The Funniest Stand-Up Comedy


   

The laughDB database is dedicated to the funniest comedy movies, stand-up comedy and TV series.

In this area (stand-up comedy), you can:
1. Browse the funniest stand-up sets (this series of pages)
2. Browse stand-up sets by Comedian
3. Browse stand-up sets by Decade
4. Browse stand-up sets by Country


Stand-Up Comedy Sets sorted by Recently reviewed (descending) / page 13 of 14


sort by…    

Ha! These are not sorted by laughs
to change the sort order, click you the above buttons.  

Eddie Izzard: Definite Article DVDEddie Izzard: Definite Article
      1996 | U.K. | Laughs: 9.0 | imdb: 8.4
      wikipedia

Is this five stars, or four and a half? Izzard sets the bar so high that this would be a five if his other shows didn't exist, but four and a half next to Glorious. Bottom line, it's brilliant and it made me laugh. Highlight: the segment about fruits. Might the segment about French and German language tapes be a bit long for someone who never learned a foreign language? Eddie seems really at ease in this show. Your eyes feast on his smile, his purple-champagne hair, his bright red jacket and his shiny black pants. (Last viewed: September 2010)

More About Eddie Izzard: Definite Article:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Eddie Izzard: Definite Article



Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill DVDEddie Izzard: Dress to Kill
      1999 | U.K. | Laughs: 8.9 | imdb: 8.7
      wikipedia

This show is often ranked as Izzard's best. I would rate it slightly below Glorious for laughter but on a par overall for different reasons. Eddie's outfit is the most beautiful I have seen on tape: with his planetarium shirt and black shiny vinyl pants, he could be David Bowie's Starman. The show is a bit slow to start, with a slightly boring intro of Eddie doing a goofy voice-over on footage of a San Francisco cable car. But relax, there are nearly two hours on the tape. The show builds up slowly, but you're not going anywhere—you're hooked in, entranced. The second hour is by far my favorite. Right when you think it's all over, after handling applause in a masterful way, Eddie comes back and revs it up for another round. Topics covered include mass murderers, a history of religion, snowboarding, cinema and languages. There's also an amazing segment where Eddie lets you hover between believing that a story he just told is true or untrue, true, untrue, true, untrue… I lived in San Francisco at the time… Why didn't I know enough to go watch Eddie then? (Last viewed: September 2010)

More About Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill



Eddie Izzard: Stripped DVDEddie Izzard: Stripped
      2009 | U.K. | Laughs: 7.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.8
      wikipedia

Belongs in the "watch once" section. Izzard at the top of his mental powers, but not of his comical powers. Stripped of his former dazzling costumes, bare of make-up, less animated, Izzard puts his brilliant mind on display. You laugh less, but you admire him more. How can the man carry on for a hundred minutes? Well, the reliance on stream-of-consciousness to move the show along is too heavy, and the segment on the Greeks far too long. Perhaps this is a good show for the English: it's a bit on the brainy, sophisticated side, which makes me wonder if Eddie is trying to get on track for a knighthood. His unsparing caricature of the queen (one of the show's choiciest bits) could improve his chances with a fair-dealing monarch. Among the other bits that made me laugh, I remember those about computers, religion, the stone age and the sect of the Hashishins. (Last viewed: September 2010)

More About Eddie Izzard: Stripped:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Eddie Izzard: Stripped



Russell Peters: Outsourced DVDRussell Peters: Outsourced
      2006 | Canada | Laughs: 7.5 | imdb: 8.1
      wikipedia

A Canadian of Indian origin does a whole show on various ethnic groups that compose the US and Canada. The audience is multi-cultural, and they love it—there must be something cathartic and therapeutic about someone addressing your cultural group, for a change. Russell's jokes will not make history, but I like how he interacts with the audience, and he brought me good laughs and a smile. (Last viewed: September 2010)

More About Russell Peters: Outsourced:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Russell Peters: Outsourced



George Carlin: George's Best Stuff DVDGeorge Carlin: George's Best Stuff
      1996 | USA | Laughs: 9.6 | imdb: 8.5
      

One of the funniest DVDs I watched in years. I had to pause it several times as it gave me some of these hard laughters that make you gasp for air. This DVD covers several periods of George Carlin's career. Among the several gems on this disc, the piece about dogs sticks in my memory: it nearly killed me. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About George Carlin: George's Best Stuff:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for George Carlin: George's Best Stuff



George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head DVDGeorge Carlin: Playin' with Your Head
      1986 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 | imdb: 8.1
      wikipedia

I don't particularly care for the show's wrapper, a film noir segment called "The Envelope", but the show itself delivers laughs. Some of the jokes in the show don't work for me, but several segments (such as those on greetings and lost things) are quite effective. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head



George Carlin: George Carlin at USC DVDGeorge Carlin: George Carlin at USC (a.k.a An Evening with George Carlin)
      1977 | USA | Laughs: 8.0 | imdb: 7.9
      wikipedia

In the first of Carlin's twelve HBO specials, you see George at his handsomest—two months short of forty—on a simple but groovy 1970s set. His animated face can sometimes remind you of Russell Crowe or Bill Murray. My favorite bits are those about shopping in the supermarket; how people sometimes miss a step on a staircase; getting dogs to look at something; what it was like, as a kid, to be small in a world built for big people; and portions of the very long (a bit too long for my taste) segment about strange words and dirty words. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About George Carlin: George Carlin at USC:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for George Carlin: George Carlin at USC



George Carlin: You Are All Diseased DVDGeorge Carlin: You Are All Diseased
      1999 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 | imdb: 8.6
      wikipedia

An older George Carlin seems wholly disillusioned with the human species. The playfulness of the earlier years is gone, replaced by a caustic anger that still triggers laughter, if you can take the violence.

My favorite themes on this DVD: children (how parents make too much fuss about them), religion (why George worships the sun and prefers fairy tales). Other themes: honesty in American society, Bill Clinton, the fuss over germs, airport security overkill (pre 9/11). (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About George Carlin: You Are All Diseased:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for George Carlin: You Are All Diseased



Doug Stanhope: No Refunds DVDDoug Stanhope: No Refunds
      2007 | USA | Laughs: 8.8 | imdb: 8.2
      wikipedia

A social commentary that makes you laugh from relief at hearing someone else than the voice in your head bring out the ignorance, hypocrisy and complacency embedded in our society. One of those rare times when you can see someone on a TV screen use his brain to think about the world he's in. To enjoy Stanhope a threshold capacity for critical thinking is required, so he's not for everyone.But if you love him… you'll love him. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About Doug Stanhope: No Refunds:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Doug Stanhope: No Refunds



Doug Stanhope: Word of Mouth DVDDoug Stanhope: Word of Mouth
      2002 | USA | Laughs: 4.5 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 8.1
      wikipedia

The first half of this show features Doug's trademark brand of comical lucid rave about the world we live in. It's funny, and the set may be worth watching if you hit stop around the one-hour mark. The last half-hour ruins it. Doug seems to challenge himself to see how gross he can get. He succeeds, and in so doing probably loses half his audience and most of the goodwill accrued earlier. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About Doug Stanhope: Word of Mouth:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Doug Stanhope: Word of Mouth



Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied DVDWanda Sykes: Tongue Untied
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 8.1 | imdb: 7.0
      

This show was a nice surprise. From seeing her on Curb Your Enthusiasm, I expected Sykes' humor to be on the aggressive side. Instead, I found that she had a light touch. She gave me many innocent laughs on topics as wide as airport security, George W. Bush, the pope, being out drinking, strip clubs, how women test men, and feeling sexy. Thank you, Wanda! (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied



Bill Maher: The Decider DVDBill Maher: The Decider
      2007 | USA | Laughs: 6.7 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia

Three-and-a-half stars. The title's "decider" is George W. Bush, which should tell you that much of the show dwells on political themes. Much of the material is often circumstantial (what Senator X did), rather than universal (how dogs behave): in five years, you won't remember half the people he mentions. Since I don't closely follow the news, I prefer the more general segments, such as those about pharmaceutical companies and about religion (a pet topic of Maher's, who wrote Religulous). Maher smiles, he doesn't bark, which makes him endearing for someone commenting on such heavy topics. Some may find the show therapeutic: it's good to know that you're not alone. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About Bill Maher: The Decider:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Bill Maher: The Decider



Steven Wright: When the Leaves Blow Away DVDSteven Wright: When the Leaves Blow Away
      2006 | USA | Laughs: 0.5 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 7.6
      wikipedia

Without a single facial expression, Steven Wright speaks in a barely audible drone. So do I, mind you, but I'm not on stage trying to make people laugh. To me, this show feels more like a poetry reading than stand-up comedy, as Steven strings one long sentence after another. I was house-sitting when I watched this show. The dog had been barking to protest being tethered to the patio, but Steven put him to sleep. I had to stop after ten minutes. The audience seemed to laugh, so maybe the material is just too smart for me and the dog. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About Steven Wright: When the Leaves Blow Away :
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Steven Wright: When the Leaves Blow Away



Mitch Hedberg: Comedy Central Presents DVDMitch Hedberg: Comedy Central Presents
      1999 | USA | Laughs: 0.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 8.6
      

Apart from his beautiful long hair and MTV / Los Angeles look, I'm not sure what qualifies this guy to be on my screen. He might be at home in a sitcom, but he should not be on a stage trying to make people laugh. The fake southern accent makes it worse. Apparently Mitch had a cult following, which usually means that a movie or performance is so awful that some people love it. Not me. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About Mitch Hedberg: Comedy Central Presents:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Mitch Hedberg: Comedy Central Presents



Denis Leary: No Cure for Cancer DVDDenis Leary: No Cure for Cancer
      1992 | USA | Laughs: 3.4 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 7.4
      wikipedia

This show opens and closes with songs which I would rather have skipped. Leary doesn't smile much, nor does he seem very happy: perhaps this could fit under the genre of "angry comedy". Fittingly, one of the funniest parts of the show is the one about people who are not happy. I also laughed during the routines about smoking, drugs, and meat eating. Denis lost me when he started to talk about his family. Overall, I wasn't sure what he represents. It didn't seem like there was much audience connection: this was very much a "my tantrum" show. For me, the best stand-up comedians are geniuses. Perhaps Denis Leary is just not that bright? Not his fault, to be sure, but not everyone can be expected to love his comedy, even if we appreciate his efforts. (Last viewed: August 2010)

More About Denis Leary: No Cure for Cancer :
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Denis Leary: No Cure for Cancer



Pages in this section: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 
(This section: Stand-Up Comedy Sets)


Not Finding a Movie, TV Series, Stand-Up Set?

Since the reviews span many pages, if you're looking for a specific title, you can use the search box at the top of each page.

Search Tip: Type a few letters of the title, for instance "wed" for Muriel's Wedding.


Buy me a coffee


Be the First to Leave a Comment






All comments are moderated.
Link spammers, this won't work for you.

To prevent automatic spam, may I gently ask that you go through these crazy hoops…
Buy me a coffee