A monologue, which comes from the Greek words "mono" and "logos" meaning "one word," is a speech by one person directly addressing an audience. An opening monologue is often a segment of stand up comedy, such as at the beginning of The Tonight Show. One might be looking for the academic discipline of communications. ... Richard Pryor hits the money line A stand-up comedian or stand-up comic is someone that performs in comedy clubs, usually reciting a fast paced succession of amusing stories, short jokes and one-liners, typically called a monologue. ... The Tonight Show is NBCs long-running late-night talk and variety show, currently hosted by Jay Leno in Burbank, CA (near Los Angeles). ...

In a monologue, the actor need not be alone, however, none of the supporting cast (in theatre or film) speaks. When the actor is alone, perhaps thinking out loud, this is a soliloquy, not a monologue. Jump to: navigation, search Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... Jump to: navigation, search Film refers to the celluloid media on which movies are printed Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... Soliloquy is an audible oratory or conversation with oneself. ...

There are two basic types of monologues:

Exterior monologue: This is where the actor speaks to another person who is not in the performance space or to the audience.

Interior monologue: This is where the actor speaks as if to himself or herself. It is introspective and reveals the inner motives to the audience. This is also a common device in stream of consciousness writings. In psychology and philosophy stream of consciousness, introduced by William James, is the set of constantly changing inner thoughts and sensations which an individual has while conscious, used as a synonym for stream of thought. ...

The monologue is an artform in and of itself, but it has always been part of larger, dialogue-based, plays for its provision of another angle in relating to the audience and getting inside a character's inner life.

Famous monologuists include Jack Parr, Bill Cosby, Lord Buckley, Spalding Gray, Mike Daisey, Eric Bogosian, Garrison Keillor, Greg Walloch, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, John Leguizamo, Stanley Holloway, and George Robert Sims. Jack Harold Paar (May 1, 1918–January 27, 2004) was an American radio and television talk show host. ... Jump to: navigation, search Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show Dr. William Henry Bill Cosby, Jr. ... Lord Buckley, or Richard Myrle Buckley, (April 5, 1906 - November 12, 1960) was an eccentric, joyous American monologist. ... Gray in Grays Anatomy (1996). ... Jump to: navigation, search Eric Bogosian (born April 24, 1953 in Woburn, Massachusetts) is an Armenian-American actor, playwright, performance artist, monologist, and novelist of Armenian descent. ... Jump to: navigation, search Garrison Keillor Garrison Keillor (born Gary Edward Keillor on August 7, 1942) is an American author, humorist, musician, and radio personality. ... Greg Walloch (born July 8th, 1970 in San Bernardino, California) is an American comedian, actor, author, and monologist. ... Jump to: navigation, search Johnny Carson John William Johnny Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his iconic status as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. ... Jump to: navigation, search Jay Leno Jay Leno (born James Douglas Muir April 28, 1950) is an American comedian of Italian and Scottish extraction who is best known as the current host of the long-running NBC television variety and talk show The Tonight Show. ... John Leguizamo (born July 22, 1964) in Bogotá, Colombia), is a Colombian-Puerto Rican comedian, actor and producer working in the Hollywood, film industry. ... Stanley Augustus Holloway (October 1, 1890 - January 30, 1982) was a British actor and entertainer famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen. ... George Robert Sims (September 2, 1847 - 1922), English journalist and dramatic author, was born on the 2nd of September 1847. ...