jen / April 16, 2008 9:41 AM

hands-down louis c.k.
everything i've seen him do has been hilarious (and yes, i love pootie tang).

annie / April 16, 2008 10:27 AM

I used to go to Comedy clubs around town much more than I do now, but there are some pretty funnylocal people that have impressed me. Pat McGann. And other folks whose names I don't remember. I think Seinfeld has been spewing the same shit for the last 10 years, seriously, he's washed up and should give it up...how much more money could he need? That being said, Chris Rock is still the funniest M.F.'er around, no matter how successful.

jennifer / April 16, 2008 10:41 AM

I will never tire of Patton Oswalt, Eugene Mirman, or Maria Bamford.

kate / April 16, 2008 10:51 AM

Mitch Hedberg was one funny dude.

Zach Galifianiks gives me a serious case of the chuckles.

jess sayne / April 16, 2008 11:20 AM

There's a local dude...K.C.Green..
He's a hoot!!
I've caught his act fequently at a few Near North bars.
**usually for no charge***
Check him out.

Mo / April 16, 2008 11:45 AM

Recently, TJ Miller came back to the Lincoln Lodge, and I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. I'm trying to catch more stand up around town these days.

I've always loved Eddie Izzard, though I don't like The Riches. His standup is brilliant, though.

boomer / April 16, 2008 12:13 PM

John Pinnette. Saw him at Zanies earlier this month. Haven't laughed that hard in a looong time.

steven / April 16, 2008 2:00 PM

Jim Gaffigan, Stephen Lynch, Jake Johansen, Drunk History (funnyordie.com), Kevin James.

Joseph / April 16, 2008 2:28 PM

Larry "Bubbles" Brown. I saw him at a little club in San Francisco a few years back. His quirky attitude along with the fact that it was "dirty night" pretty much sealed the deal.
As far as big time comedians, George Carlin as well as old Eddie Murphy(Raw and Delirious)

Spook / April 16, 2008 2:55 PM

Dave Chappelle
and Richard Pryor!

Josh / April 16, 2008 3:10 PM

Some people refer to George Carlin as "Yoda" with good reason.

Chris Rock is our gold standard.

Patton Oswalt and David Cross are also incredible. I wish they released albums more often.

Bobby Lee - all by himself - makes Mad TV worth watching.

Hootie / April 16, 2008 3:46 PM

Chris Rock, Katt Williams (yeah, I know, but something about that crass runt's comedy routine cracks me up), Louis CK, Dave Chappelle (actually to me he's way funnier in interviews that in his "official" stand uproutine), parts of Jim Gaffigan, parts of Lisa Lampanelli, all of Dave Attel (he cracke me up just looking at him and I miss "Insomniac"), and locally, Hannibal. C'mon folks, where's the Chicago love?

Oh, and I usually hate comedians that mix music into their routines, but Flight of the Conchords are the exception(s).

Dan / April 16, 2008 4:11 PM

Brian Regan is a funny man.

Steven / April 16, 2008 6:20 PM

No one pulls a face better than Margaret Cho.

Dutch101 / April 16, 2008 8:05 PM

Patton Oswalt pretty much makes me shoot milk out my nose. I was listening to his bit about playing Alvin and the Chipmunks records at slow speed once on the train and I was laughing so hard I was in tears and the whole train was staring at me. He's funny live too, though he was using a lot of the bits from his disc.

I thought Louis Black was pretty damn funny live, though on TV he leaves me flat.

There's a few others that are pretty good, too, but they've all been covered.

kelly / April 16, 2008 9:23 PM

Straight up stand-up: Patton Oswalt.

Comedy writers: Tina Fey and whoever else is writing 30 Rock. The smartest, most hilarious comedy writing/performing out there. I will be devastated if it does not return for another 4 seasons.

doris cloesin / April 17, 2008 8:18 AM

..an old school dude.. Slappy G.
before catching his show you'd be best to "lock your doors and keep the kids inside"
childish humor with an adult twist..
kind of half a boy and half a man...pretty, pretty,pretty...good.

Cletus Warhol / April 17, 2008 12:15 PM

Add me to the Patton Oswalt chorus (plus the whole Comedians of Comedy crowd) and Doug Stanhope's recent special No Refunds is some of the funniest most biting stuff I've heard in years.

skee bop / April 17, 2008 1:08 PM

I was in reckless records the other day while waiting to go into a show at the lakeshore and they were playing a Todd Barry album that was hilarious. The whole store would erupt in laughter after each joke. I had never heard of him, but thought his stuff would be well worth catching live. Lo and behold, he's going to be at the lakeshore tomorrow night, so i got some tickets.

mare / April 17, 2008 4:53 PM

Tim 'n Eric! They'll be at the Empty Bottle on April 27th.

Kelly / April 17, 2008 10:49 PM

The Money Kids!!

http://moneykids.net