Louis CK

He's certainly a top-10 stand-up for this century.

Tougher call once you start rolling in Richard Pryor and Bob Hope and Lenny Bruce and, you know, the 2oth century.

That said, CK's real genius might be as a writer and director.

 

1. Louis C.K.
2. Anthony Jeselnik.
3. Everyone else.

 

Seeing him next month. Cannot wait.

 

I saw him a few months after "Caligula" got some airplay late-night on Comedy Central. His stage act borrowed heavily from his TV appearance. I still thought it was great, but I hope he's got some new material for you.

 

So was Louis CK’s best special.

 

Mike Trout is certainly a top-10 baseball player for this century.

 

So Dane Cook and Louis CK are six of one, half a dozen of the other but I’m the one with a flawed grasp of the comedy hierarchy?

 

I guess I’m at fault for tossing it out there as a blanket statement, but I think a lot of this depends on the criteria used to grade them.

Consider Jerry Seinfeld. I feel he has perfected stand up as an art and the construction of a joke. He might be the best standup from a technical standpoint. Throw in his sitcom and he’s such an icon that it’s like watching living history to see him perform. But I think his material itself is a tad overrated, if still great. Then the question becomes of his television show should factor into the equation or not.

I think for both Seinfeld and CK, any discussion that includes their entire resume earns them a seat at any comedy table.

But stand-up alone, I still would personally rate CK in my top five. I don’t say that lightly either. I get the sense by references to legends like Pryor in this thread that the esteem I hold him in makes me a slave to recency bias. Like people think my Mt. Rushmore is CK, Dane Cook, Kevin Hart, Carlos Mencia (though I think anyone who would lump CK in with the rest of that crowd automatically disqualifies themselves from a discussion on comedy).

I don’t think people appreciate just how hard it was to do what CK has done, starting from scratch with new material each year and always turning out something stellar. Carlin was just as prolific and, yes, laugh for laugh I’d prefer CK to him too. But I think Carlin was more revolutionary than CK so it definitely depends on criteria when creating a list.

None of this is to say that Louis CK should be able to jerk off in front of anyone he damn well pleases because he’s THE Louis CK. But I think the fact that he can still have a shot at salvaging his career speaks volumes about the lasting greatness of his material. I don’t think any comic who gets hot for six months, gets a show on Comedy Central for a season or two, and then raises their profile enough to make a decent career touring could recover from something like this. Only an all-time talent could and it still could (and perhaps should) not be enough.

 

Anyone could "be in the discussion."
Ck is one of the best this century (last 20 years), sure.
Top 5 all-time. Not. Even. Close.

Murphy, Pryor, Carlin, Hope, Bruce (never was a fan), Rock ... And CK is better? No.

 

It’s all a matter of opinion, but since you seem so offended the suggestion, can you articulate why each of the five you listed are so. Much. Better. Than CK?

I mean, Bob Hope is more historically important but is he really a funnier comedian?

I’d say, for me, it’s a toss-up between CK and Dave Chappelle for best of the 21st century. There are quite a few others I enjoy, but those two stand out to me. Why is it so absurd to consider either of them top five?

Carlin and Pryor were great, and I have no problem putting them ahead of any other comedian. But the consensus around them reminds me of that of the original SNL cast. It’s perfectly valid to think they’re the best, but often the ones who most loudly argue on their behalf seem to think they’re the best just cuz they are.

 

I don't know that Louis CK would be top 5... but I don't know that he wouldn't, either.

To me, Pryor in an unassailable number one.

After that, probably Carlin. (His later stuff was pretty weak, but I'm not going to judge the Rolling Stones based on "Bridges to Babylon," so I'm not going to downgrade Carlin for his bitter old man phase.)

After that, Louis and Seinfeld are on a tier with a lot of greats. Cosby. Damn near every comic would tell you Rodney Dangerfield is near the top of the list. Bob Newhart was brilliant. Steve Martin.

For what it's worth Rolling Stone put Louis 4th all time when it ranked the top 50, so it's not exactly a crazy notion.

 

You can't pick a top five in almost anything like this.
There's always at least 10 people who are top five.