The 30 Funniest Stand-Up Comedians of All-Time

23. Albert Brooks

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Albert Brooks is among the most innovative and respected comedians of his generation. As a stand-up, he made a name for himself on the talk-show circuit — appearing on The Dean Martin Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and others before settling in for a semi-regular stint on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. After producing two groundbreaking comedy albums (Comedy Minus One and A Star Is Bought), Brooks wrote, directed, and starred in his first feature, Real Life. This was a prescient black comedy that anticipated the current reality-show craze.