Top 10 Comedians

Stand-up comedy is one of the best ways to get entertained, and comedians today have all developed their own distinct style of comedy and repertoire of jokes. Life is full of instances and events that can be utilized as comic material, and it takes an astute eye to observe these minor details. Presenting them in a manner that appeals to and amuses people of all ages and nationalities is a gift that not everyone is blessed with, and this is why the best comedians around are so much in demand.

There have been thousands of stand up comedians over the years, but there are some names which distinctly come to mind. The Internet has given us a chance to know about comedians from around the world, but the truly great ones always shine through the mediocrity. Here is a list of the top 10 comedians today, in no particular order.

Eddie Izzard
Eddie Izzard (February 7, 1962) is a British comedian, actor and voice artist. He is well-known for his incessant rambling style and dyslexic cohesion between two seemingly unrelated issues. He is also well-known as the comedian who dresses up like a woman for his shows. He has acted in a few movies in addition to performing his famous shows Unrepeatable, Definite Article, Glorious, Dress to Kill, Circle, Sexie and Stripped.

Russell Peters
Russell Peters (September 29, 1970) is a Canadian stand up comedian with Anglo-Indian roots, and boy, he never lets you forget that. His shows usually go down the path of extreme racism, but are unbelievably funny in nature. Watch him as he places people from all nationalities into stereotypical humor. He has performed shows all over the world, in more than 20 countries.

Robin Williams
Robin Williams (July 21, 1951) is a multiple award-winning American actor, who is also well-known for his stand up comedy acts. He has performed many shows over the years and these primarily deal with political scenarios and characters. His shows are some of the longest running shows around, and though he has not performed anything recently, he remains one of the top comedians ever.

Chris Rock
Chris Rock (February 7, 1965) is an American actor and stand up comedian and has been personally mentored by the great Eddie Murphy. He tops the list of black comedians around, and is known to create his material based on his own adolescent and pubescent experiences. Comedy Central went so far as to name Chris Rock the 5th greatest comedian of all time.

Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy (April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, producer, director and singer who you might associate with the voice of the character 'Donkey' from the Shrek series. But in reality he has done so much more in his long and illustrious career, making him one of the best comedians. He has worked in numerous comedy shows in his time, and is one of the most recognizable comedians around the world. He has easily mastered the art of various types of comedy in his time.

Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld (April 29, 1954) is a hugely popular American comedian, actor and writer and is synonymous with the self titled TV sitcom (Seinfeld), which is a show about nothing. He co-created and co-wrote the show, which developed a cult following over time. Today he is a part of many projects and is one of the most talked about people in the comedy circuit.

David Chapelle
Dave Chapelle (August 24, 1973) is another well-known American comedian, actor, script writer and producer. For years he was the star of 'Chapelle's Show' on Comedy Central, and made a name for himself. Sketch comedy, which is a form of stand up comedy, was made full use of by Chapelle, and he gained a lot of popularity and fans worldwide.

Peter Kay
Peter Kay (July 2, 1973) is a British comedian, actor, writer, producer and director who certainly deserves to be in this list. He is acknowledged as one of the best British stand up comedians around, and has a load of work and material to back up these claims.

Russell Brand
Russell Brand (June 4, 1975) is another British comedian, actor, author, columnist and TV presenter who is worthy of being included in the top ten comedians list. He has a slightly controversial profile in the British media, but this in no way over-rules the amazingly funny material and content that he dishes out through various sources.

Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell (July 16, 1967) is a hugely popular American comedian, actor, writer and voice over artist. He is fast emerging as one of the more popular characters in new age comedy along with Jack Black, and is well-known for a lot of movies. He has performed various shows in his career, and a lot more is expected of him in the future.

Other Notable Comedians

• Richard Pryor
• Redd Foxx
• Bill Cosby
• Bill Murray
• George Carlin
• Dick Gregory
• Flip Wilson
• Bob Hope
• Billy Crystal
• Groucho Marx
• Adam Sandler
• Jack Black
• Mike Myers
• Mitch Hedberg
• Ricky Gervais
• Sarah Silverman
• Patton Oswalt
• Zach Galifianakis
• Jim Gaffigan