Who is/was the funniest guy ever?

[dreadnut]

Boy, there are a bunch to choose from including Buster Keaton, WC Fields, Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams, Harold LLoyd,, Charlie Chaplin, and many others I likely forgot to mention.

But my all-time favorite is Curly (Jerome Howard! He was insanely funny. His improv bits and moves were genius level funny. Of course, I grew up on a steady diet of The Three Stooges in the '50's and '60's.

If you've never watched Buster Keaton, you should. I think he's my 2nd favorite. He wasn't just funny, he was great filmmaker who used the media brilliantly to create his humor.

 

[GAD]

I think comedy is so subjective and much of it is so time-sensitive that it's hard to say anyone is or was "best".

I used to love George Carlin, and then I went to see him live and just felt like he was an angry old man yelling at us all. I love Lewis Black who absolutely is an angry old man yelling at us all! I loved the jokes from Mitch Hedberg. I used to love Lewis C.K. but that's not cool anymore. I think the currently popular John Mulaney is one of the best storytellers out there. Certainly Robin Williams was a legend and I loved Richard Jeni.

 

[dreadnut]

Gallagher was pretty funny. Then we saw him live a few years back, and his act was pretty lame.

 

[GGJaguar]

Robin Williams, John Pinette, Jim Gaffigan

 

[Stuball48]

Red Skeleton and Red Fox

 

[Brucebubs]

Many years ago I saw a tribute on TV to Red Skelton when he was still alive - they played a montage of clips as the song 'Send In The Clowns' played, chokes me up just thinking about it.

 

[JohnW63]

I think it depends on your tastes. Robin Williams was funny, but not everyone liked his frenetic style. I always liked him. Years ago, I saw an HBO special where Whoopi Goldberg introduced Billy Connolly. That was one of the best. Had me in tears laughing. Still, the one bit that is funny everytime I see it... "Who's on First". Abbott and Costello. Then... all the times he got people breaking character on TV... but never a standup act, Tim Conway. It all depends doesn't it.

 

[davismanLV]

Gallagher was pretty funny. Then we saw him live a few years back, and his act was pretty lame.

We used to be best friends with Gallagher's (ex) wife and a couple of her friends. And although his act was funny and seemed relevant at that time, in person he was just marginally tolerable and really kind of a jerk. But those types of people seem to save their talent for the stage or screen and in real life.... just not so great. Which is fine. Same group of friends at a party at a high rise in Century City and I was sitting next to Al Jarreau!!! I was not a huge fan of his back then but what a nice man!! So charming and easy to talk to!!

Now as far as comedic things, it's like Gary says "and much of it is so time-sensitive" that it's difficult. Most of the people you mentioned in your original post were dead or almost dead when i was a kid, and I thought they were okay funny. But then remember I thought "I Married Joan" with Joan Davis and Jim Baccus was the funniest thing ever when I was a child in grade school. Go back and look at them now and you just roll your eyes. One of my favorite performances of all time is Kathy Griffin when she roasts Celine Dion (whom I love) and it's just super funny and I laugh every time I watch it!! If you want a sample, here it is!!!



Hysterical and relatable!! Just my two centavos.....

 

[davismanLV]

And Carol Burnett!! I admit she's not a "guy" but your topic was kinda limiting so... I'm just saying. Unless you were only wanting male funny people, which is a thing.... BUTT. "Everyone I know has a big butt..." Pee Wee Herman.



You might have to log into youtube because of language BUTT it's worth it.....

 

[spoox]

hmm...W.C. Fields, Jack Benny, Olsen & Johnson for the '30s and '40s (oh, and SHEMP Howard)
Jonathan Winters and Richard Pryor in the '60s and '70s
and of course Newhart--one of the things I love about his shows was that he had a similar set up like Benny, where they both were in effect the straight men
surrounded by odd characters.

 

[HeyMikey]

I can’t pick one funniest ever. So many great ones... including Groucho and Jerry Lee Lewis.

 

[jedzep]

I must be on board with Curly, since I quote that great philosopher in my signature.

 

[richardp69]

Bob Newhart and Harvey Korman made me laugh so hard I'd be cryin'.

 

[F312]

I have shook the hand of Larry Fine.

Ralph

 

[dreadnut]

Yeah, Tim Conway is right up there too.

 

[NewOM240]

So many to choose from. I'll add John Cleese and Benny Hill to the list. You can't even look at a picture of Benny Hill without smiling. And Cleese is genius...his French Taunter alone puts him in the Hall of Fame category.

Bob Newhart might be the best straight-man comedian. His deadpan delivery and comedic timing is unrivaled.

Newer comedians I like are Brain Regan, Jim Gaffigan and the late, great Mitch Hedberg.

 

[GGJaguar]

You can't even look at a picture of Benny Hill without smiling.

I liked BH fine, but I've never seen my father laugh so much as when he watched the Benny Hill show in the '70s.

 

[Rich Cohen]

It's impossible to choose from the above mentioned comics. To veer a little bit, I would like to propose Shelly Berman, the satirical comic of the 1960s. He had his own way of commenting on life while being funny and serious at the same time. He coined the phrase "Coffee, tea or me," among other great one liners. I'll never forget the line: "Sheldon, don't change your name." He reported this quip by his father when he told him he wanted to go into show business and be a standup comedian.

 

[walrus]

I agree with GAD, it's very time sensitive. I love the Three Stooges, but they certainly aren't for everyone.

Can they be animated? Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry still make me laugh!

I'm basically a child when it comes to comedy...

walrus

 

[Westerly Wood]

Chris Farley's van down by the river skit is probably the funniest thing I have ever seen.

Steve Martin and Bill Murray too.

Steven Wright for stand-up.

And Will Farrell, while his stuff can get vulgar, he is just very funny, especially the dead-pan humor.