I read today*
that according to some cunts, the most influential comedian of all time is Billy Connolly - and the most influential international comedian is Robin Williams.

That doesn't sound quite right, to me. I suppose 'influential' does not mean 'funny', though...

But who should they have named EDIT and why?

* www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/888767-billy-connolly-named-most-influential-stand-up-comic-of-all-time
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:18, 87 replies, latest was 14 years ago)

Lee Evans.
He's well funny.
(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:27, Reply)

baldmonkey

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:28, Reply)

indeed. or perhaps Carlton Mellick III

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:37, Reply)

I thought he only influenced BM's face?

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:43, Reply)

don't underestimate the importance of baldmonkey's face to British comedy.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:44, Reply)

Or on any other aspect of British culture.
Where would contemporary dance be without his chin?
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:58, Reply)

Bill Hicks, obviously.

( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:30, Reply)

unintentional comedy is often better
like the tourettes teenagers or the narcoleptics or the politicians.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:30, Reply)

Peter Kay.
The best observational comedian that has ever lived.
(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:31, Reply)

'Remember observation comedy?'

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:40, Reply)

now I know you're taking the piss.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:41, Reply)

Well spotted.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:42, Reply)

It's monday.
I spent the weekend overdosing on antihistamines and wine. I'm amazed I can type, frankly
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:44, Reply)

Crisps! Who remembers crisps? Eh? Crisps!

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:55, Reply)

Do you remember them sweets we used to have when we were kids?
I haven't had those since I were a kid. Eh? Sweets!
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:02, Reply)

Interesting...
Most influential - as voted by other comics - is something of an accolade. However to add the rider 'of all time' is a bit of an overstatement in my view. What about Lenny Bruce? Bill Hicks?( Yeah I know he was inconsistent and I'll probably be flamed).
Don't get me wrong, BC and RW have both done what I think comedians should do - make you both cry with laughter AND take a look at the society you live in - but there are present comics that do the same thing - Steve Hughes being just one of the new crop.

I'll reserve judgement.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:33, Reply)

Christ. I bet you could suck the joy out of a funeral.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:56, Reply)

The Chuckle Brothers

(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:34, Reply)

Trev and or Simon

(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:34, Reply)

Ant and Dec

(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:34, Reply)

Tommy Cooper
He influenced people just like that.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:34, Reply)

Jim Davidson

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:36, Reply)

BILLY!!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9evkZPPvcs
( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:37, Reply)

Denis Leary, the thinking mans Bill Hicks

( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:39, Reply)

'Denis Leary, the thinking mans Bill Hicks'
Alternatively 'Denis Leary, plagiarising git'

YMMV
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:46, Reply)

Someone was going to bite eventually

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:47, Reply)

Lenny Henry

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:41, Reply)

Adolf Hitler
Stay with me here...
You have to track back with these things - A influenced B who influenced C and so on.
Many comedians reference Monty Python, who in turn were influenced by Spike Milligan/Goons, who was in turn influenced by his experiences in WW2 - Hitler: the founder of British Comedy.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:42, Reply)

I agree with this. Shell shocked people make the best comedians
Take the current crop of popular comedians, put them under a decent mortar stonk, and voila, they'll all be much funnier. If not to hear, then to look at.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:51, Reply)

Bert.

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:42, Reply)

Cannon and Ball.

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:44, Reply)

Hale and Pace.

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:44, Reply)

Les Dennis and Dustin Gee

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:45, Reply)

Russ Abbott

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:45, Reply)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFPLk5mJ1D4
( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:46, Reply)

Classic pop
Was there a follow-up single or album?

Edit: Three albums, according to wikipedia.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:48, Reply)

Classic Folding bike.
Not often you see a Bickerton in a pop video.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:04, Reply)

Jethro.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:49, Reply)

"what happened was..."

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:50, Reply)

I hate that bastard.
"GET ON WITH IT".
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:55, Reply)

"I was giving her the portion..."

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:57, Reply)

Tom O'Connor

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:51, Reply)

Little and Large

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:51, Reply)

I don't think people are treating the subject of comedy seriously enough.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:53, Reply)

I know, no one has even mentioned Michael Mcintyre

(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:54, Reply)

He has clearly been a major influence on you

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:57, Reply)

I can no longer look at a toaster without lolling and saying "omg so true"

(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:59, Reply)

There's no accounting for taste I suppose.
Both men were funny, at the time. Just doesn't look that funny now.

Personally, I thought Bill Hicks was average. George Carlin is funnier imho.

Don't forget, this poll is derived from the viewers of Dave, the home of witty banter.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:54, Reply)

Robin Williams has never been funny.
Unless you find 'hey! I'm putting on a silly voice' funny. In which case you probably find Jim Carrey funny. In which case you're cunt.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:56, Reply)

At the time, it was funny. To people, you know.
Like The Great Suprendo.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:57, Reply)

I've had a jacuzzi with the great suprendo.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:58, Reply)

Are you Victoria Wood?

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:59, Reply)

She was there too.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:01, Reply)

Sexy

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:02, Reply)

Victoria Wouldn't.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:31, Reply)

Mork was great.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:57, Reply)

I thought it was terrible, myself.
'Nanoo nanoo' my shitpipe.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:58, Reply)

Ah come on.
Who couldn't love the gushing sentimentality of his weekly report back to Orson? Or his clumsy romancing of Mindy? Or the fucking massive space baby that hatched out of the egg in the greatest Jumping The Shark moment in television history?
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:00, Reply)

Me.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:17, Reply)

Yeah. But you are dead inside.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:34, Reply)

And outside.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:35, Reply)

Yes but other people liked it.
Do you understand that the sun does not revolve around you?
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:00, Reply)

BURN THE HERETIC

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:01, Reply)

John Inman

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:55, Reply)

The answer is obviously Freddie Starr.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:55, Reply)

Phil Jupitus

(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:56, Reply)

The Goodies

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:56, Reply)

Funnier than Monty Python. Fact.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:58, Reply)

The black pudding fight sketch is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:59, Reply)

Michael McIntyre

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:58, Reply)

Duncan Norvelle.
If you are all going to be fucking stupid about it.

Jimmy Cricket.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:58, Reply)

Cricket was and is truly superb in every way.
A kind of proto-Pasquale, if you will.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:00, Reply)

I worked with Pasquale cousin a few years ago.
She looks and sounds just like him.

Any comedian that comes on stage and does a baby voice.......?
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:03, Reply)

Mike Yarwood.

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:59, Reply)

Bobby Davro

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:00, Reply)

I saw Davro live when I was about seven or eight years old
At the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington. I lolled.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:04, Reply)

I used to think that Brian Cant was funny when I was seven.

(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:07, Reply)

Monty Boyce
For his threads that inspire a humorous list of names.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:01, Reply)

Brian Conley

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:02, Reply)

ITS AHHH PUPPPEEHHHTTTTT
/lol
(PsychoChomp, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:03, Reply)

Sid James

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:04, Reply)

Anyone who mentions Hancock and or "tortured genius"
is going to get a smack.
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:06, Reply)

I would love to have tortured that dullard.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:16, Reply)

For "tortured" read "boring alcoholic".

(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:18, Reply)

Cannon and Ball.

( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:06, Reply)

b3ta.com/questions/offtopic/post1515333
( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:07, Reply)

YES!

( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:16, Reply)

Benny Hill.

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:09, Reply)

I do a really good billy connoly impression, it goes *bad fake scottish accent* "Hellooo, I'm billy connolly and I'm SCOTish". */ends accent*.

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:13, Reply)

Rubbish.
You didn't mention "a wee jobby".
(Set your faces to Stunned Bigly, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:15, Reply)

I once worked in the SHIPYARDS!!!!!
imagine that!!!!

There was this guy there that done a wee JOBBY!!
( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:17, Reply)