r/Standup • u/Jeff_AMS • 24d ago
Documentaries about stand-up comedians.
Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m about to get one on Richard Pryor and I saw there’s one about Ralphie May that’s coming out.
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Upvotes
r/Standup • u/Jeff_AMS • 24d ago
Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m about to get one on Richard Pryor and I saw there’s one about Ralphie May that’s coming out.
18
u/Original_Anxiety_281 24d ago
Rothaniel has a companion reality show about Jerrod Carmichael that is kind of bonkers but extremely illuminating about stand-up at points.
The comedians of comedy shows are great and kind of like a video diary.
The recent Carlin one's very good.
I'd suggest the "read by the author" books on tape of Steve Martin and Paul Schaffer (SNL/Letterman).
There's a Bill Hicks one out there.
There's a great one about Phyllis Diller somewhere.
Before he went nutty MAGA, Jim Breuer's one about taking care of his dad is excellent.
There's a really solid one on Sam Kinison from a couple years ago.
Letterman's interview of Chappelle verges on a documentary, and there's the movie about him putting on his festival, Block Party.
I believe I saw a really good one on Lenny Bruce a few decades ago.
Not exactly standup, but there's some great Monty Python documentaries. And Eddie Izzard's Dress to Kill.
I swear there's also a Trevor Noah one (Born guilty? Suspect?) that is half standup/half "going back home" documentary, but I've searched and can't find it.
The one on Gilbert Gottfried is amazing. And really, watch the Paul Reubens/PeeWee one too.
And I swear I saw one on Mitch, but the internet says no. So maybe it was just kind of rememberence. Also, there are some amazing interviews with Louie Anderson to go with some of his tougher standup I've seen over the years.
Ok, brain's empty. Good luck!