I first compiled a meta-list of the Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time back in 2013, and I thought it was time for an update. I’ve collected nearly 20 lists of Best Stand-Up Comics from all over the Internet. Here are the results: every stand-up comic on three or more of the original source lists. They are organized by rank, that is, with the comics on the most lists at the top.
NOTE: These are not my personal opinions. If they were, then Maria Bamford would definitely have been on here.
On 18 lists
George Carlin (1937-2008)
On 17 lists
Richard Pryor (1940-2005)
On 16 lists
Steve Martin (1945- )
On 15 lists
Eddie Murphy (1961- )
On 14 lists
Lenny Bruce (1925-1966)
Jerry Seinfeld (1954- )
On 13 lists
Bill Hicks (1961-1994)
Chris Rock (1965- )
On 12 lists
Rodney Dangerfield (1921-2004)
Robin Williams (1951-2014)
Louis C.K. (1967- )
On 11 lists
Bill Cosby (1937- )
Dave Chappelle (1973- )
On 9 lists
Don Rickles (1926- )
On 8 lists
Bob Newhart (1929- )
Steven Wright (1955- )
Mitch Hedberg (1968-2005)
On 7 lists
Redd Foxx (1922-1991)
Jonathan Winters (1925-2013)
Woody Allen (1935- )
Sam Kinison (1953-1992)
On 6 lists
Bob Hope (1903-2003)
Phyllis Diller (1917-2012)
Albert Brooks (1957- )
Eddie Izzard (1962- )
On 5 lists
Johnny Carson (1925-2005)
Mort Sahl (1927- )
Billy Connolly (1942- )
Dick Gregory (1946- )
Lewis Black (1948- )
Paula Poundstone (1959- )
On 4 lists
Jack Benny (1894-1974)
George Burns (1896-1996)
Milton Berle (1908-2002)
Joan Rivers (1933-2014)
David Letterman (1947- )
Andy Kaufman (1949-1984)
Garry Shandling (1949-2016)
Jay Leno (1950- )
Freddie Prinze (1954-1977)
Gilbert Gottfried (1955- )
Denis Leary (1957- )
Ray Romano (1957- )
Ellen DeGeneres (1958- )
Jim Carrey (1962- )
On 3 lists
Moms Mabley (1894-1975)
Henny Youngman (1906-1998)
Joey Bishop (1918-2007)
Buddy Hackett (1924-2003)
Alan King (1927-2004)
Jackie Mason (1931- )
Flip Wilson (1933-1998)
David Brenner (1936-2014)
Richard Belzer (1944- )
Richard Lewis (1947- )
Billy Crystal (1948- )
George Wallace (1952- )
Roseanne Barr (1952- )
Dennis Miller (1953- )
Tim Allen (1953- )
Larry Miller (1953- )
Dana Carvey (1955- )
Sandra Bernhard (1955- )
Bill Maher (1956- )
Richard Jeni (1957-2007)
Bernie Mac (1957-2008)
Andrew ‘Dice’ Clay (1958- )
Damon Wayans (1960- )
Jon Stewart (1962- )
D.L. Hughley (1963- )
David Cross (1964- )
Wanda Sykes (1964- )
Martin Lawrence (1965- )
Adam Sandler (1966- )
Patton Oswalt (1969- )
Sarah Silverman (1970- )
Kevin Hart (1979- )