Anyone who’s attended an open mic night at their local comedy club can testify to the fact that just because you think you’re funny and you can make your friends laugh does not automatically mean that you’re a comedian. You’ve got to have good material, you’ve got to have a sense of timing, you’ve got to have a stage presence, and…well, actually, that’s pretty much the holy trinity. It might seem easy when you’re sitting in the cheap seats, but it’s a rare individual who can bring all three of those qualities up to the mic and use them to bring the house down. After all, as Peter O’Toole said in “My Favorite Year” (though lord knows he didn’t say it first), “Dying is easy; comedy is hard.”

We decided to create a Stand-Up Comics Hall of Fame to pay our respects to those comics who, in their careers, have made us laugh ‘til our sides hurt and then some. While there are some individuals whose inclusion is a given, with each induction into the Hall, we’re going to try and mix things up by throwing in a bit of a wild card. In some cases, it might be a more recent comedian; in other cases, it might be someone who wasn’t all that famous but who was nonetheless tremendously influential to those who followed in their footsteps. Rest assured, however, that anyone who makes it through these hallowed doors has unquestionably earned their place here, and if you doubt us, don’t worry: We’ll also provide recommendations of their best material for your listening and viewing pleasure.

The Inaugural Class:

Richard Pryor - “I went to Zimbabwe…and I know how white people feel in America now: relaxed! ‘Cause when I heard the police car, I knew they weren’t coming after me!”

Rodney Dangerfield - “Oh, this your wife, huh? A lovely lady. Hey baby, you must’ve been something before electricity.”

Bill Cosby - “My father established our relationship when I was seven years old. He looked at me and said, ‘You know, I brought you into this world, and I can take you out. And it don’t make no difference to me, I’ll make another one look just like you.’”

Lenny Bruce - “Take away the right to say fuck and you take away the right to say fuck the government.”

Bill Hicks - “George Bush says ‘we are losing the war on drugs.’ Well, you know what that implies? There’s a war going on…and people on drugs are winning it! Well, what does that tell you about drugs? Some smart, creative motherfuckers on that side.”

Click here to read more about each inductee.