Current Events > Is Conan the funniest man of all time?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I can think of comedians who are/were better at one particular thing, but I don't know if I can think of any single person who has so effortlessly and successfully entered into every realm of comedy

Like he was a writer for the simpsons in the golden age. He was one of the greatest late night hosts of all time. He's the funniest person on any podcast or any interview. He is the perfect straight-man to people like Bill Burr. His travel mockumentary is brilliant. His Hot Ones interview was easily the best. You get the sense that conan could be in the middle of the desert with no script and he'd somehow make that the funniest irreverent thing ever.

He does all this and yet it never feels like he's punching down or dunking on anyone except himself.

Man can't even pick a P.A or a producer without turning it into a long running bit and making them inadvertent comedy stars.

He's even real good at solving crimes.

Hes not even a real barbarian

pinky0926 posted...

His travel mockumentary is brilliant

I sincerely hope there will be another, longer, season. Four short episodes is just...not enough. An Idiot Abroad with Karl Pilkington still takes the cake.

What about Norm

He is extremely consistent in quality. He also hasn't turned into an old man who bitches about his problems with modern society.

Dakimakura posted...

What about Norm

In some respects yes. But Norm seems like a guy who is funny mainly in one scenario and that's off-the-cuff conversation.

ssjevot posted...

He is extremely consistent in quality. He also hasn't turned into an old man who bitches about his problems with modern society.

Underrated attribute. Looking at every other ageing comedian, they seem to just become increasingly detached and bitter with the world. Somehow conans never been like that.

For me he is. By the shear amount of content I've enjoyed over the years noone can come close. But also he seems like a bit of a never meet your heroes situation where I would love to meet him but his constantly being "on" would become annoying if you knew him in everyday life.

There are plenty of people who I find much funnier than Conan, however, he is pretty versatile in his comedy. I would probably put Bill Burr over him though for a similar idea of being great at multiple things. Standup, tv show, interviews, etc.

Weird Al would be up there too

I forgot he did writting. He definitely is a jack of all trades for comedy.

pinky0926 posted...

Underrated attribute. Looking at every other ageing comedian, they seem to just become increasingly detached and bitter with the world. Somehow conans never been like that.

His disdain for himself overwhelms his disdain for anything else

Put all funny guys in da same room and conan will stand out as da funniest tbh

Conan's humor is basically how I survived school.

ssjevot posted...

He is extremely consistent in quality. He also hasn't turned into an old man who bitches about his problems with modern society.

"I can't say anything these days because of cancel culture!" the other old comedians complain, as they are being paid millions of dollars to say whatever they want on their own comedy specials.

ssjevot posted...

He is extremely consistent in quality. He also hasn't turned into an old man who bitches about his problems with modern society.

Jerry Seinfeld: "Why isn't comedy today the exact same as it was in the 90's? Damn woke radical left!"
Conan O'Brien: *purposefully obliterates his GI tract for the express purpose of staying relevant with the youth*

"Is Conan the funniest man of all time?" - No.

He's good, but he can also be very dumb and cringe.

Taking his whole career into account - Harvard Lampoon, SNL, Simpsons, the various late night shows, live touring, and now podcasts and a new TV show... He might not have the highest comedic peak among his peers but his work (and the quality human he's always appeared to be) absolutely puts him comfortably as one of the greats.