Who Is The World’s Funniest Comedian? You May Be Shocked…
In my opinion, there is only one objective way to determine who the funniest comedian in the world may be, and that is…
By using the Comedy Evaluator Pro software and determining which comedian can produce the highest PAR Score over a sustained period of time.
Please review this article before passing judgement on the information and assessment provided below regarding who the world’s funniest comedian is and how that determination was made.
What I am about to share with you may create some controversy, but I don’t care. Accurate numbers don’t lie and I have made a determination of who is the very first “World’s Funniest Comedian”.
Now before I tell you who it is, please note that when I evaluate a comedian using Comedy Evaluator Pro, I’m NOT looking at:
- Popularity or size of fan club
- TV credits, movie appearances, etc.
- Years of performance
- Type of content delivered
- Any other subjective attribute
With my software, I evaluate as closely as possible how many seconds of laughter a comedian can generate for each minute that they are on stage. It’s actually based on simple math that any 5th grader can do.
Up to now, the highest PAR Score I have ever recorded was from super star comedian Bill Cosby with an incredible PAR Score of 58 – and over the years I have recorded dozens of the most popular comedians you know of today.
IMPORTANT: It is important to note that Bill Cosby doesn’t perform in 300 seat venues. He performs in 1500-5000 seat venues. You will see why this is significant in just a moment.
Now, drum roll please — the funniest comedian in world, based on their PAR Score is…
Native American comedian J. R. Redwater, who will be featured in a Showtime comedy special in November 2009.
J. R.’s PAR Score? An unbelievable 62 for a 9 minute evaluation period.
Click here to read my press release about this incredible laughter milestone.
Now here are the parts of the story the press release don’t reveal…
1. There were two individual minutes where J. R. Redwater’s PAR Score was ABOVE 70. Ka-Pow! Here’s the video:
2. There were only 300 people in the room for the video I reviewed. Had there been 1000 or more, I am convinced J. R.’s overall PAR Score would have been 70+.
3. Old school, “set-up/punchline” comedians will NEVER hit this kind of PAR Score mark I can assure you. Only the story tellers like Bill Cosby, Jeff Foxworthy, Eddie Izzard, etc. will ever be able to hit this sort of laughter milestone.
Note: J. R. Redwater has been a Killer Stand-up Comedy System comedian from the very beginning of his comedy career.
So now, in order for someone to take over the title of “World’s Funniest Comedian”, they must have a PAR Score of at least 63, sustained over at least a 9 minute, uncut and unedited performance period.
If you know of anyone who can meet that PAR Score criteria, please let me know using the comment box below.
But until then…
Native American comedian J. R. Redwater is hands down the current World’s Funniest Comedian based on PAR Score until I can verify otherwise.
Cheers,
Steve Roye
The Professor of Funny for Money
About the Author/Founder of the SCP Blog
Steve Roye is the author of the Killer Stand-up Comedy System and is a globally recognized expert in the field of stand-up comedy material development and presentation strategies -- for entertainers as well as speaking professionals.Please check out the Featured Articles page for direct links to articles on this blog for pro comedians, comedy entertainers, and speaking professionals.
Last 5 posts by Steve Roye
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- Tightening Your Stand-up Comedy Material - February 6th, 2010
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Tagged with: Best Standup Comedy • comedians • Comedy Evaluator Pro • funniest comedian • J.R. Redwater • Native American • PAR Score
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Tim Hawkins is the funniest comedian ever with a par score of stupid crazy.
The link to the video doesn’t seem to work. And I’m really curious.
It is funny how it takes someone to set something and then it all starts to move. My highest ever PAR so far has been a 48. What J.R. has done, Steve is set a benchmark that we can all shoot for. Wow, 62 – who would have thunk it. Now let’s see Killer Stand Up comics begin something akin to what happened after Bannister broke the 4-minute Mile: we’re all going to go for it and keep pushing the envelope. Before you know it, the bar will be set high and only the truly funny will be makin’ it. Thanks J.R. and thanks Steve. Love it!
Mark G
http://www.markgladman.com
Hey Mark — Thanks for your comments. I was actually think about using the Roger Bannister analogy myself.
But make no mistake — 48 PAR is exceptional as well, a milestone most comedians will NEVER make. Keep charging, growing and getting better!
The Prof
Here’s the direct link to the page with the embedded video…
http://realfirststeps.com/standupcomedysecrets/killer-stand-up-comedy-stars/killer-standup-comedian-jr-redwater-rocks-showtime-comedy-special
Cheers,
The Prof
I have monitored Tim Hawkins PAR Score live and it was at 50 for a 10 minute set. Tim is one of the funniest people I have ever seen live. I have an email into Tim now but haven’t gotten a replay yet. Tim is a Killer Stand-up Comedy System guy — the first that I know of to really “blow it out” using my system.
Thanks for your comments!
The Prof
how do you calculate someone’s par score? by like seconds?
All I can say is read the blog. Look at the info in the Comedy Evaluator Pro software. Your comment doesn’t put you in the most favorable light, trust me. The Prof
huh, who woulda’ thunk it?
This whole concept of a par score really fascinates me. Stand-up comedy is a very intangible art form and has had countless conversations with people about who is funny and who is not. They usually end with no real resolution beyond, “well I think he’s funny even if you don’t.” It’s really cool that this par concept allows there to be some objective measuring point within the discussion.
Unfortunately I don’t think you can ever take the subjectivity around what is funny out of the discussion completely. Case in point, I don’t find JR funny. He just isn’t my cup of tea, I would rather listen to someone like Louis CK.
Just to be clear though I’m not saying that JR isn’t funny. What I’m saying is he isn’t funny to me. Obviously the guy is a pro and can kill. I could never achieve a 62 par score and I’m not trying to bash him I’m just trying to point out that even with the objective results of the audience response there still is some level of subjectivity involved when discussing who is the “funniest” comedian.
Maybe when discussing par scores it would be better to say this comedian destroys a room at a higher level then this comedian. I guess that is an awkward way to put it but at least it would take away the preconceived baggage that involves the word funny which is a much more metaphysical concept then just plain destroying a crowd. From a business stand point though funny is clearly the better term because it will generate much more controversy because of the subjective nature of people’s sense of humor.
Anyways I’m kind of rambling. I hope I haven’t come off as some sort of comedy snob. This type of discussion just really interests me. I hope the concept of a par score becomes standard practice in the comedy industry because it would be nice for there to be some hard tangible evidence to lay claim to during this type of discussion. Keep up the good work Steve.
This is a great comment. And if you will pay close attention…
You are about to discover the stand-up comedy secrets which Hollywood and all it’s money and fame cannot grasp—even in the 21st century.
If you are evaluating a comedian from a video on a computer or on the TV by yourself at home…
What happens as far as audience response in the live performing environment NEVER carries over to a single individual like it does in a live event. Why? Because laughter is a shared response. With no one to share laughter with…
You are left with the intangible part—that subjective “feeling” that focuses on the topics or content present by the comedian as opposed what is actually happening in the performing environment. You are not influenced by a group of people around you who are laughing uncontrollably.
There are people who don’t care for Bill Cosby. And I will promise you this…
That subjective evaluation was NOT made after attending and experiencing a Bill Cosby event. The same can be said of any comedian.
But one thing is undeniable…
It IS possible to accurately measure the response that a comedian can or cannot command from an audience they are performing in front of.
But let’s flip the script…
Use my Comedy Evaluator Pro for a performance where a comedian is bombing. Little or minimal laughter means a little or minimum PAR Score—even if it is your mom performing on stage.
If you are striving to be a professional comedian, it doesn’t matter what your content is, whether it is blue or green, or what political or religious views you want to express or you want to be clean (which is where the real money is) on stage.
PAR Score doesn’t lie—it’s a measurement of actual results generated by that comedian for that audience. And I don’t have to be in the room or even like a comedian or his/her content to know if they can truly slay a room or not.
And I will absolutely stick by my guns and say yes—there are comedians that are funnier than others and yes, there are comedians that just aren’t near as funny as others. And there’s where the monkey is in the wrench, because…
You really have to have your act at the highest level to move forward in this reality show concept—no matter how funny you think you are.
Funny has always been determined by audience response. Now, it’s just nailed down just that much further.
Will this concept cause controversy? I guarantee it. At the same time…
It will raise the bar because—if you can’t hit 35 or 40 PAR consistently, you shouldn’t be headlining.
Again, great comment!
The Prof
You’re wrong.
Jesus Christ you are wrong.
Show me a video of another comedian whose laughter takes up 62% of the time on stage with laughter for almost 9 minutes…
I’ll be more than happy to name a new funniest comedian.
The Prof