Whether or not they elect to tackle important issues, the important thing with comedians is if they're funny or not, and Hicks often wasn't very funny.

Also, "Funny In The Way Kafka Was Funny" must be any comedian's nightmare epitaph.

Yes, the Kafka comparison bugged me too.

Seriously, man, "Pundertitle" needs to happen toot sweet.

That's only because he wasn't smart enough or original enough to get his views out in a standard way.

You're the one missing the point. There was no actual humor. Hicks was an angry dude making loud noises on a stage and ranting about ****. He did not "tackle important issues", he just yelled random **** and to some dumber people it came off as brilliant and mind blowing.

If you'd pull Hicks' **** out of your ass and read a book, or just start thinking for yourself a little, maybe you'd realize he wasn't so special.

[nit] tout de suite [/nit]

this is an insult to the Steve Miller Band. If Morrison was still alive, he'd be opening for Wayne Newton in Vegas.

Do you seriously think I don't know this. Also, nice ninja edit--I was about to out-nit you.

Don't honestly know how Chris Rock didn't make your list, lol. Major fail. Don Rickles should also be in a top ten list. Norm MacDonald is great and all and really funny, but no way he should be considered one of the ten greatest stand-up comedians of all time. Steven Wright is probably over-looked a lot when it comes to the greatest comedians of all time, and I'd agree he is in the top tier of stand-ups (he's certainly one of the most unique stand-ups in terms of delivery and pacing). Bob Newhart and Bill Cosby should also be considered for a top ten list, though am not too familar with their stand-up. From what I've seen of Louis CK (very little), he probably doesn't deserve to be in the top ten yet, but he certainly is on pace to be in the future.

Bill Hicks

and I have a different opinion from some apparently. I think his comedy is pretty timeless. Elaboration: corporations and goverments are always going to be filthy scummy corrupt lying pieces of **** and sucking their dick should ALWAYS be heavily criticized and called out.

SUCK SATANS ****!!!

What are these standard ways you speak of?


I'd wager if he'd used these standard ways, no one would know who the **** he was today.

I've only very briefly shot through this thread. I'm a massive stand-up fan, own hundreds of albums and have done a little.

I agree Hicks doesn't amuse me as much as some of the newer comics.
However I think he is more a comedians comic. If you listen to the Marc Maron podcast, he and a load of the guests that came up with Hicks think very highly of him.

His political rants and stuff don't seem so great anymore but I he was a comic genius. He was sneaking out and crushing comedy clubs in his early teens! I think he gets so much respect because he not only did groundbreaking stuff had the balls to just go on stage and preach what he believed, whether you found it funny or not.

I might read the thread later but it'll probably just remind me of this Hicks line:
"Hitler had the right idea, he was just an underachiever!"

Totally this. For guys who spend their lives having nightmares about bombing, it must be really liberating to listen to a guy who'll just completely bomb half his shows and scream at women in the audience about what dumb ****s they are, and otherwise be completely prepared to just do his thing and go on omegatilt if he happens to feel like it.

I'm surprised that Eddie Murphy gets so little love for his standup. I'm pretty sure I would still LMAO watching Raw and Delirious.

From what little I've seen of Bill Hicks I would say he is moderately funny.

I recently watched Delirious and the thing is Eddie Murphy is an absurdly good performer, possibly the GOAT, but his material really isn't very strong. Stand up is not a particularly good medium for his skills outside the fact that he gets to be on stage by himself for 70 minutes just trying to be as funny as possible.

Lists that include Maron or Cook but not Steve Martin are insane imo.

Hicks, funny but overrated. In no way a Carlin or Bruce.

I havent seen much of his stuff but i liked it, i have a friends who is the exsct same way as you about hicks, i think i see a correlation in humor with regards to the people who like him.

this response deserves the same response

People who qualify their response to a best standup list with 'i'm not too familiar with their standup' definitely deserve that response

I always found him pretty hilarious.

Have you ever seen him live? He's funnier than most of the guys on that list, possibly all of them.

I am a pretty big Hicks fan. He is probably overrated a tad but whatever. Comedy is extremely subjective.

These are his two best bits imo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qmglGWMsdk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJcebIEOkhY

Your avatar/SN makes this post so awesome.

I believe many members of this forum overrate Louis CK.

Well done, good job describing stand up comedy.