Chris Hardwick's top ten stand-up comedians

‘He’s the reason I wanted to do comedy. Owned all of his albums in the ’70s and knew them back to front (still do).’

‘Genius. He has a joke about homonyms, for crap-sake.’

‘One of the best American comics working today. Like an assault rifle of jokes.’

‘Conceptually brilliant and follows tangents so hilariously deeper than anyone I’ve ever seen.’

‘A still-touring legend. My jokes are rife with filth, but he manages to be clean and funny. I know, crazy!’

‘Some people learn comedy and some people just are comedy. That’s Maria to me. I adore her.’

‘One word: Flags.’

‘I haven’t even gotten to see as much of his work as I’d like to, but just based on the heckler-crushing stories John Oliver has told me, I must worship him.’

‘I watched him do a four-hour set once. I never thought I could watch four straight hours of comedy, but he was mesmerising and the time flew by.’

‘You probably don’t know of him, but you should.’