I've always found radio Jimmy to be funnier than stand-up Jimmy. I think he really shines with his off the cuff humor.

He is incredibly quick witted in real life but his written material is dog shit.

Agreed. Love Jimmy on the show but actively try to avoid any of his stand up.

Yeah, the Women Aren't Funny doc talked about honesty being the most important thing in comedy. Jimmy always sounds forced and uncomfortable on stage. Even his self-deprecation seems forced and prewritten.

Yeah, I think in reality he actually has a very high opinion of himself lol

Artie was the exact same in this regard: witty and absolutely hilarious in the moment with great stories, but when they have to actually sit down and conceptualize, write, then flesh out material it just sucks. Guess that's why there's such a division in comedy between stand ups, improvs, comedic writers and w/e the hell else

Great fucking point. Artie made the Stern Show (for me) for years. I was wildly disappointed when I watched him live and heard thirty minutes on how the Cowboys suck.

Almost glad I started listening right at beginning of 2010 after his incident or I would've spent shit ton going to see him live lol (weird because for first like 4 months I had no idea he was even on the HSS since they never mentioned him)

Man, same here. Loved Artie on the show, like he was amazing...but I never liked any of his standup. I think some comedians are much better in a hang out environment. I feel this way about Adam Carolla as well.

He's the same as artie lange, so naturally funny, but their material doesn't hold up to how good they are on the radio.

I've seen him live a few times and he destroyed both times. However I find that basically every comedian is considerably funnier just bullshitting on an uncensored radio show. To me a conversation is much more effective delivery vehicle for bits and jokes than an on stage performance.

I like his stand up, but I agree with you.

I noticed a lot of his stand up jokes involve current events, so when someone sees a Casey Anthony joke from his old special they're not going to give a shit or be amused.

I agree completely, he sounds much more natural on the radio.

I hate saying it because I think he's a great guy.

I think if Jimmy went into the industry as a ventriloquist, and used the characters he has developed over the years as his dolls that he'd kill. Chip, Edgar, and so on have their own bits that are funnier than anything I saw him do on stage.

Otto and Jimmy. Put him on Otto's lap with a fist up his ass. Everyone wins.

I would pay to see that today, but I wouldn't have prior to April 14, 2014.

I was actually thinking of George's limp fist up Jimmy's ass.

Shuure

What a brilliant idea. Starting up a ventriloquist act at 45. That would work out great.

That would actually work really well along with his bug-eyed blinking and hamming it up to the audience. It would also give me a douche-chill heart attack to see it now, so I hope it doesn't happen.

I like to think that comics have their whole lives to build their sense of humor and wit but picked up stand later on

I totally agree, I dislike most of his standup yet love him on the radio. I guess he's just much better when he's off the cuff and doesn't over analyze.

I enjoy Jimmy's stand-up and I thought Please Be Offended was good; but I was really disappointed with his latest special, American Degenerate. I've seen all of Jim's specials and first saw his stand-up in person in 2002, American Degenerate was bad because the material wasn't near his best but even worse is I guess someone told Jim that he should give the audience a really big smile after every joke. I'd never seen him do that before and it made me really uncomfortable every time he did it-- it was really awkward and didn't fit Jim's personality, style or material.

He just doesn't seem comfortable. Go back and listen to the early O&A shows he was on, his voice then is a lot like his standup voice now. It sucks because I know he's a dude who is very very funny, and has a lot to say, but it just comes out in this voice that doesn't sound the way I think of him sounding.

I sound like a housewife and I probably am, I just think he's best on the radio, with someone he can play off of. The Uncle Paul sketch for his vice show was neat but kind of awkward, I don't know how it was supposed to appeal to someone who knew nothing of the radio show...I dunno.

I can't shit on Jimmy though, because I know he's a good dude, and I know he's self-aware of his flaws and does genuinely try to improve himself. I really loved in the past year or so when people would say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIMMY" and he'd go off on them.

Yeah, I don't get that either; its akin to laughing at your own jokes. The specials are so rehearsed, he's told those jokes hundreds of times prior to the special, yet he chuckles after every punchline. Personally I think Jim is the funniest when he delivers his standup in a more deadpan, self deprecating way, when he does that wide-eyed "I'm dead serious" expression. All we've been getting recently is "cheeky Jim"

I feel bad sounding like an internet troll cause Jim is such a great guy, but if he could ditch the slow, rehearsed, forced delivery in lieu of a more off the cuff delivery i think he could elevate his stand up to the level of Burr and Louis. You see the same forced delivery when Jim acts (I love the guy but he is not a skilled actor) I just which he could be more relaxed and natural

I've seen him twice, once at Cobb's in San Francisco and once at the Improv in Los Angeles, and he was really funny.

His taped specials aren't that great, he hasn't cracked that nut yet.

The "cringe" is because Jim Norton: Standup Comic is a character and Jimmy is a shitty (but employed) actor. I wish he'd just talk, trust himself to shape his show while it's happening, not pound 'em out like Dangerfield, but I understand why he doesn't loosen up and be himself. That's not what he thinks the gig is, and he's right. "Working comics" and, say, Rick Shapiro don't have the same job. What Jimmy does works—enough. He's a total pro, close to the top of the business, and that business isn't comic greatness. For that you probably have to risk totally fucking up forever all the time. He doesn't do that. He has a career to maintain.

We've said all this before. I'll try some new shit—

The most infuriating difference between Radio Jimmy and Standup Jimmy is that Jimmy's permanent record, the stuff he records for the albums and big-bucks specials, the material that'll still be out there with his name on it somewhere in fifty years, is more ephemeral than the shit he says on the radio. His specials are stuffed with current TV references and takes on today's news, "People today..." and "In this country..." sub-Carlin junk. Except for the occasional "Monster Rain"-type story, they're like dirty talk-show monologues. Meanwhile timeless material like Uncle Paul and almost all his true sex and embarrassment stories get pissed into the air for nobody but us to hear.

Dummy.

Doesn't it remind you of carlin with the one liners straight after the subject instead of in between the subject?

I think that's called a punchline!

Great observation, I never said it wasn't.

Artie Lange was/is the same way.. His stand is terrible but he was great off the cuff on the stern show.

I've seen Jim perform twice in clubs and he was good both times. I agree though that his last two standup specials have been lacking. In general I think everyone tends to forget just how hard it is to come up with a full hour of good material. Almost nobody can do it every year for long, and that includes Louie whose last two specials have stunk in my opinion. Since Patrice died I think the only comedian that can still consistently bring a solid hour of material out every year is Bill Burr.

Jim Jefferies standup is amazing too IMO. I haven't seen his newest special yet though.

I am so glad you said this. I feel exactly the same way. When Jimmy is on a roll on the air, no one makes me laugh harder, but his stand up is mediocre at best. TBH, I can't even watch his Vice show, because a lot of his personality seems forced.

On the other hand, I love reading stuff he's written, especially the latest articles for TIME about the Robin Williams thing. He's a lot smarter than people give him credit for.

For a guy in show business so long, his stage presence is awful. Odd inflections, bulging eyes... it comes off like he's only been doing this a week.

I think aswell, when you hear him on the radio every single day for years, and then watch his standup, and even his new Vice show. It always feels a little awkward. Like he's doing something he shouldn't be doing. It's weird.

I'm a big fan of Jimmy's stand up, but I HATE the whole political side of his comedy in terms of things like Sharpton, or race or anything like that. It seems like it sucks the funny out of his specials when he could take away the serious aspect and just do a great hour of comedy. The ridiculous things he sometimes comes up with on the radio would be perfect bits, but I guess serious jimmy just doesn't do anything for me personally.

Edit: oh and I don't give a shit if he talks about race just to clarify, I just hate the serious undertone in between the comedy to get to the next point because it takes too long, kind of like this post.

See Jimmy at the Cellar and you will change your mind. He kills and he's hilarious.

Jimmy's characters (Uncle Paul,Ted,Chip etc.) are,to me,genius with great thought out back stories,and fodder for consistent and original comedic material on a free form format like o and A. If only he could harness that off the cuff material in a tv or live show,I think he would be more original,as I also think his stand up is stiff and uninspired (with alot of "Uhhh...." between thoughts)

I think Patrice is a good example of a comic who spoke like himself on stage as well as off.

I made a very similar post when his last special was released. I didn't laugh once, but god damn, Jimmy is beyond hilarious in a conversational setting.

EDIT: I saw him a few months ago at the Funny Bone and his act was much funnier than anything I've ever seen on his specials.

Radio Jimmy has actual jokes. Stand up Jimmy just rants on stage then looks at the audience to see if they agree.

I love Jim but his stand up never appealed to me.. maybe to others, but I prefer him on the radio.

I think the problem for listeners to his radio work is that we've already heard all of his jokes. He also has a very awkward and uncomfortable stage presence.

I think Jimmy is much better on the radio. I'm not one of those easily offended douches, but I think his stand-up is too raunchy and get old after a while. There are only so many gay dick sucking tranny jokes you can say before it just gets old.

I think the reason people even see Jimmy's stand up as funny is because of O&A. I find Bill Burr a hell of a lot funnier than Jimmy as a comic.

Once you read the book 'Outliers' you'll understand why Jim Norton is better on the radio than on stage.

Guys like Louis CK have been writing and going onstage since the EIGHTIES. That's over twenty five years of practice, and even Louis really didn't become a star until his divorce kicked his ass and changed his material.

I noticed the same thing when I saw the band Placebo in 2004. The band had been touring for the better part of a decade and on-stage they were just tight as fuck. The band was a well-oiled machine.

Jim is talented, but he's a jack-of-all-trades. He's been involved in radio, stand-up, and TV. Radio is what Jim does the most, and it's what Jim does the best. That's not a coincidence; Outliers shows us that doing something over and over for years on end is what separates the best from the rest.

The same can be said of Bill Burr. But the difference between Burr and Norton is that Burr doesn't do radio, so he has more time to write material.

If Jim Norton performed someone else's material I think it would work better. His material is played out.

Imo Jimmy needs to take himself a little less seriously at times, he needs a little bit of that Bill Burr's "I'm an idiot" attitude.

Monster Rain is his best stand-up. The rest of his specials have been very mediocre. He doesn't come across as very natural or comfortable on-stage, like he's being himself. He's totally different when he's joking around on the radio. That's his real voice. On-stage Jimmy is a weird character.

I concur.

Maybe instead of a stand up dey should call em a sit down or sumptin'

I think his stand-up sucks. He'd kill it doing animation of some of his characters - although not sure I see the "Uncle Paul" show take off with non-fans. I love Jim - but it does pain me to see him struggle with his stand-up career - it just feels forced. To be clear, I think he's one of the funniest people I've ever heard in my life - his preferred medium of stand-up just isn't great.

You're right. I love Jim and I think Monster Rain is a great special, but his latest aren't that great. But I think it has more to do with Jim working out bits on O&A. You know where he's going when he starts talking about whatever story has been in the news. I'd like to see him get less topical.

It's probably more a matter of overexposure than Jim being an unfunny standup.

I'd like to hear people's opinion on his stand up who don't listen to the show. Hard to do here obviously.

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A stand up show is always going to feel a bit scripted and forced compared to conversational off-the-cuff comedy.

Louis CK is another good example - he was really in his element in conversation on the older O&A shows. His stand up is funny enough, but it's the off-the-cuff stuff and razor sharp interjections and replies that lead to some really funny moments.

I like the stand up specials, American Degenerate was weaker but still had a few great lines, but I'd take a highlights compilation of O&A moments over any of them.

Yeah, Jimmy chatting with other comedians is one of the funniest people in the world in my opinion, but his stand-up is poo.

Every comedian is funnier in conversation than in their act. Even the best like Louis CK.

Burr is hilarious with both.

His standup isn't funny to me. Yet he's still my favorite modern comic. But his O&A appearances makeup for that

If standup jimmy delivered his material as comfortably as advice show jimmy talked to people I think I'd enjoy his standup more. To me it just comes across like he's trying too hard.

Edit: Spelling

I agree with a lot of people on here. I enjoy him live over his specials.

Yeah, he's like Artie Lange; they're both great on the radio, but mediocre stand-ups. Norton's a better stand-up than Artie, but that's saying next to nothing.

I think Artie's much better at radio than Jimmy is, though, because serious-Artie never made me tune out the way serious-Jimmy does. I wish horrible things on serious-Jimmy.

And Jimmy's, let's call them "exotic", sexual appetites and the starfucker thing take him down a few more notches in my book.

At the end of the day (or night), he'll always be a creepy worm.

i like radio jimmy better than stand up jimmy, but it was stand up jimmy that actually directed me to the show in the first place. honestly, i don't think you can really make a fair assessment on his stand up though (or anyone's for that matter) without actually attending one of his live shows. it is a completely different atmosphere than just watching it on television.

After watching these two specials though it's like night and day... Jimmy's stand-up just didn't strike me as funny.

I think a lot of people feel that way. IMHO, Jimmy is much better in conversation with other funny people than he is by himself in front of an audience.

His stand up always made me laugh. The thing I always felt about his live shit, it was kind of like an SNL episode. In general it was all entertaining, some of it was even bad. But there would be 3 or 4 lines throughout the set that were so fucking funny, you'd still be laughing at them like 2 days later.

I think a lot of comedians can be funnier on the radio because it's not 100% comedy the whole time, so when comedy is thrown into a serious topic, it's shocking and that's what makes it funny. Comedy or the punchline, isn't' as funny when you know it's coming. when you know how the joke ends, it's not as funny. Which is why comedians have it worse compared to musicians when it comes to performing. Nobody asks Chris Rock to do the "afraid of media" bit when he comes on stage today.. but god damnit, I want to hear the Stones sing "Start Me Up". (yes, there are iconic comedy bits that can be replayed.. but it's VERY slim)

Think about the hardest times you've laughed in your life, I know for me, it's not while watching comedy.. it's when the comedy comes out of nowhere.

I love Yimmy's standups.

If you haven't seen him live, I suggest you do. ANY comic is ten times funnier in front of an audience. I felt sort of the same way when I saw these two specials, then I saw him live a few months ago.. NIGHT AND DAY!! I laughed my ass off.

I love Jimmy on the radio show but I've yet to find either of his stand up specials on Netflix tolerable.

Radio Jimmy is the best, but as someone that went to watch his show last weekend in DFW and saw him a few years ago, his comedy has come a long way in a few years. go yimmy!

i couldnt agree more

I think skill-wise he's a great stand-up but he makes poor creative decisions. In 'Despicable,' he really shows what great timing he has and how smart and original he is, and that stuff is present throughout most of his work, but he seems to get fixated on topical humor and getting cheap laughs when he's so much funnier than that. At its core, Jimmy's humor is really just silly, but he rarely takes that tact, and I think his act suffers for it. He's a smart guy though, I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually.

I was the same way with Patrice. I honestly think he may have been one of the funniest humans to ever live, but it never translated well to the stage. But every single one of his radio appearances as worth listening to.

Don't like Jimmy's stand up at all. Good thing he found his place on the show or I think he would be Jimmy the funniest guy in the break room at walmart.

I'd love to see him do a special in a club, wearing a black sabbath t-shirt and not giving a shit if the audience is into it. More absurd "sleepy jimmy" type shit and long chunks of his characters.

Yes and no.

Jimmy has a successful career as a standup comic. He travels throughout the country and does well enough as a headliner. His range is limited, but so are a lot of comics. Not everyone is going to be a Seinfeld. I think most of us would trade our profession for what Jim can do on stage. However, I don't think Seinfeld would be a great candidate for radio. It's like being a two sport athlete. Very few, Jim Norton and Jay Mohr included, can pull it off successfully.

I saw him live in Montreal and it was great, but just watching his shows doesn't make me laugh for some reason.

Monster Rain, and Please Be Offended were good. IMHO, the next couple albums after Monster Rain were basically Monster Rain Revised. The content is almost the same.

Jimmy is a great comic, but Alot of stuff in his act is stuff he Has said on the show a hundred times.

Jimmy is an improv genius. People say he isnt including himself but his real time comments are beautiful. That is the medium i like to hear him. Even on the vice show i just didnt laugh during any of the scripted stuff. The little comments he makes and the true natural stories he has are whats gold

if jim read this thread.... he might just quit stand up altogether.

don't quit jim

he's not as good as the rest of the crew.

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Jimmy's stand up is so fucking forced..

I'm straight.

That's crazy. Do you watch any standup? Jimmy really is one of the best. Great on the radio, but really first and foremost a stand up comedian that's one of the great.