Comedians who will do "requests" of their jokes at live shows?

The only instance I've ever seen this happen was with Brian Regan. During the encore on the DVD "The Epitome of Hyperbole" he comes on stage and the audience immediately begins to shout their favorite jokes. The crowd erupted into people yelling just like you'd find at a rock show. I found that unbelievable having never really seen that with a comedian. It says a lot that Brian's audience is loyal enough to remember specific jokes from his act and it's also a testament to what a great performer Brian is that he can redeliver these jokes to a group who have heard them before--so successfully.

The only other time something close to this happened was when I saw Cosby about 10 years ago and he went into his dentist routine much to the crowd's approval.

Does anyone know of other comedians who will take requests at their shows?

 

Hickory-dickery dock... OHHHHHH!

 

I've never heard of it and I can't imagine any comedian would.

 

The ventriloquist Jeff Dunham has done stuff like that (if you consider ventriloquists to be comedians, that is).

 

He tells jokes for a living, so why wouldn't he be comedian? Why does it make him less of a comedian that he happens to do it thru ventriliqusm?

I mean if you don't like ventriloquism or Jeff in particular that's fine, but...

 

Louis CK did it one of the times I went to see him, before he opted to permanently retire old material.

 

Joke requests? Something just wrong about that.

 

"I'm not a bloody jukebox" -Sherry Bobbins.

 

I have seen Ron White three or four times and the last time I saw him in February he mentioned that the theater manager asked him if he could do one particular joke and he said he would so instead of his normal closing routine was being changed up for that one.

 

Bill Hicks was a big proponent. Just YouTube his Chicago performance. He clearly loved audience requests.

 

"I'm sorry folks"

 

David Cross said that people used to yell out for bits after he released "Shut Up You Phucking Baby". I believe Patton Oswald had the same experience with people yelling for the "Black Angus" bit.

 

When I saw Seinfeld live in 1985 he took requests near the end.

It was a very loose show - made even looser because the theater was directly by train tracks - and he had to stop twice during the show to let a train go by.

The La Paloma in Encintas, Ca. https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-paloma-theatre-encinitas-3

 

Any Bill Hicks threads open?

 

Nick Mullen

 

Jeff Foxworthy's done his "..you might be a redneck" lines via audience request. He probably would have done them anyway at some point in the show or perhaps he just has so many of the them memorized that it's an easy transition to improv for a few minutes. Super nice guy too. When I saw his act as a kid he stayed in the venue for several hours after the show ended and waited until everyone got to meet him -- didn't charge for photos or signatures and didn't pressure anyone to purchase merch.

 

They wouldn't stay open very long...Hicks had a field day with Bush, he wouldn't have time to perform, given all the material he'd be writing now!

 

There a funny 'audience request' bit in Jim Jefferies' new Netflix special.

 

At the end of Patton Oswalt's "222" album, he turns to the crowd, and asks what they want....and he does 'em!
-PASS!
-AMSTERDAM!
-ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS!!!

 

“Jack and Jill went up a hill. Each with a buck and a quarter.....”

 

I had the great fortune to see George Carlin at a "rehearsal" for an upcoming HBO special. Upon completion he referred to a stopwatch and noted how long the new material ran. He thanked us in the audience for being patient with him (like it was a chore seeing Carlin perform an hour of unfamiliar material) and asked if we had any requests. He did about three or so of the requested bits (including the hippy dippy weatherman of all things) and thanked us again. (IIRC he also performed the Baseball Football comparison).

 

If you know the joke well enough to request it....why do you need to hear it again? Are you hoping the comic will put some unique twist on it just for you?

Comedy is all about surprise.

 

UK comic Jimmy Carr is about to undertake a "Greatest Hits" tour.

 

Calling out for requests makes me think of the Chris Farley Show. "Remember, do you remember when ...."

The Chris Farley Show: McCartney

 

I know like nothing about standup but that guy just kills me for some reason. We watched one of his shows on the tube a while back I was laughing so hard I cried.