In any industry it would be impressive to work with the top 100 in your field. Most of the time it’s subjective as to who the best 100 are but I’m sure each trade, officially or not, has it’s own way of ranking it’s members. In finance it’s obviously money, in sports it’s with championships and with stand-up comedy there is also a standard. No, it’s not a lifetime laugh count or punch-line to heckle ratio, one of the gold standard has become the Comedy Central TOP 100 Comics of All Time list which I have worked with six of it’s members. In addition to the six that I have directly opened for, I also have some interesting run-ins with a few other comedians on this list.
The 6 that I have opened for are:
David Allen Grier #94 (House of Comedy – Minnesota)
Louie Anderson #92 (Palace Station – Las Vegas)
Norm MacDonald #83 (Icehouse – Pasadena)
Robert Schimmel #76 (Penguin’s Comedy Club – Quad Cities)
SINBAD #65 (Improv – Louisville)
Bobcat Goldthwait #61 (The Secret Show at The Blind Barber – Culver City)
Other TOP 100 comics who I have an interesting story with:
100. Gallagher (Met him in Louisville at the Comedy Caravan, he’s kind of an ass)
98. Louis C.K. (Saw him live in Mpls, with Chad Daniels, may be the best club show I’ve ever seen)
97. Sandra Bernhard (Saw her in Mpls at a show where she took her top off)
95. Andrew Dice Clay (Have done open mics with his son in Los Angeles)
93. George Wallace (Met him at The Las Vegas Comedy Festival… p.s. He’s gay)
80. Bobby Slayton (saw him perform at The Melrose Improv in Hollywood)
79. Dom Irerra (Saw him at the Comedy Store in L.A. do a great set on a shit show)
70. Wanda Sykes (Saw her do a guest set at The Comedy & Magic Club in CA)
66. Shelley Burman (Met him at The Las Vegas Comedy Festival)
63. Jackie Mason (Met him on the street in NYC)
57. Richard Jeni (He came to one of my shows in Reno a few weeks before he killed himself)
52. Damon Wayans (Work with him at Flappers in Burbank)
44. Joan Rivers (Met her at the premier of her film in 2010)
27. Jay Leno (Saw him live at The Comedy & Magic Club in CA)
8. Bill Cosby (Saw him live at The State Theater in Mpls)
5. Chris Rock (Saw him live at The Orpheum in Mpls)
2. George Carlin (Saw him live at The Orpheum in Mpls)
Here is the rest of 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