The Funniest Stand-Up Comedy


   

The laughDB database is dedicated to the funniest comedy movies, stand-up comedy and TV series.

In this area (stand-up comedy), you can:
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Stand-Up Comedy Sets sorted by Recently reviewed (descending) / page 8 of 14


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Bill Cosby: 49 DVDBill Cosby: 49
      1987 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.1
      

The main theme for most of this show is aging—what happens to the body, to the mind, and to marriage. As a bonus theme, Bill throws in a segment about joining the navy. It's good because it's Bill, but the two themes are stretched a bit thin over the show's 65 minutes. Worth watching once. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Dave Attell: Captain Miserable DVDDave Attell: Captain Miserable
      2007 | USA | Laughs: 0.6 (Just Awful) | imdb: 7.0
      

This is a disgusting little man spewing racist and other ignorant or offensive material for the sake of being non-politically correct. There was a crowd of people laughing. Who are these people? Oh, right, that was Washington D.C., the seat of the US government. I held on as long as I could for a change of tack but had to give up after sixteen minutes. This is the kind of show that makes you appreciate even more the craft and genius of true stand-up comics such as Bill Bailey or Eddie Izzard. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Robert Klein on BroadwayRobert Klein on Broadway
      1986 | USA | Laughs: 4.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.4
      

Near the beginning of the show, Klein put his talent for accents to excellent use—I had some good laughs. It probably wasn't the best day for me to watch as I nearly fell asleep a number of times. For my taste, the musical finale is self-indulgent and won't make much sense to people who haven't seen Robert's Can't Stop My Leg in an earlier (and stronger) incarnation, such as at the end of Robert Klein Revisited. Overall, between Klein's talent and his refreshing lack of vulgarity, this show is probably worth watching once. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Robert Klein: Child of the 50's, Man of the 80'sRobert Klein: Child of the 50's, Man of the 80's
      1984 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.2
      

Robert Klein seems to be a member of the illustrious Awful Prologue Association, which also includes George Carlin and Eddie Izzard: before the stand-up set starts, the tape shows a short segment of an unbearable musical number.

This is a very pleasant set, partly because of Robert Klein's charm and talent, partly because it contains very little that could be considered vulgar, and partly because of its genuine 1980s atmosphere. If you expect a relaxing hour rather than intense laughter of the stomach-cramping kind, you'll probably enjoy it. (I did laugh several times.)

The segment on child birth was funny, but it brought home that since those days, comedians have gone deeper into such topics, which, along with other aspects of relationships, used to be a bit taboo. Louis CK comes to mind.

There was a very funny segment about a comedian telling a joke in English but delivering the punchline in Yiddish.

The 1980s hair of the ladies in the audience was something to behold, as was the orchestra that accompanied Robert near the end. Robert could have been a professional singer—he has a superb voice. And though I am usually not a fan of musical comedy, he makes it work, for instance with Can't Stop My Leg, which ends this set as it did his 1977 set, Robert Klein Revisited. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Robert Klein Revisited DVDRobert Klein Revisited
      1977 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.0
      

It always intrigues me to see how far you can go back in time and still find a stand-up comedy set funny. There is a point at which you no longer relate to the material, the decor looks too odd, even the comedian's voice and intonations sound alien. With poor comedy, the loss of connection happens a lot sooner. For me, this nearly 40-year-old set still has something, but that might be different for someone born in 1998. Klein drops a few names that have long since receded from the limelight, but that doesn't really matter as Klein's material is largely of the general (though probably not universal) kind that can survive several generations. I laughed a few times and thoroughly enjoyed the show. Among other talents, Klein has great control of his voice—he even sings beautifully. That being said, don't expect an intense experience fueled by rapid-fire jokes. This is a show to watch if you're not feeling at your mental prime and are in the mood for something comfortable that is not too challenging. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Ron White: You Can't Fix Stupid posterRon White: You Can't Fix Stupid
      2006 | USA | Laughs: 0.5 (Just Awful) | imdb: 7.4
      wikipedia

After watching They Call Me Tater Salad, we thought we'd try another of Ron's shows. It wasn't as bad as fingernails on a chalkboard, but it was awful anyhow, and we did have to give up one third into the set. Ron had the demeanor of someone who has had to interrupt his vacation to get to the stage, and who has no shame about how unprepared he is. Much of the routine was dedicated to bodily functions. Ron seemed proud of coming up with the premise that gives the show its title—that the one thing you can't fix about yourself is if you aren't bright. Interesting point, Ron. Now would you please go watch a show by Bill Bailey then let us know again where on that stupid-to-smart spectrum you believe you stand? (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Bill Bailey: Part Troll posterBill Bailey: Part Troll
      2004 | U.K. | Laughs: 9.1 (Laugh Out Loud) | imdb: 8.4
      

After discovering Bill in Cosmic Jam, we braced ourselves for disappointment when, the following afternoon, we started watching this show, produced seventeen years after the first. Indeed, few are the comedians who keep producing fresh material, and fewer still those who improve as the decades go by. You try it sometime. It must be a really hard job. But to our surprise and delight, this show was even better than the first. Perhaps not on all counts, as it was different, and thankfully so; for instance, there were fewer of these wild surreal drifts. But the show made us laugh harder, and on this site that's all that matters.

Part Troll confirms that Bill is the best thing to come out of the UK since Dark Side of the Moon. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Ron White: They Call Me Tater Salad DVDRon White: They Call Me Tater Salad
      2004 | USA | Laughs: 6.2 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.6
      

The set got off to a weak start. After a couple of minutes, we feared that we might have picked a jerk for our evening's entertainment, but then it came out that Ron is Texan. "Ah, he's from Texas? It's okay then, if he's from Texas I can forgive just about anything." After all it wasn't so long ago that the country elected a Texan for entertainment—twice. I've had quite a bit of personal experience with Texans, and it has usually been that if you think they're being offensive, well… they can't help it. They just seem to savor that confrontational stance, and you're better off enjoying it too. Having cleared that up, we found quite a lot to enjoy in Ron's set. It was not high-grade, and there were a few trips to the sewer, but there were also a lot of good jokes and fun moments. Of course as a student of Southern accents, listening to Ron's beautiful idioms and intonations was a bonus. And once you spent some time looking as his nice smile, he didn't seem to be a jerk after all. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Bill Bailey: Live Cosmic JamBill Bailey: Cosmic Jam (a.k.a Live)
      1997 | U.K. | Laughs: 8.3 | imdb: 7.7
      

I first encountered Bill as the character Manny in the (very funny) TV series Black Books, but it was only when I discovered him in stand-up (sixteen years after this set was recorded) that I realized what a genius this man is. With his easy relaxed style (the product not of sloppiness but of virtuosity), he had me laughing right away. It was only ten minutes into the show that I noticed striking parallels with the style of Eddie Izzard—in gesture, yes, but more importantly in the surreal, perhaps sometimes ad-libbed nature of his stories. About halfway into the set, Bill started using his guitar and piano for backup. I am normally not a fan of the musical comedy genre, but Bill carried it to perfection, and the laughter continued. On a cleverness rating the show would rank higher, but some shows that are not as clever do pull more laughs overall.

After this, I am hooked. I'll be looking for more of Bill's shows. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Doug Stanhope: Beer Hall Putsch posterDoug Stanhope: Beer Hall Putsch
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 7.8 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.6
      

Doug Stanhope is still one of the brightest stand-up comedians. Doug has the best logic and critical thinking abilities of just about anyone I've seen on a screen. For the ageing INTP typing these worrds (only look that up if you have nothing better to do), that shred of sanity is comforting.

In my view, Beer Hall Putsch is Doug's best show in a while. Not that it matters, but Doug showed that he could deliver a great set without smoking or consuming alcohol. The show has plenty of new material, and old themes as well, but these are welcome. The segment about how his mom chose to die and how Doug and his partner handled it is a new theme—one more theme where it's good to hear a lucid voice in the midst of the general hysteria. It made me wonder if Doug has heard of The Peaceful Pill.

Throughout the show, there are good laughs and lots of grinning.

The segment where Doug made fun of an old boxing champion seemed needlessly mean and did nothing for us. Neither did the gross-out segment about a football player, although it led into good points and a strong ending.

Watching this set should be a no-brainer, but if you're still not sure, this might tip you over the edge: Doug shares definite proof that there is an after-life.

This reminds me of two more proofs that Doug has never mentioned: (i) at one stage, the popular rating of George W. Bush was 98%; (ii) at another stage, 99 senators bleated One Nation Under God on camera to protest against a court that had ruled to strike deities from the famous pledge (the hundredth senator was ill that day). I won't tell you what these two stats prove, that's homework for the kids.

Sorry about the digression. It's a great show. I hope you enjoy it. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Maria Bamford: The Special Special Special! posterMaria Bamford: The Special Special Special!
      2012 | USA | Laughs: 4.5 | imdb: 6.9
      

I liked this show, less because of the laughs it delivered (I smiled a lot and did laugh once or twice) but because of how original it seemed to me. In some ways this set is more art than stand-up comedy—but if someone would like to object that all comedy is in fact art, I will happily concede as semantics don't entertain me. Between her amazing voices, her facial expressions and her quirky material, Maria is a riot. Her pacing is not always optimal, neither is she always easy to understand, but the set is definitely worth a watch if you think you might enjoy an "alternative performance" and offbeat humor. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Zach Galifianakis: Live at the Purple Onion DVDZach Galifianaki's: Live at the Purple Onion
      2006 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 | imdb: 7.3
      wikipedia

This show combines takes from a comedy set in a small San Francisco club with a mock interview of Zach pretending to be his own twin brother. At first I found the stand-up awful (with Zach, acting hung-over, barely managing two weak jokes a minute), then I realized it was an exercise in "let's make it so bad that it becomes good", complete with Zach complaining that the DVD would be ruined because of how poorly the show was going, and it became quite funny. This is a DVD that feels like a draft—unpolished, full of holes, but it ends up working, and I smiled for most of the show. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Bob Newhart: Button Down Concert DVDBob Newhart: Button Down Concert
      1995 | USA | Laughs: 8.0 | imdb: 7.1
      

I didn't know Bob Newhart before watching this set; it was a pleasant surprise. Bob made me laugh more than most contemporary comedians, and he did so without dragging me into the gutter. The laughter was clean, innocent, much as with a Bill Cosby set. One situation that was very funny the first time (a man on the phone listens to a counterpart explain something out of the the ordinary) became boring on the fourth take. Apart from that sin by excessive repetition, this was an excellent show. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now DVDEllen DeGeneres: Here and Now
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.7
      wikipedia

I enjoyed this set. The first half is strongest. Much of the show has to do with how things have changed, a topic you'll enjoy if you're in Ellen's age bracket—give or take ten years on either side. Ellen loses steam somewhere in the middle and hits the bottom with a toilet joke (nothing too vulgar mind you). She then recovers to deliver a final message that wraps the show by coming full circle: "procrastinate now." Not many stand-up sets can claim to have a message, and among those that do, this one has the most compelling that I've heard. The comic power of this show may not be explosive, but if you choose to watch this bright comedian for the one hour of Here and Now, you're unlikely to regret it. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Kathleen Madigan: In Other Words DVDKathleen Madigan: In Other Words
      2006 | USA | Laughs: 4.2 | imdb: 7.0
      

It took me a while after watching Kathleen's Gone Madigan to find the motivation to watch another of her sets. As it turns out, this earlier set is far better, though it took me a few sittings to finish it as the boring parts kept putting me to sleep. That lethargy, mind you, was not induced because the material was brain-taxing in any way. (I would never watch a show by one of my favorite stand-up comedians—such as Eddie Izzard—unless I'm able to focus: they're too smart and I'm too slow…) Indeed, the material is generally about as low-grade and harmless as a light beer.

The set opens promisingly, but often slides into mediocre territory, where minor personalities of yore, whose names mean nothing to me, are discussed. But there are enough funny bits to make the set worth watching on a slow day, and the show did leave me with greater appreciation for Madigan. (Last viewed: August 2013)

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(This section: Stand-Up Comedy Sets)


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