The Best Character Based & Prop Comedians

Most funny men and women merely tell jokes. These comedians or stand-up comics walk onto a stage and fire off salvos of jolly jokes, one liners or scathing insults, eliciting shock or waves of laughter from an audience. Some, like Jerry Seinfeld, are more 'observational' comics, who pick apart daily life for those giggle provoking gems. Finally, there are the persona based, prop or 'character' comedians. These guys and gals are a breed apart and then some. They don't just deal in jokes, but use props and rely on a wacky fleshed out character to score laughs. Names like Pee Wee Herman, Andrew Dice Clay or The Unknown Comic are part of pop culture, and we're all the better - and funnier - because of them.

The Unknown Comic

Imagine going through life with a brown paper bag over your head. For The Unknown Comic, that's just what he did - at least the time of life he spends performing on stage. Best known for his dozens of performances on "The Gong Show", the comic whose real name is Murray Langston, is also well known for his extensive charitable work.

Pee Wee Herman

Most everyone knows who Pee Wee Herman is, but if you say the name Paul Reubens, a good number of people would have no recognition. They are, of course, one in the same. Comedian/actor Paul Reubens created the childlike Pee Wee Herman and catapulted himself to lasting fame. There was major controversy, canceled projects, but Pee Wee always seems to bounce back. Last year he made it all the way to Broadway for a hit stage show.

Rip Taylor

Who could ever have thought glitter would give one man so much comic power? Known for his piercing voice, rippling laugh and flamboyant manner, Rip Taylor is also known for keeping the confetti off craft store shelves, since he uses copious amounts of it in his act. Confetti as a prop may seem a bit quaint, or even uninspired, but unlike other props comics use, it's certainly not all that messy.

Gallagher

Prop comics don't get much better - or messy - than this. Perhaps best known for his 'watermelon mash' Gallagher uses props like most comedians use jokes and one liners. In 2004, Comedy Central rated him #100 comedian of all time - ranked last on a 100 best of list.

Carrot Top

Lucille Ball was the original female comic redhead. Red Skeleton tickled our funny bone as the male crimson topped comic. Carrot Top owes a bit of red power to his comic forebears, but he's an original all unto himself. Utilizing a dizzying array of props, the comic has been in movies and on TV, but is perhaps best at home performing in Las Vegas.

Andrew Dice Clay (The Diceman)

Born Andrew Clay Silverstein, the Diceman - or plain Dice - assumed a tough talking, shoulder shrugging, leather clad jacket insult machine, and rode his invention to super stardom. During his heyday in the late 1980's and early 1990's, Dice sold out stadiums and was on everyone's "it" list for talk shows like "The Arsenio Hall Show." In 1989, MTV banned him for life for his 'adult nursery rhymes', only to finally lift the ban in 2011

Honorable Mentions

Judy Tenuta

Emo Phillips

Bobcat Goldthwaite