Stand-Up Comedy Trivia

A microphone, a spotlight, and a room full of strangers waiting to laugh — stand-up comedy has produced some of entertainment's boldest and most quotable voices. This quiz tests your knowledge of the comedians who shaped the art form.

Comedians Who Pushed the Limits

Stand-up has always had an edge to it. Lenny Bruce was arrested repeatedly for obscenity in the early 1960s, and George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" routine ended up shaping a Supreme Court case on broadcast decency. Richard Pryor brought a similarly fearless honesty to the stage a decade later, influencing nearly every comedian who came after him.

• Eddie Murphy's Delirious and Raw remain landmark stand-up concert films.
• Dave Chappelle famously walked away from a reported $50 million television deal in 2005.
• Joan Rivers became one of the first women to host a network late-night show.

From the Club to the Screen

Stand-up has always needed a stage to prove itself on, whether that's an open mic night, a late-night set, or a comedy special beamed to millions of homes at once. The venues keep changing, but the basic deal stays the same: one person, one microphone, and a room deciding in real time whether the jokes land.