The 10 Greatest Stand-Up Comedy Specials Ever
3. George Carlin, Carlin at Carnegie
To pick a "best" Carlin special is impossible, but Carlin at Carnegie saw the dirty-word-hocking comedian embrace the world's most prestigious stage. Though the video below may seem like a less provocative sketch in the late master's oeuvre, it proves the Carlin is also unmatched when it comes to the greatest comedian skill of all: Reading an audience.
2. Eddie Murphy, Delirious
Norbit who? Daddy Day what? All of your dubious Eddie Murphy associations disintegrate upon re-watching Delirious, the 1983 HBO special that launched Murphy from SNL whiz kid to bona fide superstar. Behind the rage-red leather suit and caricature voices, Murphy was a man who knew how to relate. Have you thought of an ice-cream truck the same since?
1. Richard Pryor, Live on the Sunset Strip
Was there any doubt? Richard Pryor's 1982 special is an unfiltered lecture in cultural awareness that doubles as slam poetry. The tricky part of a provocateur's job is remaining accessible enough to be liked, and Pryor managed to only become more endearing as he continued to probe taboos, societal woes, indulgences, and the mystery of women, sometimes all wrapped up within the space of 30 seconds. Live on the Sunset Strip also happens to be a timeless viewing experience 30 years later. Perfection.
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
Dang. That's isthe most jacked up note I've heard today. But, I'm not sure, myself.
Geez. That's just about the most jacked up piece I've seen today. But somehow, I'm not positive, myself.
Angela Bonifield
Lovely just what I was searching for.Thanks to the author for taking his time on this one.
I have to disagree a little bit with this list. Although they are all amazing acts in their own right I feel that Bill Cosby "Himself's" stand up (he was actually sitting down the whole time) was absolutely amazing. That comedy show was clean but absolutely funny to the core. If you ever get a chance to watch it I highly recommend it.
Kathy Griffin has NEVER been funny. Seeing that entry at number 10 tells me you're list is PURE SHIT, and I'm through reading anything on this site...
Kathy Griffin and no Bill Hicks. That's a joke in of itself.
Thats nonsense in comparing Kathy Griffin to George Carlin with the "mannered" remark. George Carlin was a very mannered comedian who kept diligent records of his notes (purportedly a whole storage shed full), and practiced his routine over a long period of time
The fact that Patrice O'Neal's Elephant In The Room was excluded is criminal & insane.
Maybe you should try comedy, putting kathy griffin on this list, that's pretty hilarious. No Dave Chappelle, No Bill Hicks, No Patrice O'neal, no Louis CK, no Bill Burr.
No Louis C.K? The best social commentator since Carlin and one of the best, if not the best comedian alive? And more importantly - WHERE THE FUCK IS BILL HICKS? ...... Mr Bill fucking Hicks, one of the BEST of all time? The one who was telling like it was and did not give a shit about social outbrusts? If there is such thing as heaven (which there is not ,you fucking children 😛 ), he's probably smoking fat blunt with Carlin and Pryor, watching over Louis C.K. to make sure, that after his demise he will join them at the table of stand-up Gods (which is in the room resevred for people that not only made the audiance laugh, but also think).
BILL fuckin' HICKS !! Member of the Holy Trinity (Carlin + Pryor + Hicks = Carprycks)
plus Louis C.K. who sould easily be in top 5.
What is wrong with the person who made this list! And the funny thing is that I'm from Poland, english is my second language and all those comedians are unknown to polish audiance, simply because they don't broadcast any of them (but I have no idea how they would translate some word-play jokes).
And yet I have to "fight" for the memory of Bill and for the inclusion of ginger comedian in the name of equality, political corectness and his fucking brilliant material which he changes every year.
« Previous