cambell
Milton Jones
Sacha Baron Cohen
Steve Coogan
Harry Enfield
Les Dawson
Ronnie Barker

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I know she was a "woman", and therefore will attract the ire of many on here who don't think women can be funny, but has anybody mentioned Victoria Wood. I've seen her twice on stage through the years - and many times on television - but on stage she was excellent. And quite rude in a clean-cut sort of way.

Also would support other names already mentioned like:
Micky Flanagan
Spike Milligan
Monty Python - I was 17 when they started on the tellybox.
The Goons (and I remember the Telegoons from when I was a Kid.)
Stewart Lee
Eddie Izzard
Dave Allen (genius)

 

[papajaff]

Dave Allen

 

[Digger]

Bill Hicks
Louis CK
Bill Burr - (great podcast)

 

[Boys 9d]

Classic Marty Feldman as a Football Commentator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpA8Og-MsPE

 

[Perry Milkins]

The Raver...

 

[Two Professors]

Mel Brooks,comedy genius.

 

[dingodan]

+1 for Bill Hicks.

 

[thedevonseagull]

Dave Allen.
Kevin 'bloody' Wilson.
Jasper Carrot
Robin Williams

 

[Brovion]

....

A mention for Woody Allen's nightclub monologues from the early 60s and some of his early films before he became Ingmar Bergmann. "The moose came in second. The moose was furious."

Oh yes. I really don't like the Woody Allen films, but his nightclub stuff is superb: "I was kidnapped as a child and once my parents realised it they immediately leapt into action - they rented out my room."

Back on topic I haven't really got a favourite as such, I like lots of stuff by lots of different people.

 

[PaoloAlbioni]

Steven Wright, present.
Eric Morecambe, passed.

 

[Monkey Man]

Favourites come and go for me all the time. I'd say the comics that have made me laugh the most at a live show are Harry Hill, Stewart Lee and Rik Mayall. Simon Amstell is excellent too.

In terms of comedy writing/producing, Armando Iannucci and Graham Linehan are right up there. And Woody Allen is a genius, whatever bum notes he may have occasionally hit as he's tested the limits of his talents.

Students of the art of stand-up could do worse than watch the current Seinfeld hour special on Netflix. I know he's not everyone's cup of tea but what a polished comedian. Some very funny lines in what is essentially a retrospective of material he's done since first appearing at the Comic Strip in New York in the 1970s.

 

[Uter]

Sean Lock. With no hesitation whatsoever.

I think the funniest thing I've seen him do is read his "The Tiger who Came for a Pint" book out on 8 out of 10 Cats. I was in pain laughing. So inventive too.

 

[Hendrax]

Bill Hicks. Genius.

 

[DavidRyder]

Far too difficult to choose, but if I'm allowed, I will pick a double act - Laurel & Hardy. Way ahead of their time, and still as funny to watch now as it was when I was a nipper.

 

[Uter]

I love watching Rob Brydon doing his impressions, particularly on The Trip when doing Michael Caine or Mick Jagger with Coogan. Plus it gives me a chance to show my wife my impression of Rob Brydon doing Mick Jagger doing Rob Brydon doing Michael Caine in Zulu. "Ere, Rob! Rob!! Don't throw spears at me." She never fails to find it hilarious.

Found myself liking Kevin Bridges a lot recently too. And I love everything Sharon Horgan does.

 

[Norman Potting]

For those of a certain age and remember when there were comedy radio shows Kenneth Horne perhaps? The missing link between the Goons and Monty Python, or was that Angus Prune and Lady Constance ??

 

[Brovion]

Interestingly, unless I've missed it, I haven't seen a single mention for any of the Monty Python lot, not even as one of the old-timers along with the likes of Milligan, Feldman, Cook and Moore. How times change. Has their later extremely, unfunny work, undone their Python legacy? Or was it never that good to start with and just 'of it's time'?

 

[Chicken Run]

Another vote for Bernard Manning here, proper rude cnuunt but made me laugh