You have to admire people who can stand up in front of a crowd and tell jokes. It takes some serious bravado to imagine you've got the material to make a room full of people laugh. The failures are epic; there's nothing harder to watch than a terrible flop.
That's why the best jokes stand the test of time. They've gone through the wringer and come out in tact, and still get a chuckle. But even so, you knew right away the first time you heard them that they were instant classics. Here are some of the best of all time, from some of the funniest people to ever stand on a stage.
