I am a George Carlin guy. Was in junior high or high school when "Occupation: Fool" came out. It was fnny as hell to me. Maybe it isn't so much now...? But he was clever and unique. I did like Andy Kaufman and Gilbert Gottfried slays me -- though I know many don't like either of them.
Steve Martin was a great talent -- his guest-hosting of the tonight show back in the Carson days was brilliant.
David Brenner, David Letterman, and Garry Shandling were all very funny back in the 70's. Jerry Seinfeld grew from their mold -- often clever and funny.
Old-time one-liner guys Dangerfield, Henny Youngman, Jack Benny, Jack Carter, Bob Hope, Alan King, Joey Bishop, George Burns, Milton Berle, Joan Rivers (she was funny in the day) all had their good moments.
Norm Crosby and Dr. Irwin Corey had intensley funny moments with their malapropisms.
Unique story tellers Bob Newhart, Richard Pryor, Cosby, George Gobel were (IMO) sometimes great, sometimes boring.
But my favorite of the old guys was Don Rickles. He could get going and be absolutely hysterical -- and mostly off the cuff.