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I hear that Russel Brand has just won some sort of award as stand up comedian of the year.

Is there anyone on this forum who remembers comedians who told jokes?

Who could be funny without reducing someone or a group of people to ridicule?

Morecombe and Wise were funny. Tommy Cooper was funny. Dave Allan managed to tread the fine line between offending and being funny.

Russel Brand to me is just silly, offensive and living off a cult status derived from who knows where, and a ridiculous wig.

There have been psychological experiments done with relation to humour, and it has been concluded that the funniest jokes are those that generally make us feel superior. Examples being German jokes, Blonde jokes, American jokes, sexist jokes, Irish jokes e.t.c

It's not a surprise that he got voted stand up of the year...he offends everyone!

I did like his radio phone thingy though...thought that was rather funny.....

I think Russell Brand's stand-up comedy is excellent. It's often wordy and intelligent, and frequently self-effacing. I saw him a few weeks ago and can't recall him ridiculing any group of people, apart from the senders of rather illiterate death-threats.

I understand his radio show might have been very different, I'm not very familiar with it.

Brand is incredibly intelligent and very articulate. I don't think he should of been been a contender for the prize, but some of the comedians you've named, intellectually, have nothing on him.

For me, Russell Peters, Peter Kay and Sadowitz deserve some kind of medals.

I like Ed Byrne... Bill hicks and Chris Rock

I still think Robin Williams did some of the best stand-up comedy I've seen (not that I ever managed to be in a live audience, but video's a wonderful thing).

It's just a shame that he keeps opting to star in schmaltzy sentimental pap movies.

And even though he doesn't call himself a stand-up comic, Henry Rollins' 'spoken word' performances put most stand-up comics to shame.

Jimmy Carr is amazing and Lee Evans. Oh and yeah Chris Rock is funny as hell doing Stand up. Old Eddie Murphy stand is excellent too.

I'm not quite sure where the original question is coming from. George Carlin has only recently passed - and he was one of the all-time great comedians. Jerry Seinfeld is still as funny as ever. I've always been a fan of Eddie Izzard - and his comedy hasn't ventured into offensive material.

Some of my favorites include Jim Norton, Bill Burr, and Patrice O'Neal. Some of their material is more brutal than some like, but they are every bit as intelligent as they are offensive. I don't have a problem with people being offensive. No group is above ridicule.

I watched the British Comedy Awards last night. I thought Alan Carr should have won best stand-up rather than Russell Brand, but I was pleased that QI, Harry Hill, Katy Brand and Sharon Horgan (fwoar, what a voice!) all won. I was in bits when Angus Deaton embraced Charlotte Perkins.

And as for Kevin Bishop... What a complete and utter bishop he turned out to be.

got to be jimmy carr, lee evans for me although some of alan carrs programs are funny, as for this Russell fella i used to find him hilarious on big brother big mouth but now i just dont care either way. To me it doesen't matter whether or not there offensive it's just if I find it funny, I mean to put it into perspective wathching a comedian is like watching any film,actor,magician or even musician, just because they are being offensive it doesen't mean that what they say is how there pesonality is in real life. It is just an act and as long as they are only offending for the comedy and not for any other more sinister reason I don't think it matters to much.

I've never liked Jimmy Carr or Lee Evans for some reason. Other people love them, but they never seem to hit any nerves with me.

I agree that Eddie Izzard is great though, and I'm also a huge fan of Mark Thomas too. (even at the height of his political activism, his stand-up material was still razor-sharp).

Have you seen Mark Thomas' DVD "Serious Organised Criminal"? It's an absolute hoot, but it also makes a very important point and it goes about it in a very interesting way. I loved the idea of Winston Churchill's spirit being channelled by a psychic and given permission to protest in Parliament Square

Maybe it's like Eric Morecambe said; you don't need to be depressing to make a serious point.

It's funny how people's different shows and projects change, and how much you judge them by it. I generally find Bill Bailey hilarious but when I saw him on his last tour, I found myself laughing a lot less than expected. Also, a few years back I saw Omid Djalili live, he was absolutely brilliant... unfortunately, his TV show was dire. Frankie Boyle is the highlight of "Mock the Week", yet I found Dara O'Briain's stand up a lot funnier live. The Sarah Silverman Programme is one of the best things on TV (in my opinion) but her stand-up is less reliable (although still pretty good).

Lee Evans I have never found funny, Jimmy Carr only sometimes - the same with Jerry Sadowitz - but rich Hall? Now you're talking

Eddie Izzard, Jimmy Carr, Michael McIntyre, Rich Hall, Lee Evans, Russell Peters, Dave Chappelle, Omid Dajilil, Sean Lock, Dave Spikey, Jack Dee and Ricky Gervais are all awesome.

The greatest comedian in the world is The Right Reverend Sir Mark of Lewis Esquire. All others pale in comparison!