Rate the Comedians ...................

[Scott]

Who are your favorite comedians and films? and who are your least favorite? Notice how comedians have rather short careers. The acts can get old fast and they run out of material.

Favorite:

Abbott and Costello (longest comedy film career in my book)
Bill Murray (Stripes and Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Meetballs)
Paul Reuben (Pee Wee Big Adventure and TV Show)
Pauly Shore (Encino Man)
John Belushi (Animal House, Blues Brothers)
Woody Allen (Take the Money and Run, Sleeper, Bannanas, Love and Death)
Jim Carey (Ace Ventura)

On the Fence:

Chevy Chase
Dan Ackroyd
Steve Martin

Not Funny:

Bob Hope
Jerry Lewis
Eddy Murphy

[Boz824]

I like Rodney Dangerfield, although there isn't much subtlty to his jokes. You're probably expecting a lot of people to say that they hate Pauly Shore, but, to tell you the truth, I've actually never seen Pauly Shore...anywhere. No movies, no stand-up acts, nothing.

[Scott]

Rodney Dangerfield is ok, I just can't remember the films he's been in. Pauly Shore was wacky type of funny.

[Brian Ringler]

Well, George Carlin never had much of a movie career beyond Bill and Ted but he's my favorite comedian.  The Carlin Show on Fox was awesome though, I got almost every episode still on tape.

[Road Rage]

I like Dana Carvey, Rodney Dangerfield, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, Letterman from the 80s, Martin Short, Tom Kenny, Conan O'Brien, Louis CK, Marc Maron, Jon Stewart, and Steven Wright to name afew.

[Scott]

I liked George Carlins routine about his "Stuff" and him having to have a place for his "Stuff".

[NamelessJoe]

Eddie Murphy: shows us that getting caught with a transvestite prostitute usually ruins your carrer.

[Mofo Rising]

If I had to pick a favorite comedian, it would be George Carlin.  I even had the pleasure of seeing the man live last year.  I think he gets funnier as he gets older and more bitter.  I own several of his CDs, and if you're going to take a road trip they're pretty much required.  If only I could afford his new box set.  Hell, I wish I could afford Richard Pryor's boxset too.

As far as rating the rest. . .  I'm a big time comedy fan.  I give quite a bit of leeway to anyone who can make me laugh.  I enjoy comedians like Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle, Norm MacDonald, Bill Hicks. . .

I grew up watching HBO's One Night Stand.  If any comedian can make me laugh, he's good in my book.  And comedians are a dime a dozen.  One will make me laugh and we'll never hear from him again.

If only more people recognized comedy as an art.  You may think you're funny, but try and get people to pay you to hear your stupid jokes.  You will find out very quickly how funny others think you are.

[FLANGEPART]

What,no Marxist? Thats the most rediculas thing i ever heard. I've always identified with Groucho, and harpo's not bad either. The style still works for me after all these years. G- "you may think me silly,but could i have a lock of your hair? " Mrs Claypoole-" Why,i've never..." Groucho-"I'm letting you off easy. I was gonna ask for the whole wig." Trust me, when you want to realy annoy the pompus, free associate and go Groucho on their ass! Works for me! Hooray for Capt. Spalding!

[peter johnson]

I agree with Mr. FLANGEPART.  You gotta have some Marxism in your life!
I think Jack Elam was/is an underrated comic actor.  Like Ben Turpin and Marty Feldman(Also both great), he used a physical disfigurement to his advantage, but that wasn't all.  He had great delivery and could do good physical schtick.  He made a lot of crap, especially in the '60's, so people tend to ignore his talent.
I also like Jaques Tati, Gerard Depardeau(Burdened as he is with a "serious actor" rep., he did more comedy than anything else, especially as a young actor.  See "Un Chevre"(The Goat) and laugh), Harold Lloyd, Keaton, Chaplin, Charlie Chase, Richard Pryor, The Firesign Theatre, Goon Show, Bonzo Dog Band, Monty Python, and Zero Mostel.  Also Jonathan Winters, Bob Newhart, Shelly Berman, Lenny Bruce, and Norm McDonald.
I can only handle Red Skelton in small doses & don't get Andrew Dice Clay or Don Rickles.  There are very few comedians I actively dislike, as anyone can make me laugh at least once or twice, even Jerry Lewis.
I've worked with Dick Van Dyke (Or Penis Van Lesbian, if you prefer) and Zero Mostel and I can safely say that the degree of funny these men are/were capable of has never been captured fully on screen -- more's the pity.

[Faerie Of Death]

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Jeneane Garafolo (sp.???), she usually plays such wonderfully f**ked-up characters (Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion, Mystery Men, etc.).  And another influence on me in my youth (almost as great as Shirley Temple) was Monty Python, I used to run around the house in my diapers singing the Lumberjack Song and "SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM", much to the amusement of my family.  They manage to be completely surreal and off the wall while still retaining definite intelligence, the Philosopher's Drinking Song and the Constitutional Peasant sketch from the Holy Grail being perfect examples.  And now that I'm a bit older, wiser, and potty trained, I realise that they also mocked just about everyone who took themselves at all seriously, their constant picking on the military being another wonderful example.  I try to watch them regularly, everyone needs a bit of silliness in their lives.

[peter johnson]

Immanuel Kant was a real p**s-ant who was very rarely stable
Heidegger Heidegger was a boozy beggar who could think you under the table
David Hume could outconsume
Schopenhauer und Schlegel
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine who's just as sloshed as Segal.

[FLANGEPART]

thers nothin' they don't know about the  raisin' of the wrist...Socritese himself was perminatly p**sed.

[Faerie Of Death]

I cut down trees
I skip and jump
I like to press wildflowers.
I put on women's clothing
And hang around in bars!