No comedian that I know of EVER has gone into darker depths and with more honesty than Doug Stanhope. He's a goddamn genius and he's one of the most couragous comedians I've ever seen.

Only the court jester can speak an awkward truth.

Like a salt lick for the homeless! What a great line!

Doug, if you're ever scouring through KZfaq and come across this comment, I want you to know that this is a hard hitting truth that you dealt to the audience with such sincerity. It's moving. Thank you.

Doug Stanhope in a suit looks like a drunk teacher

I don't want to live in a world without Doug Stanhope.

I thought he said he didnt have a strong closer!? That bit about the gun shop, bar and CIA was fucking genius

Taking care of my schizo affective bipolar mom and Doug is my hero

As someone who makes his living working in a behavioral health hospital: thank God someone finally said it.

I don't think people understand how important this set is.

Doug is one of the last of honest, funny and real stand-ups out there. The guy deserves a statue.

The punchline to this was mindblowing, just incalculable comedy genius.

Mentally disturbed people are far more likely to comment on youtube videos. thanks doug, you're a legend

I was nothing I didn’t exist and I never had a bad day. Classic line!

I've bartende at a small town shithole bar that had comedians come through once a month. I always asked who they thought was the toughest SOB out there doing it today. The man or woman that other comedians said they were afraid of and would never follow. Stanhope was always on the list, maybe not always the no. 1 come to mind but always mentioned with a "Jesus Christ" under their breath.

You could see him tearing up for just a second even though he can appreciate the absurdity of it all. He really loves bingo.

Doug does comedy for the people who *need* it.

Absolutely brilliant explanation of mental illness and parental responsibility.

I finally watched this special last night, 2 years late. This immediately became one of my favorite comedy bits. Right up there with Carlin's Pro Life rant. I was constantly jumping between wanting to laugh and wanting to cry. "The idea of comedy, really, is not everybody should be laughing. It should be about 50 people laughing, and 50 people horrified." - Patrice O'Neal

Wow! thought he'd lost it a bit and then pulls it together into a groundbreaker. Doug, I salute you.

I've already posted, but feel I should expand... Doug takes life, and it's most extreme foibles, and ravages on them... and makes us laugh. As a misanthrope, I don't know how to express my appreciation for that... except to post. And say... thank you. I need this.

His joke build up is just perfect. He said just one word : "Smokers" and the whole story gets even more hilarious.

He has a particular delivery and very unique style, all while hacking very sensitive and subtle differences in a very difficult subject: mental health. And he nailed it!

"they have...bees living in their beard" i lold

This is one of the most important pieces ever done on any stage

"...much to her husband's chagrin." jesus christ this is why i love stanhope...

There's a bunch of great comedians and then there's Stanhope. Absolutely one off, death-defying, cliche-destroying, hilarious mastermind.

The actual message in this routine is so relevant to everyday life…..

The best comedians always left me with a satisfied feeling after laughing, and a profound sense of gratitude that they don't run anything important...

"smokers" - that took me completely by surprise - and made me guffaw when I was wondering where the fuck he was going with this

As a paranoid schizophrenic I would give my 2 cents on the issue....but I need them to pay for my psyche meds. Or all Hell will break loose

"And you wonder why Americans die In hail fire in America, it isn't Isis... " no one could say it clearer than Stanhope!

Stanhope owns the comedy game.

As someone with severe mental illness that has resulted in 3 hospitalizations Thank you

Doug still looks the same as he did basicly when he was 20. Jesus I think the alcohol pickled him.

I lived with a woman-- she was eccentric. I spent about 3 weeks thinking she was going to murder me until I realized that she had no internal monologue--- she said everything she was thinking out loud, and most of what she was thinking was about past trauma. I was never in any danger whatsoever. I ended up giving her my car keys and debit card. I've never trusted anyone more than her other than my ex-wife and kids. Lived with her for months and she was a pleasure. But if you didn't know her-- she was terrifying. Constant really aggressively violent speech coming out of her. You just had to realize it wasn't aimed at you, she was just talking to herself. When someone walks behind me, I feel on guard and ready to fight if they do something weird. With her, she would be cussing and punching the air, I never ever felt the the least bit in danger or on edge. She seemed crazy, but she wasn't. There's degrees of crazy.

Thank you for saying this Doug, really important.

even when I occasionally disagree this guy can deliver anything in a funny way

The best stand up comic of all time.. By a pretty big margin in my opinion as well..

So Thrilled I’m living at the same time as this guy

I went to church with Doug and his family when I was a child. Unfortunately we never hooked up as friends, we barely knew each other. Me and my buds from Tatnuck would have had him over Olean St. for one of many kegs if I did. My Mom got her ears pierced by his Mom! lol. His Dad was a good man. Don't remember his Mom well but my Mom sure did.

This is such an epic, unbelievably brilliant bit.

I still believe this is one of the very best. An important mind.

First time seeing Doug perform. He has great material and a good delivery. The suit from Al Bundy’s closet was epic.

I think I have shared this bit more than any other. You make a difference Doug, keep going brotha.

Stanhope hits hard as fuck after a shitty holiday week with family

The world needs more normal people who speak there mind who could give a crap less about offending people

loved his little dig at the town gossip at the end of the show, she ran him down he gives her a moment of infamy

Exposing the blind spots and polite fictions of our society

Doug is my GOAT of standup.

I just got to the Gifford part at 7:21 AM, post-shower, barely awake, no coffee yet, bi-polaring at about 40% and laughing out loud so hard I am crying and my side hurts. Bravo!

i wouldnt reccomend us all living our lives like Doug but if we try thinking like he does we will live in a better world

Love the C.I.A. for "Community Intervention Associates". My parents made me see a therapist whose office was at 666 Dundee Road

Wow . that was deep and meaningful conversation . not many stand up have the guts bring such topic . thanks for the education though. we through people under the bus when they are mentally ill and need help the most.

When I smoked , at times it felt like being in the picket line for the zombie apocalypse , the first line of defense around hospitals , office blocks , and apartments . Everybody else indoors being nice to the mentally challenged , while we were outside being encircled by the mentally disturbed .

most accurate description and better than public health description

Most favorite bit of all time!!!! Thank you Doug! Fucking thank you!

I tripped over my own shoe laces and ended up in hospital with multiple fractures. The cause was/were my reacent;y purchased safety boots. The boots had steel toecaps, which were a great protective feature (and my reason for buying the fucking things) , BUT they also had hooked metal lace threaders, into which the laces of one boot got caught in the other boot; bringing me down to solid concrete, breaking my knee, wrist and elbow... all within a single fraction of a second. But I still love Doug, he's never far wrong. He's the only human, that I've NEVER met, that I want to meet and get drunk with before I die. (indeed I could very well die that very night) I don't always agree with him but he always makes me laugh out loud, even when I don't. GOD bless you Doug. You're the best... ever. And don't become a theist, for that was not your blessed path and vision. Someone, once asked Thelonious Monk what made someone a genius. His cool reply was "Who ever is most himself" Doug is a genius on that definition alone.

Up there with the very best.

I literally was treated like a slave by my stepdad my entire childhood. Made to work constantly, humanity beat out of me, beat for saying I was hungry and only fed once or twice a day as a child. Not sure why I'm telling you this lol. Thank you Doug

One of his best bits.

Ill never get tired of doug.

There is no bit that can top this. Utter genius

A modern-day prophet. An explainer of horrible situations. A teller of the truth. Legend.

My sister was a smoker, and she said the exact same thing twenty years ago. I believe the exact phrase 'salt lick for the homeless' was used by her.

Brilliant. The best right now, no question

“Us!….Smokers!” Lol

This is why i love this guy

This is so important.

Doug Stanhope is an absolute beast of a comic! The line "it aint's ISIS" was perfect.

This is one of the most incredibly well crafted bit of comedy I have ever seen. Respect!

This is brilliant, just brilliant

I found this so relevant and true. Very intelligent man. Thank you

I love your stuff doug. -from a camp 1 person

Wow. Doug is the man

I'm enamored with Stanhopes brain and his timing is masterful

Makes you feel better Thanks Doug Cheers

Every sentence is pure gold.

Omg... smoking outside bit at 4:00 had me crying 😂😂😂

Saw him in Birmingham, the old Dome II, fucking smashing, that Scottish bloke was creeping behind the curtain with a glass of Vodka trying to give it to him

I love this guy's stand up

i found out about Doug after a youtuber recommending comedians... and now i totally understand when he said "the only comedian that made me laugh and cry at the same joke"

Lenny Bruce - Bill Hicks - Doug Stanhope The 3 evolutionary steps of stand up comedy so far...

@19:16 - That mocking laugh at the out-of-touch and uselessness of the nurse's advice is so fitting bahahahaha

Doug is amazing

Beautiful bit. Immaculate.

I fuckin laughed til i cried. This comedy is very direct, and i love it!

The only comedian who actually talks about these issues 🙏🏾🙌

Doug is one of the greatest

It took getting to the end of the bit to really grasp the layers of his monologue. It’s worth it though, this bit is food for thought.

Everyone should watch this

That part about smokers was too real!

The great thing about this set, is how he mocks the tarded while actually defending them, and rooting for them. Like a big brother mocks his younger brother but always has his back when it goes down.

Crushing it.

If only more people spoke the truth lol. This is such a fantastic bit.

As someone who's mostly camp 2 with a side of camp 1 I'd say this is one of my favorite comedy bits. :)

Absolutely brilliant comic. Doug has a complete understanding of what’s a stand up’s job and delivers without fail. Amazing.

Brilliant, Sir. Fecking brilliant.

Underrated always

Thanks fo speaking the truth thanks dude you’re awesome 😎.