After hours of debate with me and my other brother, Stephen—the oldest Crouch boy—has produced a list of the funniest people ever. See what you think.
Let me lay out the scene for you. You are on a street that has infinite theaters where you are given 10 tickets to go see any show you would like, whether it be a TV show, movie, or stand-up act. Who are the 10 people you would go see?
If you want to gauge funniness, how do you do it? Here are a few things to consider.
The Three Pillars of Comedy
Can they act funny? Can they speak funny? Can they write funny? You have actors, writers, and stand-up comedians. The funniest person would ideally be a mix of all three. But who is to say if someone is so good at what they do it compensates for their lack of ability in the others? It wasn’t until after Seinfeld that Larry David put himself out there for the world to see. Sadly, he struggles to deliver his jokes the way Jason Alexander could, even though they are brilliantly written.
Diversity vs. Niche
When someone performs, are they able to cover a broad range of content—or are they limited to a certain genre? Can they span multiple personalities or do they perform under a single character. Can they work well with others or do they act alone. Tracy Morgan and Adam Sandler are guilty of playing different versions of the same character in all their appearances. Will Ferrell, on the other hand, had a movie where he spoke Spanish the entire time. David Letterman is revered by many and has a huge following. However, he did one thing (and did it well) for 35 years.
Popularity
Just because your Uncle Eddie is hilarious at dinner every year at Christmas does not mean he will make it to the big time. But he might! Some of the best comedians are not known yet but will be soon. But how can you win a contest if no one knows you are participating? So do not waste your hypothetical ticket on someone no one has ever heard of. And are they still relevant? Charlie Chaplin was the funniest guy of his time. (At least that is what my great, great grandfather told me.) But his comedy would put today’s millennials to sleep.
Longevity
Some comedians twinkle for a brief moment and then fade away. Dane Cook was the man in stand-up comedy from about 2002-2004. He put out some lame movies to cash in on his success and then faded away. Maybe this was due to him being blacklisted from comedy clubs for joke stealing.
A Leader in their Field
Consider if the person is even the best in what they do. I would love to see Kramer, but he was not even the main guy on the show. He knocks his punchlines out of the park, but the show is framed around Jerry.
But enough about criteria. Without further ado, I present your top ten:
10) Seth McFarlane – He never made a big name for himself doing stand-up comedy. But that is about all he has not done. He has made successful films and is most commonly known for doing the majority of the voices in his animated show Family Guy.
9) Conan O’Brien – Not everyone’s favorite late-night host. But his work goes deeper than that: he was the lead writer for Saturday Night Live, and he also wrote for The Simpsons. Those three items on a resume speak to how he and his team can constantly crank out funny content on a weekly or even nightly basis.
8) Bill Murray – Sadly, he is starting to become a trendy go-to for hipsters that want to think he has a cult following. Bill Murray stacks up higher than most could ever dream to with his breadth of work: an SNL lead player, a movie blockbuster star, and now just wonders around the world enjoying his celebrity status and bringing life to your everyday social gathering or crashing your frat party.
7) Jim Carrey – Even though he has recently become more of a relic of comedy his work still holds a vast landscape for the jokes that many of us recall. He was undeniably the funniest man in comedy for most of the 90s. His quantity of characters is something to admire and he developed them over time. He checks all the boxes for our three pillars. His only downfall would be that not everyone has a taste for the silliness he exudes.
6) Bill Cosby – Yeah, he is in jail. But before that, he was a stand-up comic and had a long-running TV show that captured America for its wholesome nature. Ironically, he is also one of the most famous impersonations that other comedians attempt.
5) Eddie Murphy – He saved Saturday Night Live and single handedly held it together. He had hit movies throughout the 80s, and his stand-up special “Raw” was groundbreaking for the world of comedy to come.
4) Robin Williams – He does not have any movies that made you roll on the floor laughing, but he had something else—something that is often mocked when people do it poorly. He could improv better than anyone ever. It makes you wonder what it would be like if he were ever on the show Whose Line is it Anyway? The speed at which he performs without sacrificing quality is impressive to say the least.
3) Dave Chappelle – Not as family-friendly as most of these guys but a comedy genius nonetheless. His variety show, The Chappelle Show, started off with an average following and grew into something huge. Money and Politics got involved and Chappelle vanished for a short while. He circled around the Comedy circuit making appearances now and then but came back with a bang, making his return on Netflix. He would be considered the 2nd best stand-up comedian by most. (“To whom?” you ask. Keep reading.)
2) Jerry Seinfeld – No movies. But remember how we mentioned if you do something so well that it compensates for the lack of another. Well, this is that. Jerry Seinfeld is the best stand-up comedian ever. Period. Look at his ticket prices if you need further proof. His stand-up was also the backbone of the greatest comedy sitcom of all time too.
1) Will Ferrell – He does not have your typical rehearsed stand-up comedy routine. But if he is making a public appearance, he is guaranteed to have the crowd rolling. He has more characters than anyone out there next to Dana Carvey (honorable mention, see below). It is hard to keep track of all the hit movies he has starred in, not to mention the cameo appearances he makes that end-up defining other movies. He started a comedy website. As far as TV goes, he also did that SNL show and did it better than anyone else.
If you think you have a better list, let me know.
Honorable mentions:
Adam Carolla, Adam Sandler, Adam McKay, Aidy Bryant, Al Franken, Alan Alda, Alan Arkin, Albert Brooks, Alec Baldwin, Ali Wong, Alonzo Bodden, Amy Poehler, Amy Schumer, Amy Sedaris, Ana Gasteyer, Andrew Dice Clay, Andy Griffith, Andy Kaufman, Andy Samberg, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Ben Stiller, Benny Hill, Bernie Mac, Betty White, Bill Burr, Bill Engvall, Bill Hader, Bill Maher, Billy Connolly, Billy Crystal, Bo Burnham, Bob Einstein, Bob Hope, Bob Newhart, Bob Saget, Bobby Moynihan, Bret McKenzie, Brian Regan, Buddy Hackett, Buster Keaton, Carl Reiner, Carol Burnett, Cecily Strong, Cedric the Entertainer, Charlie Chaplin, Charlie Day, Cheri Oteri, Chevy Chase, Chris Farley, Chris Kattan, Chris Parnell, Chris Rock, Chris Tucker, Christopher Guest, Christopher Walken, Colin Jost, Colin Mochrie, Colin Quinn, Craig Ferguson, D.L. Hughley, Damon Wayans, Damon Wayans Jr., Dan Aykroyd, Dan Harmon, Dana Carvey, Dane Cook, Daniel Tosh, Danny Kaye, Danny McBride, Darrell Hammond, Dave Mordal, David Letterman, David Spade, Demetri Martin, Denis Leary, Dennis Miller, Diane Keaton, Dick Van Dyke, Don Knotts, Don Rickles, Donald Glover, Drew Carey, Ed Asner, Eddie Griffin, Eddie Izzard, Ellen DeGeneres, Eric Idle, Eugene Levy, Frank Caliendo, Fred Armisen, Fred Willard, Gabriel Iglesias, Gallagher , Garry Shandling, Gary Gulman, Gene Wilder, George Carlin, George Lopez, George Wallace, Gilda Radner, Groucho Marx, Hank Azaria, Hannibal Buress, Harland Williams, Harold Ramis, Harpo Marx, Henry Winkler, Howard Stern, Howie Mandel, Hugh Laurie, J.B. Smoove, Jack Benny, Jack Black, Jack Lemmon, Jack Paar, Jackie Gleason, James Acaster, Jamie Foxx, Jane Curtin, Jason Alexander, Jason Bateman, Jason Segel, Jason Sudeikis, Jay Leno, Jay Pharoah, Jeff Daniels, Jeff Dunham, Jeff Foxworthy, Jeff Ross, Jemaine Clement, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Stiller, Jim Gaffigan, Jim Nabors, Jim Breuer, Jimmy Carr, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Joan Rivers, Joe Machi, Joe Rogan, Joel McHale, John Belushi, John Candy, John Cleese, John Goodman, John Lithgow, John Mulaney, John Oliver, John Heffron, John C. Reilly, Johnny Carson, Johnny Knoxville, Jon Heder, Jon Lovitz, Jon Stewart, Jon Reep, Jonah Hill, Jonathan Winters, Jordan Peele, Judd Apatow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kate McKinnon, Kathleen Madigan, Katt Williams, Keegan Michael Key, Keenen Ivory-Wayans, Kelsey Grammer, Ken Jeong, Kenan Thompson, Kevin Hart, Kevin James, Kevin Nealon, Kirstie Alley, Kristen Wiig, Kumail Nanjiani, Kurt Metzger, Kyle Mooney, Larry David, Larry the Cable Guy , Lenny Bruce, Leslie Nielsen, Lewis Black, Lily Tomlin, Lorne Michaels, Louie Anderson, Louis C.K., Lucille Ball, Mark Normand, Marlon Wayans, Martin Lawrence, Martin Short, Matt Stone, Mel Blanc, Mel Brooks, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Palin, Michael Richards, Michael Schur, Michael Ian Black, Michael J. Fox, Mike Myers, Milton Berle, Mindy Kaling, Mitch Hedberg, Nate Bargatze, Nathan Fielder, Neil Patrick Harris, Nick Kroll, Nick Offerman, Nick Swardson, Norm Macdonald, Oscar Wilde, Owen Wilson, Patton Oswalt, Paul Reiser, Paul Rudd, Pete Holmes, Peter Sellers, Phil Hartman, Phyllis Diller, Ray Romano, Red Skelton, Redd Foxx, Rich Little, Richard Lewis, Richard Pryor, Ricky Gervais, Rob Reiner, Robert Klein, Robert Smigel, Robert Downey Jr., Rodney Dangerfield, Ron White, Roseanne Barr, Rowan Atkinson, Russell Brand, Russell Peters, Ryan Stiles, Sacha Baron Cohen, Sam Kinison, Sarah Jessica, Sarah Silverman, Sean William Scott, Seth Meyers, Seth Rogen, Shelley Berman, Sid Caesar, Simon Pegg, Sinbad , Smothers Brothers, Stan Laurel, Stephen Colbert, Stephen Crouch, Stephen Fry, Steve Carell, Steve Harvey, Steve Martin, Steven Wright, Taika Waititi, Ted Danson, Tiffany Haddish, Tim Allen, Tim Meadows, Tina Fey, Tom Arnold, Tom Green, Tracey Ullman, Tracy Morgan, Trevor Noah, Trey Parker, Vince Vaughn, W.C. Fields, Walter Matthau, Wanda Sykes, Wayne Brady, Weird Al, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Arnett, Will Forte, Will Sasso, Woody Allen, Zach Galifianakis
You’ve never heard of Dylan Moran? A top 10 stand up comic of all time?
I believe I have seen his bits before, but hasn’t broken into top 10 status from his cumulative work.
Whoops! What about Mel Brooks?
Wrote and directed: “The Producers,” “”Young Frankenstein,” ” “My Favorite Year,” and then starred in, wrote and directed “Blazing Saddles,” “Space Balls,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” “To Be or Not to Be,” “History of the World, Part I,” “High Anxiety,” “Silent Movie,” “Twelve Chairs” … He sang, he danced, he wrote [and delivered] more funny one liners than the Perseids has meteors! [Okay, obscure, but I am not funny]
AND, you completely ignored the comic genius of Woody Allen. He had the trifecta: brilliant stand-up, brilliant writer, string of rolling-on-the floor movies in the 1970’s…which, oh by the way, he wrote, directed AND in which he starred. Aha. Is he a saint? Not so much. Still, you did not state that as a prerequisite. Read any part of “Without Feathers,” aloud…I defy you to keep from laughing hysterically. And, try watching “Sleeper” without laughing so hard you cry. Sorry…you missed the mark. These others, funny, surely.
My number one and two ranked, thus are Mel Brooks and Woody Allen. A whole different level of funny.
I recognize their comedic brilliance, but do not think they are quite top ten. Woody more than Mel. Mel is definitely top 20 where Woody might make top 50 on a good day. Why? Woody comes across as average in each category. Seinfeld or Woody Allen? That decision goes to Seinfeld easily.
2023 update:
Adding James Acaster to the Honorable Mentions list.