Bob Hope was funny.

Benny Hill said Bob Hope was a big influence on him.

http://splitsider.com/2013/04/timing-is-everything-the-comedy-of-bob-hope/
For over half a century, Bob Hope was arguably the most famous and beloved comedian in America. Like most comics from his era, he started as a song and dance man in Vau1c84deville and slowly made his way up the ranks through radio, stage, and ultimately into the movies, where his brand of acerbic humor won him accolades as well as fame. Hope also became famous for his variety specials that aired on NBC as well as his unwavering commitment to entertaining American troops overseas through the USO. So what the hell is he doing in this series?
Just days after Hopes death, Christopher Hitchens wrote what might be called an anti-obituary titled Hopeless: Did Bob Hope ever say anything funny? in which Hitchens wrote of Hopes brand of humor, This is comedy for people who have no sense of humor and who come determined to be entertained and laugh to show that they get it. Never one for nuance, Hitchens attack on Hope seems as short sighted and ignorant as his infamous Vanity Fair piece about women in comedy (he was not a fan). Bizarrely, Hitchens praises both Mitlon Berle and Benny Hill in his tirade against Hope, so one should grab a fistful of salt when reading his article. Perhaps the most dishonest part of an article in which Hitchens asks if Hope was ever funny is the fact that he limits his target to the Hope of the late 1980s and 90s, when it could be argued that the great comedian did indeed lose his way. But for a career than spans three quarters of the 20th Century, it is a bit like saying Ben Stiller isnt funny because you didnt like The Watch.
In his prime Bob Hope was at the very top of his game. In fact, Woody Allen has confessed on several occasions that he outright stole Hopes character when performing in his early comedies.
And what a character it was. Vain but self deprecating, bold yet cowardly, and always quick with a well-timed one liner, there is a lot to like in Hopes character and its proven to be quite enduring. We see bits of Hope not just in Woody Allen, but Albert Brooks (Defending Your Life), Bill Murray (Stripes), and even Seth Rogen (Pineapple Express). Anytime we see a witty, urbane hero stuck in a position that requires courage but has only wisecracks to fall back on, we are seeing a little bit of Bob Hope. Hope is a kind of Tigris and Euphrates of comedy that proves to be just as relevant today.
Granted, not all of the humor holds up, but dear Lord, what timing! It has become something of a clich to praise Bob Hope for his razor sharp timing, but his talent absolutely cannot be discounted. Within the first couple of minutes of the above clip from his 1948 vehicle, The Paleface, Hope tosses off one liners like they are used Kleenex, moving from joke to joke with anarchic glee.
Bob Hope starred in several movies through the 40s, 50s, and 60s on his own as well as in the hugely popular road movies with Bing Crosby. The movies are so popular, they are a recurring motif on Family Guy in episodes centered on Stewie and Brian, complete with song and dance numbers!
Once Hope left behind filmmaking for good, he primarily showed up in the yearly variety specials he did for NBC and touring with the USO overseas to entertain American servicemen (a duty he began performing soon after the USO formed in 1941).
It was during this time his reputation as a comedian began to tarnish. During the tumultuous Vietnam era, the world was changing. Young people were fighting to address civil rights issues and to put an end to an unjust war (luckily today, we dont have to worry about that anymore!). However, Hope served as a comedic standard bearer for the establishment. He palled around with presidents and ridiculed the anti-war movement as hopelessly nave at best and borderline communist at worst. Hell, he even rang up none other than Richard Nixon to give birthday wishes.
While it is tempting to dismiss Hopes allegiance to the establishment of that era as a mere symptom of his age, it must be said that during this time older acts such as The Marx Brothers had something of a resurgence, partly due to their 1933 film Duck Soup, which remains one of the finest anti-war films ever made. Indeed, Groucho was embraced by the counterculture of that era because he continued to thumb his nose toward authority right up until the very end.
So, we can see why an intellectual and political firebrand like Christopher Hitchens may not like or appreciate Hopes humor, but to say he is not funny? Well, thats just wrong. While Hope certainly became complacent in his later years and showed no interest in upsetting the status quo, he was a consummate joke teller, wringing laugh from even the worst jokes with a self-possessed, laid back style that showed a man in complete control of his powers despite his age.
One thing that we can learn from Hope is the economy of words he uses to set up a joke and hit with the punchline. Shortly after Albert Brooks took

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He has, admittedly, dated badly. Its hard to warm to him.such a smarmy and annoying guy.

Whole lotta head shakin' going on here lately. As long as it doesn't fall off you'll be fine.
I'll assume that you have seen Bob Hope's greatest films.