these were the gigs that have been
making audiences laugh for generations
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
stand-up comedy specials of all time put
this ring on your finger so people know
we have an arrangement
before we begin we publish new videos
every day so be sure to subscribe for
more great content for this list we’re
ranking the most popular influential and
of course funniest specials from the
world of stand-up comedy comedians from
all decades will be considered as long
as they filmed a comedy special in front
of a live audience we’re excluding
comedy specials and audio only specials
at this time number 10
Bill Hicks relentless a lot of
Christians wear crosses around their
necks you think when Jesus comes back he
ever wants to see Bill Hicks abrasive
nofilter style has often been imitated
but never duplicated the Georgia native
was a comedians comedian one whose
satirical and transgressive approach
served as a huge influence for future
stars like Denis Leary while a CD with
the same name captured his last show
before his 1994 death
the relentless show released for home
video was filmed at a different time
during Montreal’s Just for Laughs
festival
what did Maz bump into before electric
light bulbs were invented that’s what I
want to know and it showcased the comic
at the peak of his powers smart sharp
and confident
Hicks never shied away from being brash
and satirical with his work caring less
about laughs and more about challenging
audiences every step of the way and
relentless perfectly documents that I’m
Bill Hicks and I’m dead now
because I smoke cigarettes cigarettes
didn’t kill me
a bunch of non-smokers kicked the shit
out of me one night number 9
Comedy Central Presents Mitch Hedberg
i’ma do an entire special not facing the
camera Mitch Hedberg had a unique
perspective on comedy and a delivery
that had fans dying of laughter in the
aisles more scratching their heads and
confusion Comedy Central Presents Mitch
Hedberg may have started out as simply
another half-hour of comedy from the
channels long-running series but it
ended up as an early showcase for one of
stand-ups most promising stars like
wearing a turtleneck is like being
strangled by a really weak guy the
special was simple and to the point
broadcasting Hedberg shy stoner stage
presence with a barrage of wordplay
one-liners that were instantly quotable
head Burke’s 2005 death may have robbed
the comedy world of his great potential
but at least we have these laughs to
remember him by I thought myself hard to
play the guitar which was a bad decision
because I didn’t know how to play it so
I was a shitty teacher number 8 Sam
Kinison breaking the rules
breaking the rules was released right at
the cusp of Sam kinnison’s major
mainstream success as the louder than
hell voice of heavy metal comedy the
1987 HBO special brought together all of
the comedian’s fantastic early material
with a delivery which by this point was
honed to perfection making the rules
touched upon such taboo subjects as
religion and necrophilia while at the
same time making the most of kinnison’s
early life as a Pentecostal preacher Sam
was all fire brimstone and hilarious
anger possessing an almost effortless
connection with his audience that even
today is absolutely remarkable I love
those churches out there I saw when the
other date says where the church where
everybody somebody but Jesus far
number seven Robin Williams live on
Broadway and sweating like crazy up here
right now but his HBO cos it’s live
Robin Williams had nothing to prove when
he released his fourth HBO special the
actor and comedian was already a
certified star at this point and long
removed from his Mork & Mindy days as
such live on Broadway showcases a
supremely confident Williams onstage in
front of a ready and willing New York
crowd and if you’re ever in Amish
country to see a man with his arm buried
in a horse’s ass that’s a mechanic
remember that Robin touches upon then
topical subjects like Michael Jackson
and Anne Heche but it’s Williams
observational humor and natural delivery
that are the real gold live on Broadway
is all manic and relentless energy a
portrait of a comedic artist that makes
his absence all the more poignant today
Irie man
Jamaica would never make an atomic bomb
they may make an atomic bomb number six
louis c.k shameless okay we’ll address
the elephant in the room in 2017 louis
c.k confirmed multiple reports of sexual
misconduct tarnishing his reputation as
one of the great comedians of his
generation
however taken on its own merits his 2007
stand-up special shameless still
resonates as a prime example of ck’s
power as a comedic auteur
nobody wants to blow a guy and then go
to Ikea with him all day that’s not many
comics have reflected upon the minutiae
of everyday life but none has done so
with quite the same skill you’re all
looking each other
like a silent movie of impatient people
y’know Louie is a master of redirection
starting down such normal paths as
marriage and Parenthood but ending up
with punch lines that are revealing in
dark yet simultaneously side-splitting
it’s a wonder to behold and essential
viewing for anyone interested in the art
and pathos of comedy who can get past
the general akina’s that is I love to
shit it’s my favorite thing I don’t know
why they call it number 2 I think it’s
easily the best one it’s my orchestra
boy number 5 Richard Pryor live in
concert choosing the best of Richard
Pryor’s work is a difficult task but
live in concert ranks up there not only
in priors and evil career but also among
the finest stand-up performances of all
time by anyone
priors influence as a comedian cannot be
understated and live in concert
showcases Richard at the height of his
prowess as a cultural commentator and
storyteller sure it’s profane as hell
and not the least bit politically
correct but it’s also a hilarious and
vital moment of the man’s career and is
an essential part of any proper comedy
education
can you turn on some water please
number four Chris Rock bring the pain he
may be a household name in comedy today
but it was a slightly different story
when rock shot his second HBO special
bring the pain the performance
solidified the inimitable Rock delivery
we know and love and also shot the
comedian into the public eye completely
rebounding his career in a glass case
Chris didn’t shy away from anything and
bring the pain commenting on touchy
subjects like race with a voice that was
both humorous and furious Rock would
double down only two years later with
bigger and blacker a performance that
only echoed the comic status as one of
the premiere stand-up voices of his
generation yo baby number three on
location George Carlin at USC I mean
most of the time ass is alright on
television you can say well you’ve made
a perfect ass of yourself tonight but
you can’t say yo half-ass George Carlin
was a true wordsmith a man whose usage
of the English language was honed to a
razor’s edge and a hunter’s accuracy
live at USC was Carlin’s first HBO
special and as such he was basically
exploring what could be considered new
territory in 1977 going to the
supermarket in the head neighborhood and
take a look at the cookie section in
fact network execs were so worried about
Carlin’s famous seven dirty words bit
that they actually froze the feed and
included a message informing audiences
about the language used before
continuing with the special it may seem
quaint
today but this is just a small example
of how much impact Carlin had as one of
comedies finest voices can’t say yeah
you can say teats teats is ok if you’re
on at five in the morning and a cow is
your guest number two dave chappelle
killing them softly no cokehead
president
maybe selling nuclear secrets for twenty
thirty dollars and shit before Chappelle
show turned him into a household name
Dave Chappelle was slaying audiences
with his inaugural HBO special killing
them softly comedy ages and some
specials don’t hold up but killing them
softly is just as funny today as it was
back in 2000 a real and honest
collection of material from one of
modern comedies defining voices
yeah Astor era grouch
it’s like a little trash can the voices
of Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx echo
loudly in Chappelle’s work while his
delivery is smooth and conversational
like a close friend killing them softly
is low-key and unassuming but like all
great comedy it’s also personal real and
honest David We Need to Talk
before we unveil our number-one pick
here are some honorable mentions three
things you could see from outer space
you could see the Great Wall of China
you can see ah the Grand Canyon you can
see Oprah Winfrey’s air so though I’m
not a one-night thing I think a person
should get to know someone and even be
in love with them before you use and
degrade them 30 Asians are blacks in the
back that’s gonna be the name of the DVD
that’s it that’s the name number one
Eddie Murphy delirious
is there any stand-up special as popular
or influential as Eddie Murphy’s
delirious this 1983 performance turned
Murphy into a legitimate comedy badass a
rock star decked out in iconic red
leather and he already made serious
waves during his tenure on Saturday
Night Live but delirious was when the
stars aligned just right
and Murphy truly broke out into the
mainstream although the AIDS and
homosexuality material hasn’t exactly
aged well delirious on the whole is
something combustible and cosmic a
perfect storm of look talent and
delivery that has rarely been equaled by
any comic past or present
goonie-goo-goo-foofie
[Applause]
making audiences laugh for generations
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
stand-up comedy specials of all time put
this ring on your finger so people know
we have an arrangement
before we begin we publish new videos
every day so be sure to subscribe for
more great content for this list we’re
ranking the most popular influential and
of course funniest specials from the
world of stand-up comedy comedians from
all decades will be considered as long
as they filmed a comedy special in front
of a live audience we’re excluding
comedy specials and audio only specials
at this time number 10
Bill Hicks relentless a lot of
Christians wear crosses around their
necks you think when Jesus comes back he
ever wants to see Bill Hicks abrasive
nofilter style has often been imitated
but never duplicated the Georgia native
was a comedians comedian one whose
satirical and transgressive approach
served as a huge influence for future
stars like Denis Leary while a CD with
the same name captured his last show
before his 1994 death
the relentless show released for home
video was filmed at a different time
during Montreal’s Just for Laughs
festival
what did Maz bump into before electric
light bulbs were invented that’s what I
want to know and it showcased the comic
at the peak of his powers smart sharp
and confident
Hicks never shied away from being brash
and satirical with his work caring less
about laughs and more about challenging
audiences every step of the way and
relentless perfectly documents that I’m
Bill Hicks and I’m dead now
because I smoke cigarettes cigarettes
didn’t kill me
a bunch of non-smokers kicked the shit
out of me one night number 9
Comedy Central Presents Mitch Hedberg
i’ma do an entire special not facing the
camera Mitch Hedberg had a unique
perspective on comedy and a delivery
that had fans dying of laughter in the
aisles more scratching their heads and
confusion Comedy Central Presents Mitch
Hedberg may have started out as simply
another half-hour of comedy from the
channels long-running series but it
ended up as an early showcase for one of
stand-ups most promising stars like
wearing a turtleneck is like being
strangled by a really weak guy the
special was simple and to the point
broadcasting Hedberg shy stoner stage
presence with a barrage of wordplay
one-liners that were instantly quotable
head Burke’s 2005 death may have robbed
the comedy world of his great potential
but at least we have these laughs to
remember him by I thought myself hard to
play the guitar which was a bad decision
because I didn’t know how to play it so
I was a shitty teacher number 8 Sam
Kinison breaking the rules
breaking the rules was released right at
the cusp of Sam kinnison’s major
mainstream success as the louder than
hell voice of heavy metal comedy the
1987 HBO special brought together all of
the comedian’s fantastic early material
with a delivery which by this point was
honed to perfection making the rules
touched upon such taboo subjects as
religion and necrophilia while at the
same time making the most of kinnison’s
early life as a Pentecostal preacher Sam
was all fire brimstone and hilarious
anger possessing an almost effortless
connection with his audience that even
today is absolutely remarkable I love
those churches out there I saw when the
other date says where the church where
everybody somebody but Jesus far
number seven Robin Williams live on
Broadway and sweating like crazy up here
right now but his HBO cos it’s live
Robin Williams had nothing to prove when
he released his fourth HBO special the
actor and comedian was already a
certified star at this point and long
removed from his Mork & Mindy days as
such live on Broadway showcases a
supremely confident Williams onstage in
front of a ready and willing New York
crowd and if you’re ever in Amish
country to see a man with his arm buried
in a horse’s ass that’s a mechanic
remember that Robin touches upon then
topical subjects like Michael Jackson
and Anne Heche but it’s Williams
observational humor and natural delivery
that are the real gold live on Broadway
is all manic and relentless energy a
portrait of a comedic artist that makes
his absence all the more poignant today
Irie man
Jamaica would never make an atomic bomb
they may make an atomic bomb number six
louis c.k shameless okay we’ll address
the elephant in the room in 2017 louis
c.k confirmed multiple reports of sexual
misconduct tarnishing his reputation as
one of the great comedians of his
generation
however taken on its own merits his 2007
stand-up special shameless still
resonates as a prime example of ck’s
power as a comedic auteur
nobody wants to blow a guy and then go
to Ikea with him all day that’s not many
comics have reflected upon the minutiae
of everyday life but none has done so
with quite the same skill you’re all
looking each other
like a silent movie of impatient people
y’know Louie is a master of redirection
starting down such normal paths as
marriage and Parenthood but ending up
with punch lines that are revealing in
dark yet simultaneously side-splitting
it’s a wonder to behold and essential
viewing for anyone interested in the art
and pathos of comedy who can get past
the general akina’s that is I love to
shit it’s my favorite thing I don’t know
why they call it number 2 I think it’s
easily the best one it’s my orchestra
boy number 5 Richard Pryor live in
concert choosing the best of Richard
Pryor’s work is a difficult task but
live in concert ranks up there not only
in priors and evil career but also among
the finest stand-up performances of all
time by anyone
priors influence as a comedian cannot be
understated and live in concert
showcases Richard at the height of his
prowess as a cultural commentator and
storyteller sure it’s profane as hell
and not the least bit politically
correct but it’s also a hilarious and
vital moment of the man’s career and is
an essential part of any proper comedy
education
can you turn on some water please
number four Chris Rock bring the pain he
may be a household name in comedy today
but it was a slightly different story
when rock shot his second HBO special
bring the pain the performance
solidified the inimitable Rock delivery
we know and love and also shot the
comedian into the public eye completely
rebounding his career in a glass case
Chris didn’t shy away from anything and
bring the pain commenting on touchy
subjects like race with a voice that was
both humorous and furious Rock would
double down only two years later with
bigger and blacker a performance that
only echoed the comic status as one of
the premiere stand-up voices of his
generation yo baby number three on
location George Carlin at USC I mean
most of the time ass is alright on
television you can say well you’ve made
a perfect ass of yourself tonight but
you can’t say yo half-ass George Carlin
was a true wordsmith a man whose usage
of the English language was honed to a
razor’s edge and a hunter’s accuracy
live at USC was Carlin’s first HBO
special and as such he was basically
exploring what could be considered new
territory in 1977 going to the
supermarket in the head neighborhood and
take a look at the cookie section in
fact network execs were so worried about
Carlin’s famous seven dirty words bit
that they actually froze the feed and
included a message informing audiences
about the language used before
continuing with the special it may seem
quaint
today but this is just a small example
of how much impact Carlin had as one of
comedies finest voices can’t say yeah
you can say teats teats is ok if you’re
on at five in the morning and a cow is
your guest number two dave chappelle
killing them softly no cokehead
president
maybe selling nuclear secrets for twenty
thirty dollars and shit before Chappelle
show turned him into a household name
Dave Chappelle was slaying audiences
with his inaugural HBO special killing
them softly comedy ages and some
specials don’t hold up but killing them
softly is just as funny today as it was
back in 2000 a real and honest
collection of material from one of
modern comedies defining voices
yeah Astor era grouch
it’s like a little trash can the voices
of Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx echo
loudly in Chappelle’s work while his
delivery is smooth and conversational
like a close friend killing them softly
is low-key and unassuming but like all
great comedy it’s also personal real and
honest David We Need to Talk
before we unveil our number-one pick
here are some honorable mentions three
things you could see from outer space
you could see the Great Wall of China
you can see ah the Grand Canyon you can
see Oprah Winfrey’s air so though I’m
not a one-night thing I think a person
should get to know someone and even be
in love with them before you use and
degrade them 30 Asians are blacks in the
back that’s gonna be the name of the DVD
that’s it that’s the name number one
Eddie Murphy delirious
is there any stand-up special as popular
or influential as Eddie Murphy’s
delirious this 1983 performance turned
Murphy into a legitimate comedy badass a
rock star decked out in iconic red
leather and he already made serious
waves during his tenure on Saturday
Night Live but delirious was when the
stars aligned just right
and Murphy truly broke out into the
mainstream although the AIDS and
homosexuality material hasn’t exactly
aged well delirious on the whole is
something combustible and cosmic a
perfect storm of look talent and
delivery that has rarely been equaled by
any comic past or present
goonie-goo-goo-foofie
[Applause]
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