Let me ask the Carlin haters (because I really am curious)

[Bryan]

And I like Chris Rock, although I haven't heard him in a long while and I'm not sure if it would still stand up for me.

I'm with you on that one. I have a problem with comedians who who get too angry. The genius stems from the anger, but when it goes too far, it just becomes rants. That's what I didn't like about Mr Carlin.

It's true. Carlin turned into a raving (but not crazy) old man. Watching his later stuff, one felt, "He's right about everything he's saying, and it's bumming me out instead of making me laugh."

[jbissell]

And I like Chris Rock, although I haven't heard him in a long while and I'm not sure if it would still stand up for me.

I'm with you on that one. I have a problem with comedians who who get too angry. The genius stems from the anger, but when it goes too far, it just becomes rants. That's what I didn't like about Mr Carlin.

Chris Rock walks that line really well, but I thought "Never Scared" was starting to lean too far to the angry meter. I'm eager to hear his new work to see how he's evolving.

As if I'm going to be stroking a beard and filling out a report card or something...

And this is the reason that, while I love David Cross, I can only listen to his standup in small doses.

[jbissell]

Tracy Morgan

I saw him last fall and while I absolutely love him, the first 5 minutes of his set was literally just him saying "Ima gonna get my dick sucked".


Wow, all this Carlin and comedy talk has turned me into a rapist.

[ericluxury]

Paul Mooney is great, but not in a "ha ha" way.
Limited doses of Lewis Black.

It's hard for me to imagine that someone would like both of those guys (even with caveats) and trash Carlin the way you did.

[Spoony]

Paul Mooney is great, but not in a "ha ha" way.
Limited doses of Lewis Black.

It's hard for me to imagine that someone would like both of those guys (even with caveats) and trash Carlin the way you did.

What can I say... I'm a paradox.

Paul Mooney is great because I have alot to learn from him and he always makes me reevaluate myself. I don't agree with everything he says, but he's engaging. And no, I don't think that people who don't like Paul Mooney are racist.

The difference between Lewis Black and George Carlin is that one is a pissy little man shaking his fist at the sky, and the other was a smarty-pants who thinks everyone is an idiot but him, and he would love to prove you wrong. 

I've been staring at a what I just typed for a few minutes, and I'm starting to think that my description of GC could apply to either of them, but Paul and Lewis were never as condescending.

I'm soul-searching over here!

[erika]

Meh. Carlin was right though... most people ARE idiots. I always agreed with him on that point.

This here is one of the truest things I've heard:

Have you ever noticed, when you're driving, that anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster than you is a *maniac*?

[Chris L]

I guess I was always kind of indifferent to stand-up comedy growing up.  I was always much more into funny tv shows and films.  Aside from a few people I liked like Richard Pryor it wasn't until the last ten years or so, starting w/ Chris Rock and the current crop of Patton/PFT/Zach, etc, that I became big fans of any stand up performers or connected with their material.  My main exposure to stand up growing up was an endless series of mediocre clips on Comedy Central that could hardly compare to, say, The Simpsons for entertainment value.  The Rudners and Pollacks of the world were still riding high at that time and stand up seemed like a mystifying, vaguely depressing profession.  So I ended up never paying much attention to Carlin or forming a strong opinion about him either way  (I do like the maligned "football vs. baseball" bit).  

[iAmBaronVonTito]

well, come on...everyone is an idiot EXCEPT ME.  but i cant believe i forgot PFT, Lewis Black, Mike Birbiglia, and Rickles.  although, i dont know how much i like Rickles, but i love him as a reference point.  and Mitch Hedburg.

[Matt]

It's true. Carlin turned into a raving (but not crazy) old man. Watching his later stuff, one felt, "He's right about everything he's saying, and it's bumming me out instead of making me laugh."

I agree. I watched one of his last specials (Life is Worth Losing, I think) and it was a pretty uncomfortable experience. I don't think I laughed once, but that'd be true of when the man was in his prime as well. Just not my thing.

As far as comedians I do like, I'll second most other people's suggestions, but I'll also add Albert Brooks to the list.

EDIT: On some other board I go to, someone posted: "Now the four funniest comedians ever are dead - Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, ill-Bay icks-Hay* and Carlin." I thought that was worth repeating.

* Because I couldn't type Bill Hicks.

[Gilly]

Jim Gaffigan
Mitch Hedberg
Bill Hicks
Todd Barry
Michael Ian Black
Steven Wright
Jen Kirkman
Scott Thompson
Brian Pohsen
Paul F. Tompkins

[jbissell]

On some other board I go to, someone posted: "Now the four funniest comedians ever are dead - Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, ill-Bay icks-Hay* and Carlin." I thought that was worth repeating.

* Because I couldn't type Benny Hill.

I don't know anyone under 60 who thinks Lenny Bruce is funny.

[JP]

And anything called "humor" can never be funny.  humorists satirists. - ugh  People "taking things on."  

The most entertaining thing to me in the past years that has specifically had political references has been 30 rock.  It's funny first and clever second.  Arrested Development was the same.  

JP

[Fido]

In no particular order:

Maria Bamford
Wanda Sykes
Margaret Cho
Sarah Silverman (admittedly, with major reservations)
Zach Galifianakis
Patton Oswalt

I'd probably add Dave Chappelle and Larry David, though somehow I don't think of them as favorite comedians, just people whose "material" I like. 

Incidentally, I don't despise George Carlin, just never found him particularly funny.

[erika]

I find it so hard to believe that people who dislike or seemingly have little respect for George Carlin prefer people like Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho and Tracy Morgan.

So weird.

I was just trying to figure out what was so offensive/unappealing about Carlin's comedy vs what people liked about other comedy. Now I'm totally lost. No comprendo.

[Fido]

I was revising my message above just as you posted a response Erika.  I think I would have liked George Carlin a long time ago, maybe in the 60s/70s, if I had been of a certain age by then.  His material might have resonated with me if I were older (meaning, if I had been an adult during that era rather than a little kid.)  I don't dislike the man's comedy, just feel pretty neutral about it.