There are plenty of stand-up comedians out there, and most are unremarkable. There are only a select few with the talent and vision to have a long and successful career in stand up. Most comedians become lazy and rehash their old material. It’s the few out there who stay creative, sharp, and relevant that hold audiences’ attention.

Here are three comedians whose longstanding and brilliant careers qualify them as comedy royalty:

George Carlin. Hands down, Carlin is one of the best stand up comedians who ever cracked a joke. He had a natural gift for timing and inflection. His dramatic delivery was top notch, but what was most arresting about his career was its evolution. Carlin started out as a straight-laced jokester, only to become a rebel comedian whose greatest material skewered the status quo.

Carlin’s routines from the 1970s are undisputed classics, but he remained relevant long afterwards. Until his death, he was active on the comedy scene and would regularly release new material on DVD or in books. He even performed in several HBO specials.

Jerry Seinfeld. Jerry Seinfeld’s show “Seinfeld” enjoyed huge popularity in the US, and was at one point the number one show in America. The Seinfeld finale had more than 75 million viewers. The show’s popularity continues even today, as it is still broadcast in reruns.

Seinfeld’s humor was unique for its time. He would take a humorous, wry, sarcastic look at the little details of everyday life. Nowadays, most young comedians do this at least to an extent – but Seinfeld is the one who really pioneered this. If intelligent humor and clever observation are enjoyable to you, you’ll love Seinfeld’s work.

Dave Chapelle is an incredibly funny man. His show, the “Dave Chapelle Show,” received a great deal of praise from viewers and critics alike during its two-season run. It was set to start a third season when Chapelle pulled the plug, citing stress and also creative differences and issues with the show’s format.

For fans of edgy, subversive humor on controversial topics, Dave Chapelle’s work will be a big hit.

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