Courage, phenomenal skill. ibid. Armstrong
She’s a stand up comedian doing jokes. ibid. Punt
She was a clown. She was a clown with a purpose. And the purpose was to make people laugh. And she did. ibid. Norman
A genuine groundbreaking for women in comedy. ibid. Punt
The so-called trailblazers, the breakthroughs: Lucille Ball became a television star, a glamorous very good woman who pulled faces and fell down and clowned around and became a star. Comedy Legends with Barry Cryer s2e8: Lucille Ball
A lot of films … the comic element in her came out … ibid.
One of the first sitcoms on tele: I love Lucy. ibid.
Terry Thomas: he was in everything, and quite right too. Comedy Legends with Barry Cryer s2e9: Terry Thomas
So beautifully amoral and anarchic throughout the entire film, absolutely no shame. ibid. Stephen Armstrong
He was a very versatile performer. ibid. Steve Punt
How we see the English cad today. ibid. Armstrong
One of the absolute if not the leading man of that repertory company in British film comedy was Sid James. Comedy Legends with Barry Cryer s2e10: Sid James
He’s got the wonderful soft of crackly 60-a-day smoker’s voice. ibid. Norman
He had this fantastic dirty laugh. ibid. Stephen Armstrong
It worked in the context of Carry On. And there he was. ibid. Cryer
Billy Connolly was a complete breakthrough. Comedy Legends with Barry Cryer s2e11: Billy Connolly
‘The bridge to alternative comedy.’ ibid. Steve Punt
Who was Peter Sellers? A man of many faces, many masks, the most superb user of voices on the radio … The man was a complete comedian, chameleon. Comedy Legends with Barry Cryer s2e12: Peter Sellers
Remember when comedy meant males doing jokes about females, like wives and mothers in law? Well the tables have turned. The History of Comedy s1e1: The Funnier Sex, US television host, Sky Arts 2020
Jean Carroll: The Frankie Laine Show 1955 … Phyllis Diller: The Jack Paar Show 1960 … Totie Fields: The Merv Griffin Show 1966 … Moms Marley & Woody Allen: The Merv Griffin Show 1969 … Joan Rivers: The Ed Sullivan Show 1968 … Lucille Ball: I love Lucy 1952 … Carol Burnett: The Carol Burnett Show 1967 … Mary Tyler: The Mary Tyler Moore Show 1971 … Elaine May & Mike Nichols: The Jack Paar Show 1960 … Lily Tomlin: The Merv Griffin Show 1967 … Elayne Boosler: The Merv Griffin Show 1979 … Rosie O’Donnell: Catch a Rising Star’s 25th Anniversary 1996 … Paula Poundstone: Wisecracks 1991 … Carrie Snow: Wisecracks 1991 … Marsha Warfield: Uptown Comedy Express 1987 … Judy Tenuta: Women of the Night 1987 … Carol Leifer: The Merv Griffin Show 1986 … Rita Rudner: The 9th Annual Young Comedians Special 1984 … Woopi Goldberg: Larry King Live 1994 … Roseanne Barr: Good Morning America 1986 … Ellen Degeneres: Wisecracks 1991 … Kathy Griffin: Uncabaret 1994 … Margaret Cho: The World According to Us 1992 … Tina Fey: World News Now 2000 … Sarah Silverman: CBS SUnday Morning 2006 … Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me 2009 … Amy Schumer: Inside Amy Schumer 2015 … Betty White: The Merv Griffin Show 1966 … ibid.
Craig Ferguson: Does This Need to Be Said 2011 … Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles 2013 … A Few Moments with Eddie Cantor 1923 … Eva Puck & Sammy White … George Burns & Gracie Allen … Leon Devoe & Mannie King … Jack Benny … Lenny Bruce and George Carlin Chicago 1962 … George Carlin: Class Clown 1972 … Redd Foxx: Laff of the Party 1956 … Richard Pryor: That Nigger’s Crazy 1974 … Eddie Murphy: Raw 1987 … Gilbert Gottfriend: Greetings from Gilbert 1986 … Bobcat Goldthwait: An Evening with Bobcat: Share the Warmth 1987 … Sam Kinison: Young Comedians Special 1984 … Andrew Dice Clay: Dice Rules 1991 … Ali Wong: Baby Cobra 2016 … Jim Jefferies. The History of Comedy s1e2: F****** Funny
A performance artist fuelled by beer. The History of Comedy s1e3: Spark of Madness, Richard Lewis’s son
A lot of comedians are people that are very introverted, very shy, very sensitive to humiliation. ibid. Patton Oswald
Woody Allen: Hootenanny 1963 … Lenny Bruce: The Steve Allen Show 1959 … Joan Rivers … Jonathan Winters … WTF With Marc Maron 2011 … Steve Martin: A Wild & Crazy Guy 1978 … Andy Kaufman: Saturday Night Live 1975 … Richard Pryor … Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm … George Carlin: Again! 1978 … Bill Hicks: Comedys Dirtiest Dozen 1988 … Doug Benson: Super High Me 2008 … Sam Kinison: Family Entertainment House 1991 … Maria Bamford: Comedy Central Presents 2007 … ibid.
I’ve never really done straight comedy. ibid. Kaufman
You’ve got to go full-tilt bozzo. ’Cause you’re only given a little spark of madness. And if you lose that, that’s enough. ibid. Robin Williams
Dad had some steel balls. ibid. Richard Pryor’s daughter
The laugh is over and then it’s a panic. ibid. Richard Pryor
Eddie Murphy: Delirious 1983 … Jim Norton: Monster Rain 2007 … Nikki Glaser: The Standups 2017 … Leslie Jones: Problem Child 2010 The History of Comedy … Patrice O’Neal: Elephant in the Room 2011 … Belle Barth: The Merv Griffin Show 1966 … Pearl Williams: A Trip Around the World is Not a Cruise 1961 … Rusty Warren: Rusty Warren Bounces Back 1961 … Sommore: The Queens of Comedy 2001 … Nikki Glaser: Not Safe With Nikki Glaser 2016 … Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles 2013 … Whitney Cummings: I Love You 2014 … Gabe Liedman: The Half Hour 2013 … The History of Comedy s2e1: Carnal Knowledge
W/ Bob & David 2015 … Saturday Night Live 1975 … Key & Peele 2012 … SCTV 1976 … The Kids in the Hall 1988 … Your Show of Shows 1950 … The Carol Burnett Show 1967 … Monty Python’s Flying Circus 1974 (US) … The Second City 1990 … The Groundlings … Waiting for Guffman 1996 … A Mighty Wind 2003 … Curb Your Enthusiasm 2000 … The Dana Carvey Show 1996 … The Ben Stiller Show 1993 … In Living Colour 1990 … Portlandia 2011 … The History of Comedy s2e2: Sketch & Improv
‘A part of us that’s always twelve-years-old.’ The History of Comedy s2e3: Drawn to be Funny, Mike Myers
The Ren & Stimpy Show 1991 … Beavis & Butt-head 1993 … The Flintstones 1960 … Rick & Morty 2013 … Steamboat Willie 1928 … Bully for Bugs 1953 … Mouse Trouble 1944 … Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures 1997 … The Simpsons 1989 … South Park 1997 … Siskel & Ebert 1992 … Toy Story 1995 … The Lego Movie 2014 … Shrek 2001 … The PJs 1999 … Bob’s Burgers 2011 … Aviation Vacation 1941 … Sealab 2021 2000 … Robot Chicken 2005 … Rick & Morty 2013 … Archer 2009 … Family Guy 1998 … Spongebob Squarepants 1999 … Llamas with Hats 2009 … ibid.
‘We find the lost comedians are profound because we were fun with them and they were in our homes.’ The History of Comedy s2e4: Gone Too Soon, Mike Myers
Bill Hicks 1961-1994 … Gilda Radnor 1946-1989 … Mitch Hedberg 1968-2005 … Bernie Mac 1957-2008 … George Carlin 1937-2008 … Robin Williams 1951-2014 … John Belushi: Saturday Night Live 1971 … Phil Hartman 1948-1998 … John Candy: Uncle Buck 1999 … Freddie Prinze: The Johnny Carson Show … Charlie Barnett 1954-1996 … Harris Wittels: Parks & Recreation 2013 … Totel Fields: On Location 1977 … Tig Notaro: Conan 2014 … Bernie Mac … Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn 2003 … Patrice O’Neal: Comedy Central Presents 2003 … ibid.
Bill Hicks: ‘You’re talking about the Mount Rushmore of Comedy.’ W Kamau Bell, comedian
‘When you can find two people that can work off each other, there’s nothing more brilliant to watch.’ The History of Comedy s2e5: In It Together, Sean Hayes
Tina Fey & May Poehler: Saturday Night Live 2008 … Oh, Hello on Broadway 2017 … Weber & Fields … The Jackie Gleason Show 1962 … The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show 1950 … Lou Costello & Bud Abbott Meet the Invisible Man … Laurel & Hardy: Putting Pants on Philip 1927 … Thelma Todd & Zazu Pitts: The Pyjama Party … Show Business 1932 … The Three Stooges: Hollywood on Parade 1934 … Bob Hope & Bing Crosby: Road to Utopia: 1946 … Richard Pryor & Gene Wilder: Silver Streak 1976 … John Belushi & Dan Akroyd: The Blues Brothers … Wayne’s World 1992 … Arthur Worsley [doll] & Charles Brown: The Ed Sullivan Show 1958 … The Muppet Movie 1979 … Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis … Willie Tyler & Lester [doll] … The Dina Shore Chevy Show 1959 … Groucho Marx: The Dick Cavett Show 1970 … Duck Soup 1933 … Broad City 2015 … Key & Peele 2012 … Bob Odenkirk: Mr Show with Bob & David 1997 … Lucas Brothers: On Drugs 2017 … Grace & Frankie 2017 … Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee 2012 … Three Amigos 1986. ibid.
But say something clean and get a laugh, that requires a comedian.’ The History of Comedy s2e6: No Offense, Groucho Marx interview
Chonda Pierce … Jeff Foxworthy … The Epitome of Hyperbole 2008 … Bill Cosby 1983 … Chris Rock … Thank God for Jokes 2017 … Tig Notaro … Lewis Black … Steven Wright … Red-Headed Woman 1932 … I Love Lucy 1951 … Seinfeld … In Living Color 1990 … 2 Broke Girls 2011 … The Office 2005 … Tim Allen: Tim Allen Rewires America 1991 … Sommore: The Queens of Comedy 2001 … Ryan Hamilton: Happy Face 2017 … That’s What I’m Talking About 2013 … George Carlin: The George Carlin Show 1994 … Whitney Cummins: Whitney 2011 & The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 2010 … Bernie Mac: The Original Kings of Comedy 2000 … George Lopez: The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 1991 … Bill Hicks: The Dave Letterman Show 1991 [finally broadcast before Bill Hicks’ mother] … Jim Norton … Jiff Gaffigan … ibid.
‘I was swinging through the trees holding on to my nuts.’ Heroes of Comedy s1e1: Frankie Howerd, Thames 1995
‘You’re making mock of Francis.’ ibid.