Kudos on the Basil Fawlty reference. There is very little funnier than John Cleese in full on frustrated mode. And Archie - king of the malaprop. I still cannot believe what they got away with on that show. One classic example - Arch refers to Edith's feminist friend as "Irene Lorenzo - queen of the women's lubrication movement!"

For me the funniest woman award goes to Carol Burnett. She was fearless. In my formative years, very little made me laugh as much as watching her interact with Korman and Conway. There is something special about watching genuinely funny people make each OTHER laugh. It's contagious, and sadly missing from much of what we see today.

Speaking of characters laughing with and at each other on screen, how about Hawkeye Pierce rounding out the top three?

Neruda:

Glad to see we are on the same page again, my brother. One of the great mysteries of television is how All In The Family got away with what they got away with, back when nobody got away with anything.

And YES . . . Carol Burnett on her WORSE day was 100 times funnier than Lucille Ball. I give her the nod for funniest female, too. My favorite childhood memories involve watching her show.

I can see the point, re: Hawkeye . . . and he was certainly a great character. And it seems almost sacreligious not to include someone from MASH. We may have to extend the list.

Steve C.

It may be heresy since he's not "old school," but I nominate George Costanza.

Ah yes "Basil!!" (and that's ba-SIL!!! not bay-sil for those not in the know) - brilliant! And while I loved the Reverend Jim, I might put Louis de Palma up there...any scene where he came out of the cage was fantastic.

And I'm a sucker for Bob Newhart.

Wish I was a corporate communicator, Steve, I'd hit up the higher-ups...show 'em a good time in Chicago!

John:

Not heresy at all . . . I'm just not sure if Constanza has the staying power. Then again, I watched two episodes of Seinfeld last night. And Can'tStandYa is the best character on the show. Kramer? How many times can you watch someone fall down?

Rebecca!! I SWEAR that after I wrote Ignatowski, I was already kicking myself because as great as Reverend Jim was, Louie was the real character on that show.

Newhart is definitely top ten, too.

Steve C.

Peter Griffin of "Family Guy" may ultimately merit inclusion in a comedy Rushmore, but I don't know what the rules are for a 3-D rock sculpture of a 2-D cartoon character. Is there a New York Times Mineral of Style and Usage?

Ha, Bill. Very good. I think we have to have a separate mountain for funny cartoon characters. You know, for The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bush, etc.

Steve C.

I dunno. I think you're a little hard on Lucille Ball. While I can appreciate your assessment of her comedic abilities, since that may be largely a matter of taste, (I happen to love her!) you have to give her credit for her early involvement on the BUSINESS side of entertainment. She was a producer and businesswoman long before it was common for women to do that -- a real pioneer in TV.

Laura:

Oh, I agree 1,000 percent. I think she was a genius. And most certainly a pioneer. I just don't think she was FUNNY. Obviously, I'm in the minority on this, because most people say her show was one of the funniest ever.

I just never got it.

But she was a powerhouse, that's for sure.

Steve C.

Hi, Steve. It's Heather from Welch's. I'm excited to say that I will be joining you in Chicago! It will kill me to leave the bambinos, but I figured I better jump at the chance in case training budgets get cut! By the way, the Doubletree is booked solid, so I'm staying at the Drake. Please tell me the good bars (and the Doubletree) are still in walking distance.

Heather!!!

Oh, the Drake is the best. They have arguably the best drinks in the city. Every year for Christmas, my publisher and partner Jim Ylisela and I and others all gather there for the fishbowl martinis.

We almost have to have a drink there if you are staying there.

Believe me, the new bambino won't even know you're gone!!

Hey, do you want to do a guest speaker spot on your Town Hall meetings? No pressure . . . I talk about them for about 15 minutes on Day Two, usually. If you want to do something yourself, you are more than welcome to it!! Otherwise, I'll do it, and then let the group pepper you with questions if they want.

Can't wait to see you!

Steve C.

Steve,

Part of the difference between your assessment of Lucille Ball's comedic legacy and mine might have to do with when you first started watching her.

I'm old enough to remember lying in my grandmother's living room wathing her circa 1961 or 1962 when she was breaking new ground. (Sort of like my kids today who shrug their shoulders during re-runs of All in the Family...they don't get what us fuddy duddys see in it, given their life perspective.

But Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance in the chocolate factory...Lucy stomping grapes...the trampoline episode...that was funny stuff. I do agree that her later shows sans Desi and with Gale Gordon weren't nearly as funny as the original Lucy Show.

I think it was one of those shows that lost something in the translation when we got a color TV...same with Andy Griffin and Barney. Mayberry seemed to look fake in color. But then I'm dating myself again.

Wow, I can clearly remember Saturday night's CBS lineup of Mary Tyler Moore at 9, Bob Newhart at 9:30 and Carol Burnett at 10. Every week. Everyone in the family. Back then it seemed television was an "event" rather than background noise. (Now I sound like the grumpy man from SNL...)

Now let me make a prediction...my hope for this blog 20 years from now is that my son is posting that the comedic geniuses from his childhood were Ricky Gervais of BBC's The Office and Extras, and Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls. Then I would know that I did my job at educating my children on comedy - one of the greatest goals in parenting, in my opinion.

Steve, it does not surprise me at all that you and I share a deep admiration for Don Knotts as Barney Fife. Man, I'm still in mourning! And it's not just because I kinda-sorta look like him. (And you thought I looked like Opie!)

I agree Carol Burnette gets the nod for funniest female. And I was really happy to see you mention Dick Van Dyke. I think his show is one of the more underrated, not only in terms of how funny it was, but also because, hey, Rob and Laura Petrie were SO happenin'! When I was a kid, I wanted to be as sophisticated as they were. But, as it turns out, I'm about as sophisticated as Barney Fife.

See you at the CCC in April.