These are the 100 Greatest Stand Up Comics of All Time as ranked by Comedy Central and discussed by comedians Greg Giraldo, Dom Irerra, Judy Gold, and Mario Joyner and rotating guests Phyllis Diller, Richard Jeni, Pat Cooper, David Brenner, and Richard Lewis. They aired the list over the course of the week of April 12th-16th on
Comedy Central.
The show itself was severely lacking, particularly because the four main panelists rarely knew anything noteworthy to distinguish any of these comics from one another. There was an everpresent variation of "he/she really opened the door for other african-american / latino / female / satirical / improvisational / prop comics everywhere" to be said for everybody on the list, along with other token phrases like "he/she really knows how to own his/her material" and "he/she really puts his/her audience at ease and just enjoys himself/herself".
All in all, while the list does have enough merit to be of use (At the least it's a comedian metanode) I determine the whole gimmick as just a way for Comedy Central to sell DVDs. I mean, they'll put on Wanda Sykes (Who has a Comedy Central DVD available), but not Whoopi Goldberg? Are Kevin James, David Alan Grier and Jim Breuer (all of whom have Comedy Central DVDs) all really more impactual, important and funny than Sarah Silverman (Who did not make the list)? Not even mentioning the severe lack of comedians overseas (While Bob Hope was born in England, it's Eddie Izzard who represents here). Maybe I'm just a Conspiracy Theorist. That being said, they at least left out Carrot Top.
Here's the list.
100. Gallagher
99. Janeane Garofalo
98. Louis C.K.
97. Sandra Bernhard
96. Joey Bishop
95. Andrew Dice Clay
94. David Alan Grier
93. George Wallace
92. Louie Anderson
91. Jim Breuer
90. Dana Carvey
89. Kevin James
88. Paula Poundstone
87. Brett Butler
86. Jay Mohr
85. David Cross
84. Drew Carey
83. Norm MacDonald
82. Howie Mandel
81. Dick Gregory
80. Bobby Slayton
79. Dom Irerra
78. Cedric The Entertainer
77. Paul Reiser
76. Robert Schimmel
75. Eddie Izzard
74. Paul Rodriguez
73. Elaine Boosler
72. Bernie Mac
71. Red Buttons
70. Wanda Sykes
69. Pat Cooper
68. Dave Attel
67. Kevin Pollack
66. Shelley Burman
65. Sinbad
64. Richard Belzer
63. Jackie Mason
62. Eddie Griffin
61. Bobcat Goldthwait
60. Jeff Foxworthy
59. Gilbert Gottfried
58. Larry Miller
57. Richard Jeni
56. Colin Quinn
55. Alan King
54. D.L. Hughley
53. David Brenner
52. Damon Wayans
51. Lewis Black
50. Denis Leary
49. Freddie Prinze
48. Tim Allen
47. Henny Youngman
46. Adam Sandler
45. Richard Lewis
44. Joan Rivers
43. Dave Chappelle
42. Flip Wilson
41. Jon Stewart
40. Mort Sahl
39. Billy Crystal
38. Bill Maher
37. Martin Lawrence
36. Jim Carrey
35. Phyllis Diller
34. Buddy Hackett
33. Andy Kaufman
32. Albert Brooks
31. George Burns
30. Garry Shandling
29. Milton Berle
28. Jack Benny
27. Jay Leno
26. Ray Romano
25. Bob Hope
24. Redd Foxx
23. Steven Wright
22. Robert Klein
21. Dennis Miller
20. Sam Kinison
19. Bill Hicks
18. Jonathan Winters
17. Don Rickles
16. Ellen Degeneres
15. David Letterman
14. Bob Newhart
13. Robin Williams
12. Jerry Seinfeld
11. Johnny Carson
10. Eddie Murphy
9. Roseanne Barr
8. Bill Cosby
7. Rodney Dangerfield
6. Steve Martin
5. Chris Rock
4. Woody Allen
3. Lenny Bruce
2. George Carlin
1. Richard Pryor