Tom Segura
The last Comedian you saw live?
- Thread starter Abz88
- Start date
I admit I had not really gone back to read the OP in this thread until just now. We seem to have limited the thread to comedians we have seen live, but was that the intention? I seen a bunch live over the years. Not sure I can pick out a favorite. Most have not seemed as good live as they have in recorded shows, but that does not mean they were not excellent. I saw Wanda Sykes (maybe she was Wanda Sykes Brown, when I saw her) in the second row of a large, sold out hall in Washington, DC. She was excellent. Better than I had really expected. From that close the feeling was that you could really see her working and she seemed somehow a bit distant from the audience. I bet she seemed more connected from further back in a very packed hall. But fabulous timing/comedic chops. Seemed like a real comedic star.
I saw Doug Stanhope live in a smallish club and I think he is severely underrated. Seems more original to me.
You used to hear about Bobbly Slayton, but it has been a long time since I have. I was disappointed in him live. Supposedly an old school insult comic. Seemed kind of phoned in.
I saw Brett Butler in a fairly small club. I thought she was way better than I expected and seemed to have good standup chops. Seemed kind of nervous though, which as a little endearing, but also distracting. As if as a once big time star she was slumming it.
As for comedians I have never gotten to see live, I think Bill Hicks is still my favorite, although I have honestly found audio only recordings of his performances funnier than seeing the video of him, which seems odd to me.
Favorite does not mean I think he is the best ever. Most days I think I would give that to Chris Rock, at least on a good night. Or Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappell. Each on a good night and at their peak, though. I do not think any comedian always manages a great show. Maybe Cosby did for a long time. I think a lot has to come together besides the actual performer. It is magic when it does. Lightning in a bottle. I suspect Sam Kinson at his early best could be as funny as anyone. Would loved to have seen Rodney on a good night. For that matter, Jackie Mason. George Carlin in his middle period. I do not think he was anything special early on, and later he became more preachy than funny to me.
I would like think I would have loved to see Lenny Bruce live, after a while into his career, anyway. From what I have seen and heard of him doing standup, not so much though. Disappointing. I remember thinking his autobiography was really funny. I suppose comedians are often a product of the particular time. It is hard to be immortal.
I think we are talking stand up here. I think my favorite comedian overall was Norm MacDonald.
Standup is an interesting art. It does seem to me that it is the epitome of the man in the arena. Done right the comedian is very exposed. (On the other hand, based on Seinfeld's movie, some of the best standup is just endlessly replayed raps, audience tested and honed until they are perfect.
Sorry, I overlooked the subject line this time around. Nevermind!
- Thread starter
- #45
Went to see Daniel Sloss and Milton Jones last week and Dara Ó Briain tonight. Three very different styles of comedy but all very good.
Oh wow. Been a while since I saw a comedy show.
My last was the late Paul Mooney at Caroline’s in NYC. Maybe 10 years ago. I love super rude humour but he was waaayyyy over the top and cleared out half the place within 30 minutes.
And he was half in the bag from drinking a few bottles of champagne and went on and on forever. We left after 2.5-3hrs and he was still going strong.
Not a great show from a super talented guy. I mean, he wrote for everyone from Red Foxx, Richard Pryor, SNL, In Living Color, Chappele, etc.
Funny story... After the Mooney show, my wife and I went back to the hotel and my sons (maybe 12/14 at the time) locked the door with the deadbolt. We couldn’t wake them up and it was $500 for the fire dept to knock down the door. My wife slept by the door in the hall and I went to a bar. Told my story to the bartender and he dropped a bottle of Jack Daniels in front of me with a laugh. I closed the place and sat on the steps of the NYC post office (Behind Penn Station/MSG) and smoked a few cigars all night with the bums. I actually had a good time.
Kids woke up at 7:00 and I almost killed the little buggers. Night for the books for sure!
My last was the late Paul Mooney at Caroline’s in NYC. Maybe 10 years ago. I love super rude humour but he was waaayyyy over the top and cleared out half the place within 30 minutes.
And he was half in the bag from drinking a few bottles of champagne and went on and on forever. We left after 2.5-3hrs and he was still going strong.
Not a great show from a super talented guy. I mean, he wrote for everyone from Red Foxx, Richard Pryor, SNL, In Living Color, Chappele, etc.
Funny story... After the Mooney show, my wife and I went back to the hotel and my sons (maybe 12/14 at the time) locked the door with the deadbolt. We couldn’t wake them up and it was $500 for the fire dept to knock down the door. My wife slept by the door in the hall and I went to a bar. Told my story to the bartender and he dropped a bottle of Jack Daniels in front of me with a laugh. I closed the place and sat on the steps of the NYC post office (Behind Penn Station/MSG) and smoked a few cigars all night with the bums. I actually had a good time.
Kids woke up at 7:00 and I almost killed the little buggers. Night for the books for sure!
Last edited:
Ken Dodd and Jethro years ago.
Colin Quinn at Fat Black Pussycat in NY a few weeks ago.
John Pinette in the late 90’s
Bill Burr a few years ago. Fantastic. I so wish I could have seen Sean Lock, only discovered him shortly before his death.
Hilarious!
Of course, it was for me. I'm sure I wouldn't have been laughing if it was me sleeping by the door!
I think the only name comedians I ever saw live were at tapings of TV talk and variety shows back in the mid to late 60's. I had an uncle who was the CEO of a company that did lots of TV advertising and he hooked me up with their ad agency's LA office to get VIP tickets to a lot of TV shows. Now, I was a nobody high schooler in those days but got first class treatment at these tapings I went to. I saw a lot of famous comedians at dress rehearsals and then during the recording of the shows. Two standouts were meeting Bob Newhart at the taping of a Colgate Comedy Hour when I was backstage with a buddy who's dad was a pretty famous guy in Hollywood in those days. Anyway, Newhart was great and talked to us easily about our hopes and dreams (both of us wanted to be in the business and Newhart knew my friend's dad. He was just a regular guy with us but his act was always hysterical. You older guys know. The other standout where I was just in the audience with a couple other buddies was seeing Richard Pryor during one of his first TV appearances on the old Mike Douglas show. During the commercial breaks during his time on the panel, he was so funny I nearly peed myself. Always loved him until he decided to go blue later in his career. So troubled in life but so frickin' funny.
I haven't found comedians funny for about 40 years now. Wouldn't dream of going to a show but the old guys from the 40's through 60's knew how to tell stories and jokes. Guys like Buddy Hackett, Myron Cohen, Jack Benny, Jonathan Winters, Newhart, Bill Cosby who was one of the funniest storytellers of all time, George Carlin (actually saw him live at my college around 1970), Shelly Berman, Rodney Dangerfield, Joey Bishop, Flip Wilson, Jackie Mason, and a number of others.
I haven't found comedians funny for about 40 years now. Wouldn't dream of going to a show but the old guys from the 40's through 60's knew how to tell stories and jokes. Guys like Buddy Hackett, Myron Cohen, Jack Benny, Jonathan Winters, Newhart, Bill Cosby who was one of the funniest storytellers of all time, George Carlin (actually saw him live at my college around 1970), Shelly Berman, Rodney Dangerfield, Joey Bishop, Flip Wilson, Jackie Mason, and a number of others.
Jim Breuer, and before that, Brian Regan. I much prefer "clean" comics that can do their material without dropping "F bombs" every 4th or 5th word.
Tim Vine (British comedian)
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
It’s been awhile I’m thinking it was Jerry Seinfeld
- Thread starter
- #58
I've not managed to see him live yet, but it always amazes me that comedians who predominantly use one lines and puns like Tim Vine, Milton Jones and Stewart Francis can make an entire show of it without it getting tedious.
Yes you think it would become tedious but he does intersperse the puns with musical sketches and silly slapstick gags. I’ve noticed he hasn’t been touring as much since Covid so perhaps his type of comedy benefits from longer periods between shows.
Owen Bawn
Garden party cupcake scented
I have only seen one comedian perform live. Groucho Marx, Carnegie Hall, 1972.
Similar threads
