Stand Up Comedians

[Nalens Oga]

I watched Mike Birbiglia's 2017 special and didn't really feel it. Started off okay but just weaker overall than the other ones, a lot of it didn't land for me and his style is still good but material wasn't. I was also actually more depressed after finishing it for some reason.

Didn't get through the new Jim Gaffigan one, he's also gone downhill.

 

[Stylizer1]

Katt Williams is pretty high on my list of stand ups. Him starting that special with "Hustlin" is still my favourite opener.

Best ever.

 

[Neutrinos]

delete

 

[Neutrinos]

Just discovered this comic genius about a month ago:


I just love how his competition can't stop herself from laughing:

 

[Langdon Alger]

John Mulaney
Jon Stewart (check out his special unleavened from 1996 on YouTube)
Aziz Ansari
Rodney Dangerfield
Bill Burr
Zack Galifanakis
Jim Gaffigan
Dave Chappelle
Marc Maron
Louis CK
Bill Cosby
Dana Carvey
Patton Oswalt
Robin Williams
Chris Rock

 

[Shareefruck]

It feels a bit like stand-up is starting to go downhill, to me.

 

[Pilky01]

Love the preview for Chappelle's NYE specials.

"the poor whites are my least favourite"

 

[x Tame Impala]

It feels a bit like stand-up is starting to go downhill, to me.

Oversaturated with content now? Netflix is bad with this IMO. Bill Burr made a really brief reference to it in a podcast of his where he basically said "EVERYONE can get a Netflix special now".

It used to be that a special was a really big deal for a comic. You either got one on HBO or a 30 minute set on Comedy Central. Nowadays I feel like I'm prerttt frequently flipping through multiple standup specials from people I've never heard of

 

[Neutrinos]

Oversaturated with content now? Netflix is bad with this IMO. Bill Burr made a really brief reference to it in a podcast of his where he basically said "EVERYONE can get a Netflix special now".

It used to be that a special was a really big deal for a comic. You either got one on HBO or a 30 minute set on Comedy Central. Nowadays I feel like I'm prerttt frequently flipping through multiple standup specials from people I've never heard of

Burr is my favorite comic and I'll be at both his shows this March in Vancouver

But for him to criticize NetFlix for airing unworthy specials is rather hypocritical

 

[Raging Bull]

If you're saying his last special on Netflix was shit, I agree. His podcast makes me laugh harder than any of his specials.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Burr is my favorite comic and I'll be at both his shows this March in Vancouver

But for him to criticize NetFlix for airing unworthy specials is rather hypocritical

I'm paraphrasing. A LOT. He said a single sentence about it so don't look too far into my words as his own.

And hypocritical why exactly? Because his 4th special was just ok after his first 3 was excellent? GTFO

 

[Neutrinos]

If you're saying his last special on Netflix was ****, I agree. His podcast makes me laugh harder than any of his specials.

I actually thought his last special was a lot like his podcast. Just a series of unpolished bits that weren't particularly interesting or funny

 

[Neutrinos]

Are you guys being forced to watch 2 or 3 bad specials for every good one?

I don't get how the market can be "oversaturated" with comedy

Would you say the music industry is being oversaturated with musicians?

You watch what you like and disregard the rest. What's the problem?

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I'm not saying I necessarily agree, but you can make the argument that when there were less specials to go around, the barrier to entry (to view them) was higher, so the quality was better. If someone got a special on TV (HBO, Comedy Central, etc.), there was a good chance the special was good as they were much more selective with who got one.

 

[Shareefruck]

Are you guys being forced to watch 2 or 3 bad specials for every good one?

I don't get how the market can be "oversaturated" with comedy

Would you say the music industry is being oversaturated with musicians?

You watch what you like and disregard the rest. What's the problem?

My original comment was purely about feeling that there don't seem to be very many that stand out and feel exceptional anymore-- the ratio of good to bad doesn't matter to me, because like you said, you like the ones you like and disregard the rest. The best case just tends to be enjoyable but forgettable for me, these days. Just starting to feel very lukewarm about what the medium (or whatever you would call it? Art form?) seems to be turning into.

I think there's an argument to be made that because it's more casual and less of a big deal to make one now, there's less pressure to make a really great and ambitious one. I'm not sure what the real answer is, though.

 

[Neutrinos]

I'm not saying I necessarily agree, but you can make the argument that when there were less specials to go around, the barrier to entry (to view them) was higher, so the quality was better. If someone got a special on TV (HBO, Comedy Central, etc.), there was a good chance the special was good as they were much more selective with who got one.

I'm of the opinion that nearly all stand-up comedy prior to the mid-to-late '90s is unwatchable hackery, so I don't think the quality was higher back in the day

 

[John Price]

There are still good specials you just have to know where to look

 

[Neutrinos]

There are still good specials you just have to know where to look

Did you see Chappelle yet?

 

[John Price]

Did you see Chappelle yet?

In person? Yeah. A few months back. The last day of his tour he filmed his Netflix special.

 

[Neutrinos]

In person? Yeah. A few months back. The last day of his tour he filmed his Netflix special.

How much time did he end up doing? Was it worth the $80?

 

[Langdon Alger]

I watched Mike Birbiglia's 2017 special and didn't really feel it. Started off okay but just weaker overall than the other ones, a lot of it didn't land for me and his style is still good but material wasn't. I was also actually more depressed after finishing it for some reason.

Didn't get through the new Jim Gaffigan one, he's also gone downhill.

I agree on Gaffigan. Saw him a few years ago, and was a bit disappointed. He did the hot pockets bit, but his newer stuff wasnt that great. He used to make me laugh so hard I’d be crying. He has some great material. As far as observation comics go, I’ll take him over Seinfeld any day.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

I've been hesitant to share these, but this is me doing stand up:

Well, I'm no expert in stand up as I've only open mic'd a couple of times, but I'm a pretty avid watcher. I'd say you have some solid material for sure. Pacing, joke order and delivery is what could probably use some polishing. Anyway just my two cents. Takes a lot of balls to be doing that though man. Way to go!

 

[John Price]

How much time did he end up doing? Was it worth the $80?

He did an hour or so. Yeah, but it didn't end till like midnight on a Tuesday IIRC

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I have no idea how Bert Kreischner has become a thing. My buddy showed me that Russian '' The Machine '' bit and I found it untastefully crass and broish in the worst way.

 

[TheOriginalJez]

A couple of my favourites haven't been mentioned yet but that might just be the market - Ross Noble is the funniest man I've ever come across in terms of live stand up shows, but it's not so much something that translates to screen. His audience interaction is fantastic. Rich Hall is another - American but I think he's mostly just UK based.

If anyone's just trying to find funny shit I also recommend Bill Bailey, Aisling Bea, Jo Brand and Simon Evans - all very funny people if you can find youtube clips.