Is Dave Chappelle the greatest 'stand-up' comedian of our time?

Chappelle is definitely the pre-eminent comedian of the last twenty years.

I've no issue with Burr at #2 but I suspect there are other viable candidates.
 
Russell Peters. Although he's not as good now but this show was fucking awesome.

Dave is obviously very good too.

 
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Chappelle's the best stand-up for sure.

Norm is the best comic. I never found his actual stage stuff to be amazing but his Saturday Night Live and talk show stuff is just incredible. Those looooooong jokes are a thing of beauty.
 
Yes

Maybe the best comedian too, but that's debatable. I love Norm Macdonald, but Dave has so much charisma that hurts
 
Killin' Them Softly and For What It's Worth are two of the best standups ever IMO. But as pointed out, they also released 25 and 21 years ago. I saw Dave live in 2013 or so and it was already apparent even back then that he simply wasn't as funny anymore.
 
Patrice O Neal for me



That special is probably the hardest I've ever laughed during a show with maybe Carlin's really old special from the 70s (round stage one) being the same. The last Nate Bargatze was the best special I've seen so far into the 2020s.

If I had to pick a modern comedian based on quality output then I'd probably pick Bill Burr even though his last special didn't quite hit for me but he has a lot of top tier specials compared to other comedians.
 
That special is probably the hardest I've ever laughed during a show with maybe Carlin's really old special from the 70s (round stage one) being the same. The last Nate Bargatze was the best special I've seen so far into the 2020s.

If I had to pick a modern comedian based on quality output then I'd probably pick Bill Burr even though his last special didn't quite hit for me but he has a lot of top tier specials compared to other comedians.

Not into Burr as much as I used to be during the O&A days. He softened up a bit once he went full Hollywood like they all do.
 
Speaking of comedians, have there been any really good comedy specials released this year or in the last couple months?
 
I used to go see a ton of stand-up back in the day (20y ago), it was an exciting time for comedy. It's cooled off considerably since then, and the whole comedy world seems to be in hibernation for the long haul, sadly. Although maybe if I atually got my ass back out to the clubs, it would be a different story.

Anyway, he's a completely different character now sadly (it is what it is) but for my money Adam Carolla, at his peak (early 2ks Loveline years) was indomitable. I still go back and listen to some of those old shows and crack up, no one was quicker (or angrier!) Otherwise, I'd say Louis is the enduring GOAT. Also has fallen off since his peak, but he's still got it. I'll go back and watch his Fox show and still get as much of a kick out of it as ever, just brilliant work.
 
There is a group of 5 or so that you could make a case for. Chappelle, Louis CK, Burr. Those are the obvious ones.



I'm not sure you would rate him up there as the best stand up comedian... but my favourite comedian would be Norm. Everything he did just tickled my dick. Just an original, brilliant guy.

Even the way he went out. He was just one of a kind.
 
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Yes. Comedic genius
 
Dave Attell, Chappelle, and Louis would be the best of the last 25 years imo. I don't know if any of them would be considered the greatest though.

Speaking of comedians, have there been any really good comedy specials released this year or in the last couple months?

Not really. Netflix has effectively ruined standup specials.
 
Not into Burr as much as I used to be during the O&A days. He softened up a bit once he went full Hollywood like they all do.

I never listened to a lot of O&A outside of a few youtube clips, mostly Patrice clips. It was a bit too mean spirited for me. One of the funniest things I've ever seen, and I don't think it's on YouTube anymore, is Anthony Cumia doing a character called Disis. I don't know if he ever did it more than once or if it was a recurring thing but it was basically him doing Andrew Dice Clay as a member of Isis. This was after O&A.

"Jack and Jill went up a hill to fetch a pail of water. Jill came down so we stoned her. That whore!" All while he's sucking on a giant hookah. The whole thing is hilarious.
 
John Mulaney and Luis CK stand up acts absolutely destroy me.

I saw Chappelle live way back in college and was a bit disappointed, unfortunately.
 
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