My List of the Funniest Comedians(in my opinion)!
Now, these are some of my favorite funny men and women. If you don't like them, let's just agree to disagree. ;)
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Highly influential, and always controversial, African-American actor/comedian who was equally well known for his colorful language during his live comedy shows, as for his fast paced life, multiple marriages and battles with drug addiction. He has been acknowledged by many modern comic artist's as a key influence on their careers, and Pryor's observational humor on African-American life in the USA during the 1970s was razor sharp brilliance.
He was born Richard Franklin Lennox Pryor III on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Gertrude L. (Thomas) and LeRoy "Buck Carter" Pryor. His mother, a prostitute, abandoned him when he was ten years of age, after which he was raised in his grandmother's brothel. Unfortunately, Pryor was molested at the age of six by a teenage neighbor, and later by a neighborhood preacher. To escape this troubled life, the young Pryor was an avid movie fan and a regular visitor to local movie theaters in Peoria. After numerous jobs, including truck driver and meat packer, the young Pryor did a stint in the US Army between 1958 & 1960 in which he performed in amateur theater shows. After he left the services in 1960, Pryor started singing in small clubs, but inadvertently found that humor was his real forte.
Pryor spent time in both New York & Las Vegas, honing his comic craft. However, his unconventional approach to humor sometimes made bookings difficult to come by and this eventually saw Pryor heading to Los Angeles. He first broke into films with minor roles in The Busy Body (1967) and Wild in the Streets (1968). However, his performance as a drug addicted piano player in Lady Sings the Blues (1972), really got the attention of fans and film critics alike.
He made his first appearance with Gene Wilder in the very popular action/comedy Silver Streak (1976), played three different characters in Which Way Is Up? (1977) and portrayed real-life stock-car driver "Wendell Scott" in Greased Lightning (1977). Proving he was more than just a comedian, Pryor wowed audiences as a disenchanted auto worker who is seduced into betraying his friends and easy money in the Paul Schrader working class drama Blue Collar (1978), also starring Yaphet Kotto and Harvey Keitel. Always a strong advocate of African-American talent, Pryor next took a key role in The Wiz (1978), starring an all African-American cast, including Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, retelling the story of The Wizard of Oz (1939). His next four screen roles were primarily cameos in California Suite (1978); The Muppet Movie (1979); Wholly Moses! (1980) and In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion) (1980). However, Pryor teamed up with Gene Wilder once more for the prison comedy Stir Crazy (1980), which did strong box office business.
His next few films were a mixed bag of material, often inhibiting Pryor's talent, with equally mixed returns at the box office. Pryor then scored second billing to Christopher Reeve in the big budget Superman III (1983), and starred alongside fellow funny man John Candy in Brewster's Millions (1985) before revealing his inner self in the autobiographical Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986). Again, Pryor was somewhat hampered by poor material in his following film ventures. However, he did turn up again in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) with Gene Wilder, but the final product was not as sharp as their previous pairings. Pryor then partnered on-screen with two other very popular African-American comic's. The legendary Redd Foxx and 1980s comic newcomer Eddie Murphy starred with Pryor in the gangster film Harlem Nights (1989) which was also directed by Eddie Murphy. Having contracted multiple sclerosis in 1986, Pryor's remaining film appearances were primarily cameos apart from his fourth and final outing with Gene Wilder in the lukewarm Another You (1991), and his final appearance in a film production was a small role in the David Lynch road flick Lost Highway (1997).
Fans of this outrageous comic genius are encouraged to see his live specials Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' (1971); the dynamic Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979); Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982) and Richard Pryor... Here and Now (1983). In addition, The Richard Pryor Show (1977) is a must-have for any Richard Pryor fans' DVD collection.
Unknown to many, Pryor was a long time advocate against animal cruelty, and he campaigned against fast food chains and circus shows to address issues of animal welfare. He was married a total of seven times, and fathered eight children.
After long battles with ill health, Richard Pryor passed away on December 10th, 2005.The Master... nothing else needs to be said. The one who raised the bar and then broke it by making even the most depressing and tragic events in his life funny. No one else will even come close to him.- Actor
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George Denis Patrick Carlin was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, to Mary (Bearey), a secretary, and Patrick John Carlin, an advertising manager for The Sun; they had met while working in marketing. His father was from Donegal, Ireland, and his mother was Irish-American. His parents divorced when he was two months old, and he was raised by his mother. The long hours the mother worked left the young George by himself for long hours every day, providing him (in his own words), the time he needed to think about various subjects, listen to radio, and practice his impersonations, that where acclaimed by his mother and coworkers since an early age. Carlin started out as a conventional comedian and had achieved a fair degree of success as a Bill Cosby style raconteur in nightclubs and on TV until the late 1960s, when he radically overhauled his persona. His routines became more insightful, introducing more serious subjects. As he aged, he became more cynic and bitter, unintentionally changing his stage persona again in a radical way throughout the '90s. This new George Carlin, usually referred to as the late George Carlin, is one of the most acclaimed and enjoyed by the public and critics. Carlin's forte is Lenny Bruce-style social and political commentary, spiced with nihilistic observations about people and religion peppered with black humor. He is also noted for his masterful knowledge and use of the English language. Carlin's notorious "Seven Dirty Words" comedy routine was part of a radio censorship case that made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1978.A legend and certified genius! His razor sharp wit and blunt honesty by focusing a microscope at the absurdities of life made him truly one of the greats.- Actor
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Robin McLaurin Williams was born on Saturday, July 21st, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, a great-great-grandson of Mississippi Governor and Senator, Anselm J. McLaurin. His mother, Laurie McLaurin (née Janin), was a former model from Mississippi, and his father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams, was a Ford Motor Company executive from Indiana. Williams had English, German, French, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish ancestry.
Robin briefly studied political science at Claremont Men's College and theater at College of Marin before enrolling at The Juilliard School to focus on theater. After leaving Juilliard, he performed in nightclubs where he was discovered for the role of "Mork, from Ork", in an episode of Happy Days (1974). The episode, My Favorite Orkan (1978), led to his famous spin-off weekly TV series, Mork & Mindy (1978). He made his feature starring debut playing the title role in Popeye (1980), directed by Robert Altman.
Williams' continuous comedies and wild comic talents involved a great deal of improvisation, following in the footsteps of his idol Jonathan Winters. Williams also proved to be an effective dramatic actor, receiving Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), and The Fisher King (1991), before winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Good Will Hunting (1997).
During the 1990s, Williams became a beloved hero to children the world over for his roles in a string of hit family-oriented films, including Hook (1991), FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Flubber (1997), and Bicentennial Man (1999). He continued entertaining children and families into the 21st century with his work in Robots (2005), Happy Feet (2006), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Happy Feet Two (2011), and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). Other more adult-oriented films for which Williams received acclaim include The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Awakenings (1990), The Birdcage (1996), Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002), World's Greatest Dad (2009), and Boulevard (2014).
On Monday, August 11th, 2014, Robin Williams was found dead at his home in Tiburon, California USA, the victim of an apparent suicide, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office. A 911 call was received at 11:55 a.m. PDT, firefighters and paramedics arrived at his home at 12:00 p.m. PDT, and he was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m. PDT.This man has been so ingrained in my childhood since his stint on "Mork and Mindy"(I even had the lunchbox)! As a master of improvisation, his wit and humor was so lightning fast that his transition from the stage to screen was simply destiny. An added bonus was how in recent years he'd easily and believably taken on dramatic roles. His untimely death was a horrible loss for the world and I will miss him terribly. Rest in paradise, Robin. :(- Actor
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Edward Regan Murphy was born April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York, to Lillian Lynch (born: Lillian Laney), a telephone operator, and Charles Edward Murphy, a transit police officer who was also an amateur comedian and actor. After his father died, his mother married Vernon Lynch, a foreman at a Breyer's Ice Cream plant. His brothers are Charlie Murphy & Vernon Lynch Jr. Eddie had aspirations of being in show business since he was a child. A bright kid growing up in the streets of New York, Murphy spent a great deal of time on impressions and comedy stand-up routines rather than academics. His sense of humor and wit made him a stand out amongst his classmates at Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School. By the time he was fifteen, Murphy worked as a stand-up comic on the lower part of New York, wooing audiences with his dead-on impressions of celebrities and outlooks on life.
In the early 1980s, at the age of 19, Murphy was offered a contract for the Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Players of Saturday Night Live (1975), where Murphy exercised his comedic abilities in impersonating African American figures and originating some of the show's most memorable characters: Velvet Jones, Mr. Robinson, and a disgruntled and angry Gumby. Murphy made his feature film debut in 48 Hrs. (1982), alongside Nick Nolte. The two's comedic and antagonistic chemistry, alongside Murphy's believable performance as a streetwise convict aiding a bitter, aging cop, won over critics and audiences. The next year, Murphy went two for two, with another hit, pairing him with John Landis, who later became a frequent collaborator with Murphy in Coming to America (1988) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). Beverly Hills Cop (1984) was the film that made Murphy a box-office superstar and most notably made him a celebrity worldwide, and it remains one of the all-time biggest domestic blockbusters in motion-picture history. Murphy's performance as a young Detroit cop in pursuit of his friend's murderers earned him a third consecutive Golden Globe nomination. Axel Foley became one of Murphy's signature characters. On top of his game, Murphy was unfazed by his success, that is until his box office appeal and choices in scripts resulted into a spotty mix of hits and misses into the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Films like The Golden Child (1986) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) were critically panned but were still massive draws at the box office. In 1989, Murphy, coming off another hit, Coming to America (1988), found failure with his directorial debut, Harlem Nights (1989). Another 48 Hrs. (1990), his turn as a hopeless romantic in Boomerang (1992) and as a suave vampire in Vampire In Brooklyn did little to resuscitate his career. However, his remake of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor (1996) brought Murphy's drawing power back into fruition. From there, Murphy rebounded with occasional hits and misses but has long proven himself as a skilled comedic actor with laudable range pertaining to characterizations and mannerisms. Though he has grown up a lot since his fast-lane rise as a superstar in the 1980s, Murphy has lived the Hollywood lifestyle with controversy, criticism, scandal, and the admiration of millions worldwide for his talents. As Murphy had matured throughout the years, learning many lessons about the Hollywood game in the process, he settled down with more family-oriented humor with Doctor Dolittle (1998), Mulan (1998), Bowfinger (1999), and the animated smash Shrek (2001), in a supporting role that showcased Murphy's comedic personality and charm. Throughout the 2000s, he further starred in the hits The Haunted Mansion (2003), Shrek 2 (2004), Dreamgirls (2006) (for which he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar), Norbit (2007), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010).
Murphy was married to Nicole Mitchell Murphy from 1993 to 2006. Murphy has ten children.This is the comedian I practically grew up with. I was watching his stand-up concerts, "Delirious" and "Raw" even before I was old enough to understand a lot of his more racy jokes! The Cookout routine I know pretty much verbatim! Seen pretty much all his movies too! One of the best! XD- Actress
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The entertainment world has enjoyed a six-decade love affair with comedienne/singer Carol Burnett. A peerless sketch performer and delightful, self-effacing personality who rightfully succeeded Lucille Ball as the carrot-topped "Queen of Television Comedy," it was Burnett's traumatic childhood that set the stage for her comedy.
Carol's rags-to-riches story started out in San Antonio, Texas, on April 26, 1933, where she was born to Ina Louise (Creighton) and Joseph Thomas "Jodie" Burnett, both of whom suffered from acute alcoholism. As a child, she was left in the care of a beloved grandmother, who shuttled the two of them off to Hollywood, California, where they lived in a boarding house and shared a great passion for the Golden Age of movies. The plaintive, loose-limbed, highly sensitive Carol survived her wallflower insecurities by grabbing attention as a cut-up at Hollywood High School. A natural talent, she attended the University of California and switched majors from journalism to theater. Scouting out comedy parts on TV and in the theater, she first had them rolling in the aisles in the mid-1950s performing a lovelorn novelty song called "I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles" (then Secretary of State) in a nightclub act. This led to night-time variety show appearances with Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan and where the career ball really started rolling.
Carol's first big TV breaks came at age 22 and 23 as a foil to a ventriloquist's dummy on the already-established The Paul Winchell Show (1950) in 1955, and as Buddy Hackett's gawky girlfriend on the short-lived sitcom Stanley (1956). She also developed an affinity for game shows and appeared as a regular on one of TV earliest, Stump the Stars (1947) in 1958. While TV would bring Carol fans by the millions, it was Broadway that set her on the road to stardom. She began as the woebegone Princess Winnifred in the 1959 Broadway musical "Once Upon a Mattress" which earned her first Tony Award nomination. [She would later appear in three TV adaptations - Once Upon a Mattress (1964), Once Upon a Mattress (1972) and Once Upon a Mattress (2005).] This, in turn, led to the first of an armful of Emmy Awards as a repertoire player on the popular variety series The Garry Moore Show (1958) in 1959. Burnett invented a number of scene-stealing characters during this time, most notably her charwoman character. With the phenomenal household success of the Moore show, she moved up quickly from second banana to headliner and appeared in a 1962 Emmy-winning special Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (1962) co-starring close friend Julie Andrews. She earned the Outer Critics Circle Award for the short-lived musical "Fade Out, Fade In" (1964); and made her official film debut opposite Bewitched (1964) star Elizabeth Montgomery and Dean Martin in the lightweight comedy Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963).
Not surprisingly, fellow redhead Lucille Ball, who had been Carol's treasured idol growing up, subsequently became a friend and mentor to the rising funny girl. Hilarious as a guest star on The Lucy Show (1962), Carol appeared as a painfully shy (natch) wallflower type who suddenly blooms in jaw-dropping fashion. Ms. Ball was so convinced of Carol's talent that she offered Carol her own Desilu-produced sitcom, but Burnett had her heart set on fronting a variety show. With her own team of second bananas, including character crony Harvey Korman, handsome foil Lyle Waggoner, and lookalike "kid sister" type Vicki Lawrence, the The Carol Burnett Show (1967) became an instant sensation, and earned 22 Emmy Awards during its 11-year run. It allowed Carol to fire off her wide range of comedy and musical ammunition--whether running amok in broad sketch comedy, parodying movie icons such as Gloria Swanson, Shirley Temple, Vivien Leigh or Joan Crawford, or singing/gushing alongside favorite vocalists Jim Nabors, Steve Lawrence, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr., Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormé. She managed to bring in huge stars not known at all for slapstick comedy, including Rock Hudson and even then-Governor Ronald Reagan while providing a platform for such up-and-coming talent as Bernadette Peters and The Pointer Sisters In between, Carol branched out with supporting turns in the films Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), The Front Page (1974) and Robert Altman's A Wedding (1978).
Her program, whose last episode aired in March of 1978, was the last truly successful major network variety show to date. Carol took on new challenges to display her unseen dramatic mettle, and accomplished this amazingly in TV-movie showcases. She earned an Emmy nomination for her gripping portrayal of anti-Vietnam War activist Peg Mullen in Friendly Fire (1979), and convincingly played a woman coming to terms with her alcoholism in Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice (1982). Neither character bore any traces of the usual Burnett comedy shtick. Though she proved she could contain herself for films, Carol was never able to acquire crossover success into movies, despite trouper work in The Four Seasons (1981), Annie (1982) (as the hammy villainess Miss Hannigan), and Noises Off... (1992). The last two roles had been created onstage by Broadway's Dorothy Loudon.
Carol would return from time to time to the stage and concert forums with productions of "Plaza Suite", "I Do! I Do", "Follies", "Company" and "Putting It Together". A second Tony nomination came for her comedy work in "Moon Over Buffalo" in 1995. Carol has made frequent appearances on her own favorite TV shows too, such as Password (1961) (along with Elizabeth Montgomery, Carol was considered one of the show's best players) and the daytime soaper, All My Children (1970).
During the early 1990s, Carol attempted a TV comeback of sorts, with a couple of new variety formats in Carol & Company (1990) and The Carol Burnett Show (1991), but neither could recreate the magic of the original. She has appeared, sporadically, on various established shows such as "Magnum, P.I.," "Touched by an Angel," "Mad About You" (for which she won an Emmy), "Desperate Housewives," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Emmy nomination), "Hawaii Five-0," "Glee" and "Hot in Cleveland." Befitting such a classy clown, she has received a multitude of awards over time, including the 2003 Kennedy Center Honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1985. Her personal life has been valiant--tears in between the laughs. Married three times, her second union with jazz-musician-turned-variety-show-producer Joe Hamilton produced three daughters. Eldest girl, Carrie Hamilton, an actress and former teen substance abuser, tragically died of lung and brain cancer at age 38. Shortly before Carrie's death, mother and daughter managed to write a play, together, entitled "Hollywood Arms", based on Carol's 1986 memoir, "One More Time". The show subsequently made it to Broadway.
Today, at age 80 plus, Carol has been seen less frequently but still continues to make appearances, especially on TV. Most recently she has guested on the shows "Glee," "Hot in Cleveland" and the revivals of "Hawaii Five-0" and "Mad About You." As always she signs off a live appearance with her signature ear tug (acknowledging her late grandmother), reminding us all, between the wisecracks and the songs, how glad and lucky we all are to still have some of "this time together".A comedy goddess! Her on the "Carol Burnett Show" and all of the hilarious characters she portrayed, will be a part of popular culture for many years to come and I'm not exaggerating that. Right now, I'm giggling thinking about the "Gone With The Wind" sketch! XD- Producer
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Christopher Julius Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of Rosalie (Tingman), a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped, and Julius Rock, a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman, whose own father was a preacher.
Rock has been in stand-up comedy for several decades. He made his big screen debut in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and spent three years on the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975). He does commercials for 1-800 Collect and Nike and covered the presidential campaign for the show Politically Incorrect (1993). He lives in Alpine, New Jersey.His satirical take on racism and politics has made him one of the best and funniest comedians of the last 20 years.- Actress
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Wanda Sykes has been called one of the funniest stand-up comics by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly's 25 Funniest People in America. Her smart-witted stand-up has sent her career in many different areas.
She was previously seen in Comedy Central's Wanda Does It (2004), where she tried various non-showbiz jobs. Her first book, "Yeah I Said It," published by Simon and Schuster, hit bookstores in September 2004, which is a hilarious collection of essays touching on life, family, and current events.
In 2003, she was seen on Fox's Wanda at Large (2003), in which she wrote, produced, and starred. She also has a one-hour Comedy Central special called Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied (2003). In addition, she can be seen on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) or heard on Comedy Central's Crank Yankers (2002) as the voice of Gladys Murphy.
Wanda was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and raised in Maryland, the daughter of Marion Louise (Peoples), a banker, and Harry Ellsworth Sykes, a US Army colonel. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Hampton University. Her stand-up career began at a Coors Light Super talent Showcase in Washington, DC, where she performed for the first time in front of a live audience.
She spent 5 years as part of the HBO's critically acclaimed The Chris Rock Show (1997). As a performer and writer on the show, she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and in 1999 won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Special. In 2001, she won the American Comedy Award for Outstanding Female Stand-Up Comic. She won a second Emmy in 2002 for her work on Inside the NFL (1977). In 2003, Wanda earned a Comedy Central Commie Award for Funniest TV Actress. Other writing credits include the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards (1999), The MTV Movie Awards, The 74th Annual Academy Awards (2002), The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show (1997), and Wanda at Large (2003).
She also appeared in the feature films Pootie Tang (2001), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Down to Earth (2001), and Monster-in-Law (2005).The only black female to show up on Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Standups of All Time. Her routines about being a newly outed gay woman with a family is in step with the kind of honest humor that Pryor was famous for. Hilarious!- Producer
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Emmy-winning talk show host Ellen Lee DeGeneres was born in Metairie, Louisiana, a New Orleans suburb. She is the daughter of Betty DeGeneres (née Elizabeth Jane Pfeffer), a speech therapist, and Elliott Everett DeGeneres, Jr., an insurance agent. Her brother is musician and producer Vance DeGeneres. Her parents divorced when she was 16 years old. Her mother remarried, and her new husband, salesman Roy Gruessendorf, moved the family to Atlanta, Texas.
After graduating from Atlanta High School in 1976, Ellen attended the University of New Orleans as a communications major, but she dropped out after one semester. She held a wide variety of jobs until she turned to stand-up comedy, making her bones at small clubs and coffeehouses before working her way up to emcee Clyde's Comedy Club by 1981. Her comedy was described as a distaff version of Bob Newhart. Beginning in the early 1980s, she toured nationally and was named the funniest person in America after winning a competition sponsored by the cable network Showtime. This led to better gigs, including her first appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) in 1986.
Though DeGeneres's early forays into series television were not successful (she appeared as a supporting player in two short-lived TV situation comedies in the period 1989-92, Open House (1989) and Laurie Hill (1992)), she scored a hit headlining her own 1994 sitcom on ABC "These Friends of Mine" (renamed Ellen (1994) after its first season). She made TV history in April 1997, when her character, and DeGeneres personally, revealed that she was a lesbian. However, the show was canceled the following season due to declining ratings, after which DeGeneres returned to the stand-up circuit. In 2001, DeGeneres launched a new series, The Ellen Show (2001), on CBS, but it suffered from poor ratings and was canceled.
Redemption as a television artist came in 2003, when DeGeneres's daytime talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003), proved to be both a critical hit and a commercial success. Along with good ratings, the show has won unprecedented kudos from the industry, winning 15 Emmy Awards in its first three seasons on the air and becoming the first talk show in TV history to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show in its first three seasons.
DeGeneres has also made a name for herself as a host of awards shows. She hosted the Grammy Awards in 1996 and 1997, as well as the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2001 and 2005. In February 2007, she had the ultimate TV awards show gig, hosting the Oscars, which she hosted again in 2014.Such a sweetheart and a really funny woman! Ellen's take on comedy is almost like she's a big kid. Her observations are those of a prepubescent child with an adult vocabulary bringing attention to the weird and silly stuff that only kids notice. Even after her controversial coming out episode that led to the cancellation of her sitcom, she came back stronger and funnier than ever as host of her own talk show. Love her!- Actor
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Steven Wright was born on 6 December 1955 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Natural Born Killers (1994), So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) and Reservoir Dogs (1992).He's known for his distinctly lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical jokes, and one-liners with contrived situations. He's probably the last person you'd think would be a funny comedian, but he's one that I hold near and dear to my heart! I actually have an autographed picture of him. :D- Actor
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Adam Ferrara is a stand-up comedian and actor who proudly played Chief Needles Nelson on the Emmy nominated FX drama series Rescue Me (2004) with Denis Leary and Frank Verelli on Showtime's hit series Nurse Jackie (2009) opposite Emmy Award winner Edie Falco. Ferrara has also costarred alongside Kevin James in the hit movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) and in Definitely, Maybe (2008) with Ryan Reynolds and Isla Fisher.
Presently Adam hosts the critically acclaimed BBC sensation, Top Gear USA (2008), airing on History. Additionally, Adam is an internationally touring headliner, two-time nominee for best male stand-up by the American Comedy Awards, and has three Comedy Central Specials. Ferrara has also appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992), "The Late Show with David Letterman" (1989)_, _"The View" (2000)_ and Rachael Ray (2006).
Ferrara's earlier TV credits include NBC's Law & Order (1990), ABC's Ugly Betty (2006), CBS's The King of Queens (1998), as well as a series regular on the critically acclaimed ABC show, The Job (2001), starring opposite Denis Leary. At a Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour, Denis Leary was quoted as saying, "Adam Ferrara is a great comedian, but he's really pissing me off now because he's become such a great dramatic actor."
Apart from opening for his comedy idol, George Carlin, and performing at both Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall, Ferrara was asked to perform at a benefit for the President and all of the Senators.
Adam Ferrara lives between New York City & Los Angeles and is married to indie actress Alex Tyler.My favorite Italian-American New York comedian who I have a little crush on! I love that in recent years because of shows like "Nurse Jackie", "Rescue Me", "The Job" and "Top Gear", more people are finding out who he is and I couldn't be prouder! :D- Actor
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One of SNL's most talented alumni, comedian Dana Carvey reigned supreme during his six-season run creating some of the show's most memorable characters, including "Church Lady", "Garth" of Wayne & Garth fame, Grumpy Old Man and bodybuilding "Hans" of Hans & Franz notoriety. This sharp and witty writer, actor and impressionist went on to hatch a modestly successful comedy career in films along with some of his SNL cohorts -- Mike Myers, Adam Sandler and Chris Farley did.
The slightly-built, slightly dorky-looking funny guy was born on June 2, 1955 in Missoula, Montana, to Billie Dahl (McDonald) and Bud Carvey. He is of Norwegian, and smaller amounts of English, German, Swedish, and Irish, ancestry. Carvey was raised in San Carlos, California in typical middle class surroundings. His father taught high school business law and his mother, who was also a schoolteacher, had creative outlets as a painter and musician that inspired the young Dana. His gift for inducing laughter arrived at any early age. As young as 9 or 10, Dana was already mimicking characters he saw on TV, with one of his early icons being Jonathan Winters. His musical gifts came in the form of drums and guitar.
While majoring in Communication Arts at San Francisco State, Dana sought out the comedy stage doing standard impressions of well-known personalities such as John Wayne, Howard Cosell and James Stewart. Within a few months he was beginning to win stand-up comedy awards. In time, however, he replaced his impersonations with self-created characterizations and such ripe forms as the Church ("Isn't that special!") Lady were the result.
After playing various Bay Area comedy venues, Dana decided to relocate to Los Angeles in 1981 and give Hollywood a try. He quickly landed a development deal with NBC. While playing a straight foil to Mickey Rooney wasn't exactly his cup of tea, it did break him into series work as Rooney's grandson in the short-lived sitcom One of the Boys (1982). Mickey played a hip, energetic grandpa who is invited to move out of his retirement home and into the cool pad of his college-student grandson and his roommate (played by another up-and-comer, Nathan Lane).
Dana joined the repertory company of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1986, and the result was spectacular, helping to reverse the show's disastrous decline in popularity at the time. With his sharp, quicksilver characters and uncanny ability to exaggerate dead-on impersonations of the rich and famous -- from politicos George Bush and Ross Perot to entertainment's Johnny Carson, Woody Allen and Regis Philbin, Dana became the darling of the SNL set for six solid seasons. He was nominated six times for an Emmy Award, finally winning in 1993 for "Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program", and also won multiple American Comedy Awards.
As expected, Dana began seeking comedy film vehicles to extend his stardom, following the pathway of many other successful post-SNL comics. In his first comedy vehicle Opportunity Knocks (1990), he unleashed his typical bag of tricks (dialects, impressions, etc.) in a tale about a con artist who falls for the daughter of one of his wealthy dupes. It was moderately received. His second, Clean Slate (1994), was merely a retread of Bill Murray's earlier Groundhog Day (1993) about a detective who awakens every morning without any recall. Given a thankless role in The Road to Wellville (1994), his third starring film comedy Trapped in Paradise (1994) this time had him joining former SNL alumnus Jon Lovitz. None kick-started movie stardom.
Dana's best results on film came in tandem with Mike Myers in which the duo recreated their memorable "party-on" dudes Wayne and Garth from the famous SNL sketches. Wayne's World (1992) and its sequel Wayne's World 2 (1993) were box-office smashes, but it strangely did not further Dana's film career. He had hopes that a self-titled TV comedy series, The Dana Carvey Show (1996) would connect with audiences but it faltered. As its host, he reprised a number of his popular characters and introduced a slew of future comedians, including Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert. The show was deemed too offensive and was canceled after only six airings.
Into the millennium, Dana's starred in one last comedy vehicle to date. The Master of Disguise (2002), which he co-wrote and was executive-produced by Adam Sandler. Here he played a klutzy Italian waiter who inherits the familial power of disguise. As before, it was a letdown and did little to advance his movie career. Since then he has been seen as a featured player and has appeared in three of Adam Sandler's comedy vehicles (Little Nicky (2000), Jack and Jill (2011) and Sandy Wexler (2017)). He has also been utilized in animated films, voicing such projects as Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), Ankomsten (1982) and its sequel The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019).
Dana's true brilliance is captured best on the live comedy stage and, in particular, his numerous TV cable specials and stand-up concert appearances. To see Dana perform live is to witness an ideal blend of wit, style, personality and unrestrained, racy humor, something he has not been afforded to do on film. He lives with second wife Paula in Southern California. They have two children.An SNL alum, great with imitating voices and personas who I've loved for years. From the Church Lady to George Bush, he's funny without being scathing or hurtful. A refreshing attribute when nowadays comedians are trying their best to be edgy.- Actor
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Jeff Dunham was born on 18 April 1962 in Dallas, Texas, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Delta Farce (2007), Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity (2007) and Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special (2008). He has been married to Audrey Dunham since 12 October 2012. They have two children. He was previously married to Paige Dunham.Right now, ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is the highest grossing comedian in North American and Europe thanks to his multiplatinum selling DVD specials, Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself, Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity, Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special, Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos and Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters. His dummies, Walter, Peanut, Achmed the dead terrorist, Bubba J and Jose Jalapeno on a stick are now household names because of it.- Actor
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Rickey Smiley was born on 10 August 1968. He is an actor and producer, known for Friday After Next (2002), First Sunday (2008) and Baggage Claim (2013).His original comedy routines often talk about all the funny situations and people he's known from his years as a church organist. He also role-plays fictional characters such as "Bernice Jenkins" (AKA Granny Swims, Ms. Johnson or Mrs. Francis), "Lil' Daryl", "Rusty Dale", "Beauford" and a mentally challenged girl named "Precious". He has his own morning radio show where he does his trademark prank calls. Love him to death!! :D- Actress
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Tiffany Sara Cornilia Haddish is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2018, and The Hollywood Reporter listed her among the 100 most powerful people in entertainment in both 2018 and 2019.
After guest-starring on several television series, Haddish gained prominence for her role as Nekeisha Williams on the NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show (2015-2017). Her breakthrough came in with a leading role in the comedy film Girls Trip (2017), which earned her several accolades, such as nominations for two Critics' Choice Awards. In 2021, Haddish's performance was included on The New Yorker's list of the best film performances of the 21st century. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for hosting a Saturday Night Live episode (2017) and published a memoir, The Last Black Unicorn (2017).
Haddish starred in the TBS series The Last O.G. (2018-2020) and executive produced and voiced Tuca in the Netflix/Adult Swim animated series Tuca & Bertie (2019-present). Haddish released the album Black Mitzvah in 2019, for which she won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album, making her the second African-American woman to win this prize after Whoopi Goldberg in 1986. In 2022, she was part of the main cast for the crime comedy series The Afterparty and is set to reprise her role in the show's second season.She is the hottest comic on the scene today thanks to her breakthrough role as Dina in the hit comedy, "Girls Trip". She has written her memoirs, titled "The Last Black Unicorn" which debuted at #15 on the New York Times best seller list. She has also gone on to become the first black female stand-up comedian to host Saturday Night Live- Actor
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Gary Owen is known for Ride Along (2014), Think Like a Man (2012) and Daddy Day Care (2003). He has been married to Kenya Duke since 19 July 2003. They have three children.He was named by Ebony Magazine, "Black American's Favorite White Comedian". Being the first and only white host of BET's "Comicview", his stand up is mostly about his fish out of water experiences with him being this geeky white guy embracing and being embraced by black culture, mostly because of his black wife and her family. Hilarious guy!- Writer
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Denis Leary was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Nora (Sullivan) and John Leary, Irish immigrants who had grown up together. His mother was a maid and his father was an auto mechanic. After a childhood in the 1960s, Leary went to Emerson College in Boston, where he tried his hand at acting and writing. He was a charter member of Emerson's Comedy Workshop, and taught at the college for five years after graduating. By that point, he had written several pieces for magazines and had worked at stand-up comedy for a time. In 1990, he and his wife, Ann Leary, flew to London to perform in the BBC's Paramount City. That weekend, Ann's water broke. Their planned weekend trip became a stay of months, and Denis, with not a whole lot to do in London, wrote a one-man comedy act. He brought friends in from the States, and they wrote songs to perform on stage. Leary, with Chris Phillips and Adam Roth on guitar, performed "No Cure For Cancer" at the Edinburgh International Arts Festival in Scotland. Despite some protests about the title, the show won the Critic's Award and the BBC Festival Recommendation. The next year, the show was moved to America, and it was eventually taped and broadcast on Showtime (Denis Leary: No Cure for Cancer (1993)). The show spawned a book, CD, cassette, and a videotape. It also started Leary's movie career. Since then, he has starred in several films and has had two of his own TV series.His comedic style is angry, manic and relentless, but still manages to be very funny! If you happen to be one of the many things that enrage and/or annoys him, watch out because his humor is like a machine gun and God help you if you're caught in the spray!- Actor
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Lewis Black was born on 30 August 1948 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Inside Out (2015), Man of the Year (2006) and Accepted (2006).Lewis Black is known for his angry face, comedy style which can almost be compared with Denis Leary's. Unlike Leary's, his often includes simulating a mental breakdown, or an increasingly angry rant, ridiculing history, politics, religion, trends and cultural phenomena. It's almost as if the absurdity of others causes him physical pain. Love his shtick!- Producer
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Jerry Seinfeld was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Betty (Hesney) and Kalman Seinfeld. His father was of Hungarian Jewish descent, while Jerry's maternal grandparents, Salha and Selim Hosni, were Syrian Jewish immigrants (from Aleppo). He moved with his family, including sister Carolyn, to suburban Massepequa, Long Island, at a young age. Jerry's dad, who had a terrific sense of humor, was a commercial sign maker.
Jerry attended Oswego College in upstate New York however transferred to Queens College back in New York City. Developed an interest in stand-up comedy after brief stints in college productions. Went straight from college graduation to amateur night tryout at New York's Catch a Rising Star, 1976.
Continued to perform in local clubs and Catskill Mountain resorts until his career was boosted by an appearance on a Rodney Dangerfield HBO special, 1976. Career took off after first successful spot on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), May 1981, at age 27. Appearances on [error] and The Merv Griffin Show (1962) followed. Also appeared four times as Frankie on Benson (1979) sitcom. After he was abruptly fired from the show, he swore never to do another sitcom unless he had greater control. This opportunity emerged when he was invited to create a sitcom for NBC in 1989 and teamed with one-time stand-up colleague Larry David.
Progression of "The Seinfeld Chronicles" into the long-running Seinfeld (1989) series phenomenon was ended by its co-creator and co-executive producer, Larry David. Still unmarried, he moved back to New York City into a new multimillion-dollar, multilevel apartment on Central Park West just down the street from his small bachelor studio on West 81st.Specializing in observational humor, often focusing on personal relationships and uncomfortable social obligations, Jerry Seinfeld and his semi-biographical show, "Seinfeld", has made him probably one of the most successful comedians of his generation.- Actor
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Richard Jeni was born on 14 April 1957 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Mask (1994), Richard Jeni: Platypus Man (1993) and Platypus Man (1995). He died on 10 March 2007 in West Hollywood, California, USA.My other favorite Italian-American comedian from NY and I really miss him. His observations about relationships, growing up Catholic and religion in general were absolutely hilarious! He did a few movies, TV shows and stand up specials, but who knows how far he would have gone had he not taken his own life. :(- Producer
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Daniel Tosh was born on 29 May 1975 in Germany. He is a producer and writer, known for The Love Guru (2008), Daniel Tosh: Happy Thoughts (2011) and Tosh.0 (2009). He has been married to Carly Hallam since 15 April 2016.He's another fairly new comedian making a name for himself in the business. His mocking humor is described as "envelope pushing" and frequently features punchlines which are intentionally racist, sexist or homophobic. His sarcastic and edgy persona has gotten him in trouble because of a controversial rape joke, but he's managed to bounce back unscathed.- Actor
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Andrew Dice Clay was born on 29 September 1957 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990), Blue Jasmine (2013) and A Star Is Born (2018). He has been married to Valerie Silverstein since 14 February 2010. He was previously married to Kathleen Monica and Kathleen Swanson.This is the man who took controversy to a whole new level. Back in the early 90s, he was the top grossing comedian on the scene. Practically a rock star selling out stadiums and arenas nationwide, he was the first comedian in history to sell out Madison Square Garden two nights in a row. So, what happened? He became the whipping boy to a lot of feminist groups calling him and his routine misogynistic and politically incorrect. The backlash began to be too much and he fell out of sight for a few years. Now, he's back and badder than ever! Welcome back, Diceman! :D- Actor
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Sam Kinison was a popular stand-up comedian from Yakima, Washington, mainly active in the 1980s and the early 1990s. He also had a few acting roles in film and television. His only recurring role was that of Hugh, the main character's alter ego in the short-lived sitcom "Charlie Hoover" (1991). The series only lasted 7 episodes. Kinison had previously worked as a Pentecostal preacher, and his comedy routine incorporated sudden tirades and distinctive screams in the style of charismatic preachers. Kinison was noted for a tendency to use black comedy, and to often satirize Christian evangelist scandals.
In 1953, Kinison was born in Yakima, Washington. The city's economy is mostly based on agriculture. Yakima is the primary producer of hops in the United States, a key ingredient in the production of beer. Kinison's parents were the Pentecostal preacher Samuel Earl Kinison and his wife Marie Florence Morrow. Samuel "pastored several churches " throughout the United States, never settling for long in one place and always earning a meager income.
In 1956, Kinison was accidentally hit by a truck. He survived the accident, but suffered brain damage. His childhood was otherwise uneventful until 1964, when his parents divorced. Marie gained custody over Kinison, despite the boy's protestations. Kinison decided to follow in his father's footstep's, training to become a preacher.
From 1968 to 1969, Kinison attended the "Pinecrest Bible Training Center", an unaccredited bible school located in Salisbury Center, New York. From 1970 to 1977, Kinison was employed as a preacher. He reportedly used a typical "fire and brimstone" style in his sermons, punctuated with shouting. Like his father, Kinison earned a meager income and struggled with poverty.
Deciding to change his career path and become a comedian, Kinison moved to Houston, Texas. He found work at the Houston-based comedy club "Comedy Workshop" (1978-early 1990s). He received training at the Workshop's school for improvisational comedic actors, and joined the club's team of "Texas Outlaw Comics". The team reportedly was intended to consist of comedians "who speak their minds" and "who aren't interested in selling out."
In 1980, Kinison decided to move to Los Angeles. He wanted to be hired by the West Hollywood-located comedy club "The Comedy Store" (1972-), where young comedians received press exposure and had a shot of appearing in HBO's "Young Comedians" television specials.
Kinison was initially hired as a doorman by "The Comedy Store", but eventually started performing as a comedian again. While struggling to find work, Kinnison reportedly developed addictions to both cocaine and alcohol. He hired his brother Bill as his manager.
Kinison's big break came when he was chosen as one of 8 performers in the "The 9th Annual Young Comedians Special" (1985). Most of the featured performers failed to impress the critics of the day, but Kinison won praise for voicing the frustrations of a typical married man in his routine. Kinison was next featured as a guest on the talk show "Late Night with David Letterman", and was cast in a supporting role in the comedy film "Back to School".
Kinison was at the height of his popularity by 1989. He was cast in the role of an angel in an episode of then-popular sitcom "Married... with Children" (1987-1997). In 1990, he had a role in the horror anthology series "Tales from the Crypt" (1989-1996). In 1991, he had a co-starring role in the sitcom "Charlie Hoover" (1991). The series' premise was that Charlie was a depressed, middle-aged office worker who is confronted by his own alter ego, who convinces him to turn his life around.
Having divorced twice, on April 4, 1992 Kinison married his long-time girlfriend Malika Souiri. She worked as a dancer. Following the wedding, the couple vacationed in Hawaii for 5 days. They returned to Los Angeles on April 10, as Kinison had to prepare for a performance at the Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino of Laughlin, Nevada. Later that day, Kinison's Pontiac Trans Am was "struck head-on" by a pick-up truck. The driver of the other vehicle was an inebriated 17-year-old boy.
Kinnison was found dead at the scene, with his head having smashed his car's windshield. At the time of the accident, Kinnison was not wearing his seat belt. He was 38-years-old at the the time of his death. His wife was also injured at the accident, but was able to recovered at a hospital. The driver responsible for the death pled guilty to charges of "vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence". He was sentenced to a single year of probation and 300 hours of community service.
Kinison was buried in a family grave plot at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1993, archival footage of him was used for the television special "A Tribute to Sam Kinison". Kinnison's brother Bill wrote a biography of him, called "Brother Sam: The Short, Spectacular Life of Sam Kinison". Despite a relatively short career, Kinnison has been fondly remembered. He has been cited as an influence by other comedians.Sam was another controversial comedian who started out as a Pentecostal preacher, then ended up performing stand-up routines that were most often characterized by an intense style, similar to enthusiastic preachers, punctuated by his trademark scream. He was also another one that was taken from us too soon. He died in a car accident on April 10, 1992. :(- Actor
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Dane Cook was born on 18 March 1972 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Good Luck Chuck (2007), My Best Friend's Girl (2008) and Dan in Real Life (2007). He has been married to Kelsi Taylor since 23 September 2023.I know that I'm probably going to get reamed for this, but who cares! Most don't think Dane is funny, but I happen to like the guy. Cook's style is principally "long-form storytelling" and "multipurpose phrases" with a casual attitude. Though he really doesn't tell jokes per se, his comedic style kinda reminds me of how frat boys tell each other funny, over the top stories.- Actor
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Carlos Alazraqui is an American actor and comedian known for his roles as Rocko from Rocko's Modern Life, Spyro the Dragon in the 1998 video game of the same name, Lazlo and Clam from Camp Lazlo, Denzel Crocker from The Fairly OddParents, James Garcia in Reno 911, the Taco Bell chihuahua, and Puma Luco from El Tigre.Although nowadays, he's mostly known for his voice over work for such characters as The Taco Bell dog, Rocko on Rocko's Modern Life, Denzel Q. Crocker and Juandissimo Magnifico on The Fairly OddParents, Lazlo and Clam in Camp Lazlo, etc., his start was as a stand up comedian and an extremely funny one too! :D- Actress
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Kathryn McKinnon Berthold (born January 6, 1984), known professionally as Kate McKinnon, is an American actress and comedienne, who is best known as a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live and The Big Gay Sketch Show, and for playing the role of Dr. Jillian Holtzmann in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot.
McKinnon is known for her character work and celebrity impressions of pop singer Justin Bieber, comedian television host Ellen DeGeneres, and political figures Hillary Clinton, Kellyanne Conway, Elizabeth Warren, Betsy DeVos, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Robert Mueller, and Jeff Sessions. She has been nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards; one for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics and four for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, winning in 2016 and 2017.
Kathryn McKinnon Berthold was born and raised in the Long Island town of Sea Cliff, New York. She is the daughter of Laura Campbell, a parent educator, and Michael Thomas Berthold, an architect. She has a younger sister, Emily. Her father died when she was 18 years old.
As a child, McKinnon played several instruments. She started playing the piano when she was 5 years old, the cello when she was 12, and taught herself how to play the guitar when she was 15. She graduated from North Shore High School in 2002, and from Columbia University in 2006 with a theater major, where she co-founded a comedy group, Tea Party, which focused on musical improv comedy. At Columbia, she starred in three Varsity shows: V109 "Dial D for Deadline", V110 "Off-Broadway" and V111 "The Sound of Muses". She was also a member of Prangstgrüp, a student comedy group who set up and recorded elaborate college pranks.
In 2007, McKinnon joined the original cast of Logo TV's The Big Gay Sketch Show, where she was a cast member for all three seasons. Since 2008, she has performed live sketch comedy regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. She has also worked as a voice-over actress, and has voiced characters for series such as The Venture Bros., Robotomy, and Ugly Americans. In 2009, McKinnon won a Logo NewNowNext Award for Best Rising Comic. She was nominated for an ECNY Emerging Comic Award in 2010. In 2014, she appeared in the Kennedy Center Honors as part of a tribute to Lily Tomlin. In 2016, she starred in the reboot Ghostbusters, alongside Melissa McCarthy, and fellow SNL cast members Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones. In 2017, McKinnon is attached to star in Amblin Entertainment's Lunch Witch, an adaptation of a young adult graphic novel by Deb Lucke. She has been set to play the title role of Grunhilda, an out-of-work witch who takes a job in a school cafeteria to make ends meet. McKinnon voices the character of Ms. Frizzle in the reboot of the Magic School Bus children's series.
McKinnon debuted as a featured player on Saturday Night Live on April 7, 2012. She was promoted to repertory status in season 39 in 2013. Following the departure of Vanessa Bayer, McKinnon is now the longest serving female cast member.
In 2013, McKinnon was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress, Comedy. McKinnon won the 2014 American Comedy Award for Best Supporting Actress, TV for her work on SNL. In 2014, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, as well as for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics along with four of her colleagues for the song "(Do It On My) Twin Bed". She was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the second time in 2015. She eventually won the very next year, becoming the first actor from SNL to win the award since 1993.
McKinnon began appearing as Hillary Clinton on the series leading up to the 2016 presidential election. The real Clinton appeared alongside her in a sketch during the show's season 41 premiere. McKinnon has said that her impression of Hillary Clinton comes from a place of deep admiration, and that "[she] unequivocally want her to win" the 2016 presidential election. On November 12, 2016, which was the first show after Clinton's loss in the election, she reprised the role to open the show with a solo performance of "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, whose death was announced two days before her performance. After the election, McKinnon began to impersonate Kellyanne Conway alongside Alec Baldwin as Trump. On February 11, she debuted her impression of Elizabeth Warren during Weekend Update and Jeff Sessions in the cold open.To me, right now, she is the reigning queen of Saturday Night Live! Her characters, her impersonations and even her musical abilities make her a comedic powerhouse even when SNL hasn't been always been at it's best.- Actor
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Billy Connolly was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. He left school to work in the shipyards, becoming a welder, and joined the Territorial Army (in the parachute regiment) at around the same time. He developed an interest in folk music, eventually being an accomplished banjo player and a member of the band Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty (later of Baker Street fame). The jokes he told between songs eventually took over his act and he became a full-time comedian. Already a big star in Scotland, he became a household name in the UK after appearing on Parkinson (1971) in the early seventies. Billy has released many recordings and videos of his concert performances over the years. He has expanded his repertoire to include acting, appearing in a number of television dramas and films, most recently in the USA. In the 90s he made two documentary series for the BBC, about Scotland and Australia respectively, and in 1997 he starred in the award winning film Mrs. Brown (1997). He is one of the UK's top comedians.Not necessary a direct disciple of Pryor, but his life certainly mirrors his. Finding humor in the darkest parts of his painful childhood that consisted of his mother's abandonment, the aunts that had to raise him and their cruelty toward him and his sister, the physical and sexual abuse at the hands of his father and his past drug addiction.
His observational comedy is idiosyncratic and often off-the-cuff. He has offended certain sectors of audiences, critics and the media with his free use of the word "*beep*". He has made jokes relating to masturbation, blasphemy, defecation, flatulence, hemorrhoids, sex, his father's illness, his aunts' cruelty and, in the latter stages of his career, old age (specifically his experiences of growing old).- Producer
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Greg Behrendt was born on 21 July 1963 in San Francisco, California, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for He's Just Not That Into You (2009), Love Bites (2011) and The Comedy Jam (2017). He is married to Ruotula-Behrendt, Amiira. They have two children.Not only is Greg a really funny comedian, he's a best selling author for self-help/comedic books such as He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys(which was adapted into a screenplay and turned into a movie of the same name), It's Just a Date: How to Get 'em, How to Read 'em, and How to Rock 'em, and It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken: The Smart Girl's Break-Up Buddy.- Producer
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Studied at George Brown Theatre School in Toronto. She waited tables for five years, did some theatre work and the odd commercial. Even kept her comedic bent alive in the Toronto sketch comedy group, the Atomic Fireballs, she formed with three other women.This Canadian-American comedian, writer, actress and former correspondent of "The Daily Show" has come into her own becoming one of the funniest and most scathing political satirist to come along in the last few years, mostly thanks to her hit show, "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.- Writer
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John Oliver was born on 23 April 1977 in Birmingham, England, UK. He is a writer and producer, known for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014), The Lion King (2019) and The Smurfs (2011). He has been married to Kate Norley since October 2011. They have two children.Another supremely funny comic that made his start as a correspondent of "The Daily Show", John Oliver has taken off into the stratosphere in much the same as his former co-stars by hosting his own show on HBO, "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" where he showcases his brilliantly hilarious social commentary.- Writer
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Stephen Tyrone Colbert (pronounced "cole-BEAR") was born on May 13, 1964 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the son of Lorna Elizabeth (Tuck) and James William Colbert, Jr., a doctor and medical school dean at Yale, Saint Louis University, and MUSC. He is the youngest of eleven children, and is of Irish Catholic background.
Stephen studied acting at Northwestern and performed with the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago before teaming up with fellow cast members Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello to create the sketch comedy Exit 57 (1995) for Comedy Central. During its two-season run in the mid-1990s, it garnered five CableACE nominations for best writing, performing, and comedy series. After the demise of Exit 57 (1995) from 1997 (until his departure in October 2005), Stephen was a correspondent on The Daily Show (1996), then hosted by Craig Kilborn. Initially billed as "The New Guy," Stephen became the show's longest-running correspondent before getting his own show, The Colbert Report (2005), which has done well in its slot following The Daily Show (1996).
At the time he left The Daily Show (1996), Stephen had been its longest-running and most diverse correspondent. In addition to his role as Senior Political Correspondent, he was one of the hosts of "Even Stepheven," a point-counterpoint assault featuring co-correspondent Steve Carell, and the host of "This Week in God," a recurring segment in which he reported on all things theological with the assistance of the "God Machine."
Stephen helped The Daily Show (1996) win numerous Emmy and Peabody Awards and contributed to "America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction" (Warner Books) which immediately topped the New York Times bestseller list and stayed there for 15 consecutive weeks.
His personality, intelligence, and leftist political satire could only have led him to The Colbert Report (2005), a half-hour nightly platform for him to give his tongue-in-cheek take on the issues of the day, and more importantly, to tell you why he thinks everyone else's take is just plain wrong.
His other notable credits include serving as both writer and cast member on The Dana Carvey Show (1996), writing for Saturday Night Live (1975), and providing the voice of Ace in Robert Smigel's "Ambiguously Gay Duo," which originated on The Dana Carvey Show (1996) and was a semi-regular feature in Smigel's "TV Funhouse" segment on SNL. He was also featured on "Mr. Goodwrench" commercials (2003-2005).
Stephen lives in northern New Jersey with his wife and three children.Yes, another graduate of "The Daily Show"! He was one of the first correspondents to spin off onto his own show. First, he starred in "The Colbert Report", a parody of personality-driven political opinion shows such as The O'Reilly Factor, in which Colbert portrayed a caricatured version of conservative political pundits and now he hosts "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" adding his political satirical spin to David Letterman's former show.- Writer
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Michael McIntyre was born on 21 February 1976 in Merton, London, England, UK. He is a writer and producer, known for Michael McIntyre's Big Show (2015), Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow (2009) and The Wheel (2022). He has been married to Kitty Ward since 2003. They have two children.Michael is a British comedian who's stand-up specials on being a husband and a father is some of the most brilliant and funniest stuff I've seen in years! XD- Actor
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Tom Kenny grew up in East Syracuse, New York. When Tom was young he was into comic books, drawing funny pictures and collecting records. Tom turned to stand-up comedy in Boston and San Francisco. This led to appearances on every cable show spawned by the stand-up epidemic of the '80s and '90s as well as stints on The Dennis Miller Show (1992), The Pat Sajak Show (1989), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) and [error]. Tom was a regular on Fox TV's The Edge (1992) and spent a year as the host of NBC's Friday Night (1983). His mainstream television appearances include Brotherly Love (1995) and David Alan Grier's sitcom debacle, The Preston Episodes (1995). Tom supplies the voice for "Heffer" the cow on Nickelodeon's Rocko's Modern Life (1993) and Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants (1999), as well as regular performances on The Cartoon Network's Dexter's Laboratory (1996), Justice League (2001), The Powerpuff Girls (1998), and Johnny Bravo (1997). Tom joined the cast of Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995) where he met his future wife Jill Talley. Together they've teamed up on Comedy Central's The Mark Thomas Comedy Product (1996), the stage show "The Show With Two Heads", HBO's Not Necessarily the Election (1996), the The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight" video and Travis "Sing" video.Nowadays, most people know him as a voiceover artist, namely for providing the voice for Spongbob Squarepants, but I've been a fan of his since his stand up days.- Actress
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Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in the Chelsea section of Manhattan on November 13, 1955. Her mother, Emma (Harris), was a teacher and a nurse, and her father, Robert James Johnson, Jr., was a clergyman. Whoopi's recent ancestors were from Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. She worked in a funeral parlor and as a bricklayer while taking small parts on Broadway. She moved to California and worked with improv groups, including Spontaneous Combustion, and developed her skills as a stand-up comedienne. Goldberg came to prominence doing an HBO special and a one-woman show as Moms Mabley. She has been known in her prosperous career as a unique and socially conscious talent with articulately liberal views. Among her boyfriends were Ted Danson and Frank Langella. Goldberg was married three times and was once addicted to drugs.
Goldberg had her first big film starring role in The Color Purple (1985). She received much critical acclaim, and an Oscar nomination for her role and became a major star as a result. Subsequent efforts in the late 1980s were, at best, marginal hits. These movies mostly were off-beat to formulaic comedies like Burglar (1987), The Telephone (1988) and Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986). She made her mark as a household name and a mainstay in Hollywood for her Oscar-winning role in the box office smash Ghost (1990). Whoopi Goldberg was at her most famous in the early 1990s, making regular appearances on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). She admitted to being a huge fan of the original Star Trek (1966) series and jumped at the opportunity to star in "Star Trek: The Next Generation".
Goldberg received another smash hit role in Sister Act (1992). Her fish-out-of-water with some flash seemed to resonate with audiences and it was a box office smash. Whoopi starred in some highly publicized and moderately successful comedies of this time, including Made in America (1993) and Soapdish (1991). Goldberg followed up to her success with Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), which was well-received but did not seem to match up to the first.
As the late 1990s approached, Goldberg seemed to alternate between lead roles in straight comedies such as Eddie (1996) and The Associate (1996), and took supporting parts in more independent minded movies, such as The Deep End of the Ocean (1999) and How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998). Goldberg never forgot where she came from, hosting many tributes to other legendary entertainment figures. Her most recent movies include Rat Race (2001) and the quietly received Kingdom Come (2001). Goldberg contributes her voice to many cartoons, including The Pagemaster (1994) and Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990), as Gaia, the voice of the earth. Alternating between big-budget movies, independent movies, tributes, documentaries, and even television movies (including Theodore Rex (1995)).
Whoopi is accredited as a truly unique and visible talent in Hollywood. Perhaps she will always be remembered as well for Comic Relief, playing an integral part in almost every benefit concert they had. Whoopi is also the center square in Hollywood Squares (1998), sometimes hosts the Academy Awards, and is an author, with the book "Book."Another comedic/dramatic actor that I grew up with, I've been a fan of hers since her one-woman show on Broadway back in 1985. I can still do that entire show verbatim! :D- Actor
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Fast-talking and feisty-looking John Leguizamo has continued to impress movie audiences with his versatility: he can play sensitive and naïve young men, such as Johnny in Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991); cold-blooded killers like Benny Blanco in Carlito's Way (1993); a heroic Army Green Beret, stopping aerial terrorists in Executive Decision (1996); and drag queen Chi-Chi Rodriguez in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995). Arguably, not since ill-fated actor and comedian Freddie Prinze starred in the smash TV series Chico and the Man (1974) had a youthful Latino personality had such a powerful impact on critics and fans alike.
John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez was born July 22, 1960, in Bogotá, Colombia, to Luz Marina Peláez and Alberto Rudolfo Leguizamo. He was a child when his family emigrated to the United States. He was raised in Queens, New York, attended New York University and studied under legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg for only one day before Strasberg passed away. The extroverted Leguizamo started working the comedy club circuit in New York and first appeared in front of the cameras in an episode of Miami Vice (1984). His first film appearance was a small part in Mixed Blood (1984), and he had minor roles in Casualties of War (1989) and Die Hard 2 (1990) before playing a liquor store thief who shoots Harrison Ford in Regarding Henry (1991). His career really started to soar after his first-rate performance in the independent film Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991) as a nervous young teenager from the Bronx out for a night in brightly lit Manhattan with his buddies, facing the career choice of staying in a supermarket or heading off to college and finding out that the girl he loves from afar isn't quite what he thought she was.
The year 1991 was also memorable for other reasons, as he hit the stage with his show John Leguizamo: Mambo Mouth (1991), in which he portrayed seven different Latino characters. The witty and incisive show was a smash hit and won the Obie and Outer Circle Critics Award, and later was filmed for HBO, where it picked up a CableACE Award. He returned to the stage two years later with another satirical production poking fun at Latino stereotypes titled John Leguizamo: Spic-O-Rama (1993). It played in Chicago and New York, and won the Drama Desk Award and four CableACE Awards.
In 1995 he created and starred in the short-lived TV series House of Buggin' (1995), an all-Latino-cast comedy variety show featuring hilarious sketches and comedic routines. The show scored two Emmy nominations and received positive reviews from critics, but it was canceled after only one season. The gifted Leguizamo was still keeping busy in films, with key appearances in Super Mario Bros. (1993), Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Spawn (1997). In 1998 he made his Broadway debut in John Leguizamo: Freak (1998), a "demi-semi-quasi-pseudo-autobiographical" one-man show, which was filmed for HBO by Spike Lee.
Utilizing his distinctive vocal talents, he next voiced a pesky rat in Doctor Dolittle (1998) before appearing in the dynamic Spike Lee-directed Summer of Sam (1999) as a guilt-ridden womanizer, as the Genie of The Lamp in the exciting Arabian Nights (2000) and as Henri DE Toulouse Lautrec in the visually spectacular Moulin Rouge! (2001). He also voiced Sid in the animated Ice Age (2002), co-starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Collateral Damage (2002) and directed and starred in the boxing film Undefeated (2003). Subsequently, Leguizamo starred in the remake of the John Carpenter hit Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) and George A. Romero's long-awaited fourth "Dead" film, Land of the Dead (2005).
There can be no doubt that the remarkably talented Leguizamo has been a breakthrough performer for the Latino community in mainstream Hollywood, in much the same way that Sidney Poitier crashed through celluloid barriers for African-Americans in the early 1960s. Among his many strengths lies his ability to not take his ethnic background too seriously but also to take pride in his Latino heritage. He has opened many doors for his countrymen. A masterly and accomplished performer, movie audiences await Leguizamo's next exciting performance.Not a stand up comedian per se, I became a fan of his through his off Broadway one-man comedy shows, Mambo Mouth, *beep* Freak, and Sexoholix... A Love Story. In all of these productions, he's portraying different characters, some of them women. He's also a movie actor who, like Robin Williams, can transition easily between comedic and dramatic roles.- Actor
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Gabriel Iglesias is one of America's most successful stand-up comedians performing to sold-out concerts around the world. Iglesias was featured in The Hollywood Reporter's Top 40 Comedy Players of 2018 issue alongside comedy giants Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Lorne Michaels. Unlike many in the stand-up world, Iglesias' globally appealing comedy stays mostly clean and his non-controversial material appeals to audiences of all ages and walks of life. Iglesias has also had the distinct honor of being one of the few to headline and sell-out Madison Square Garden, Staples Center and The Sydney Opera House. He is also one of the most watched comedians on YouTube with nearly 1,000,000,000 views and has over 25 million followers across social media.
Iglesias starred in and was the executive producer of Netflix's multi-cam television series Mr. Iglesias. Iglesias plays a good-natured public high school teacher who works at his alma mater. He takes on teaching gifted but misfit kids to not only save them from being "counseled out" by a bully bureaucrat Assistant Principal, but also to help them unlock their full potential.
On the small screen, Iglesias was a recurring guest star on the ABC sitcom Cristela and guest starred in ABC's hit comedy Modern Family. Iglesias was also the star and creator of Fluffy's Food Adventures, a non-scripted comedic docu-follow series, that completed a 3 season run on Fuse TV. In addition, he hosted and starred in his hit series Stand-Up Revolution for 3 seasons on Comedy Central. Comedy Central also premiered Gabriel Iglesias: Aloha Fluffy in an unprecedented two-night comedy special to over 15 million viewers. The special was a follow-up to his previous DVD specials, Hot & Fluffy and I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy, which have sold millions of copies. In 2016, Iglesias released his 6th one-hour comedy special, I'm Sorry For What I Said When I Was Hungry on Netflix worldwide.
Feature film credits include co-starring roles in Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL and A Haunted House 2. His voice can also be heard in numerous animated films including the Academy Award winning Coco, Show Dogs, Ferdinand, The Star, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Norm of the North, The Book of Life, The Nut Job and Disney's Planes. Iglesias also starred in the motion picture comedy film, The Fluffy Movie.
Just recently in 2022, Iglesias made a comeback after COVID-19, selling out the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. Roughly 56,000 people were watching him from the stands perform the biggest show of his career and one of the biggest show any comedian has done in the world.He's not fat, he's fluffy! Since his start on the kid's show, "All That", Gabriel's stand up career has catapulted him into the mainstream! He employs storytelling, effected voices and sound effects in his act, whose other trademarks include references to his weight and his use of Hawaiian shirts.- Writer
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Greg Giraldo was born on 10 December 1965 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Common Law (1996), Z Rock (2008) and Greg Giraldo: Midlife Vices (2009). He was married to MaryAnne McAlpin-Giraldo. He died on 29 September 2010 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.This was a funny man that not too many people know or remember, but I was a fan of his. He was a favorite among his peers and his untimely death was a huge loss in the comedy world. :(- Actor
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Mitch Hedberg was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on February 24, 1968. He began his stand-up career in Florida, and after a period of honing his skills there he moved to Seattle and began touring. He soon appeared on MTV's "Comikaze", then a 1996 appearance on [error] brought him his big break. He won the 1997 grand prize at the Seattle Comedy Competition. The next year saw him appearing on Fox's hit series That '70s Show (1998). In 1999 he completed his own independent feature film, Los Enchiladas! (1999), which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in. He has also recorded two comedy CDs entitled "Mitch All Together" and "Strategic Grill Locations". He has appeared at the 2001 Montreal Just For Laughs comedy festival. Mitch Hedberg died on March 30, 2005 of a drug overdose. He will be sadly missed by all.Probably one of the most underrated comedians of his time, Mitch was known for his surreal humor and unconventional comedic delivery. His comedy typically featured short, sometimes one-line jokes mixed with absurd elements. He had somewhat of a hippy-dippy druggie persona that was all too real and eventually took his life. Another funny comedian who left us too early. :(- Actor
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Craig Robinson is an African-American actor, singer, musician and comedian who is known for portraying Darryl Philbin from The Office, LeVar Brown from The Cleveland Show, Doug Judy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cookie from Shrek Forever After, himself from This Is The End, and Nick Webber-Agnew from Hot Tub Time Machine. He also worked in several films that starred Seth Rogen including Sausage Party and Pineapple Express.Thanks to roles in films like "This Is The End", "Shrek Forever After", the upcoming "Sausage Party" and on the TV show "The Office", he's one of hottest comedians coming up now.- Actor
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Todrick Hall was born on 4 April 1985 in Plainview, Texas, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Straight Outta Oz (2016), #Bandcamp (2014) and Todrick Hall: Freaks Like Me (2014).I know that he's mostly seen as an singer and dancer, but his videos are hilarious!! Watch his video, "Twerkin' In The Rain" and you'll see just what I'm talking about. :D- Actor
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Born Anthony C. Baker in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Tony and his family quickly moved back to the city of Chicago where he was raised on the south side. His passion for film started at a very early age and stayed with him throughout his life. While attending New Mexico State University his creative ideas were brought to the forefront while writing and directing films with his colleagues just for the love of it. His comedic skills developed while hosting pageants, talent shows, and fund-raising events on the NMSU campus. His love for theater developed when he made his stage debut in the University production of "Of Mice & Men" in which he received his first acting award. After bringing his acting talents to the stage he knew that it was time to make the dream a reality and uprooted his family to California to pursue a career in acting and stand up comedy.This is a comedian who made his start like most, in the comedy clubs, but his fame really rose due to his hilarious voiceovers on funny viral animal videos. He has brought offbeat and humorous terms like "haberdashery and hemoglobin", "skibbity paps", and "cram" to the masses!- Actor
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John Fugelsang was born on 3 September 1969 in Long Island, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Coyote Ugly (2000), Somewhere in the City (1998) and Price Check (2012). He has been married to Charmien LaFramenta since 29 February 2004. They have one child.One of my current favorite political comedians out now. Handsome and intelligent... my favorite combination! :D- Actor
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Rudy Mancuso was born on 28 February 1992. He is an actor and director, known for Rim of the World (2019), A Celebration of the Music from Coco (2020) and The Flash (2023).Unless you are a frequent TikTok watcher, you probably have never heard of this guy, but trust me when I say that he's hilarious! He's an actor, musician and comedian who has a large following on You Tube because of his TikTok videos and is a major contributor to a Facebook page called Awkward Puppets in which he voices a Mexican puppet named Diego. I hope and pray that we see him in the mainstream soon.- Actor
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Tré Melvin is an American actor, writer, producer, singer, songwriter, designer, poet, philanthropist, and YouTube personality. Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, Melvin studied theatre and creative writing between grades 7 through 12 at Stivers School for the Performing Arts, and Business Marketing at the University of Cincinnati. He began acting professionally at the age of twelve, starring in a variety of stage plays, musicals, television commercials, short films, and radio spots.
Widely known for his YouTube sketch, parody, social commentary, and short-form episodic programming, Melvin has accumulated over 7,000,000 (seven million) followers across all social platforms and more than 1,000,000,000 (one billion) video views worldwide. He has secured a plethora of digital media award wins and nominations, as well as being featured on outlets such as NBC News, Essence, BET, Jet Magazine, E! News, etc for his political activism and commentary. On May 29, 2020, launched an original streaming service, "Tré Melvin TV".
He is presently committed to fleshing out a number of passion projects while focusing on Black and LGBTQ+ movements, mental and spiritual health, and access to the arts in urban communities.This is one of my favorite You Tubers and I'm a huge fan of his "This Is A Commentary" page. He's done several skits about many subjects, but his most famous is his character, "Watermelondrea"... a bitchy ghetto girl with blond hair. He's also worked with Todrick Hall on several occasions.- Actor
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Christian Del Grosso was born in Toronto, Canada. With having amassed over 15 million followers, Christian has become one of the most followed personalities online. Christian started his journey as an actor in 2011 training with one of the most prestigious acting schools in Toronto, EVN Studios. In 2013 he became one of the most followed video creators in the world, gaining 7 million followers his first year on social media. Since then, he has a combined total of 7.7 billion views across his platforms. Christian has acted in several feature films as well as series in traditional media. Some of these projects include, Fox Studios "Mono", More Productions "School Spirits", Black Pills "Mooom" & Maker Studios "Internet Famous". Christian has also written, directed and produced over 4000 comedic sketches/short films online garnering millions of views per video. Christian has also created branded campaigns for some of the largest companies in the world including, Amazon, Google, Universal Studios, Disney, Bose, 7UP, Pepsi, etc. Christian resides in Los Angeles, California and is continuing to pursue his acting career.I'm starting to think the future of comedy isn't the comedy clubs or improvisational workshops, but on You Tube and TikTok. This is another extremely funny Internet famous actor/comedian that I've grown to adore. He and Rudy do know each other and have collaborated on videos together.- Actor
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Thomas Sanders was born in Gainesville, Florida, USA as Thomas Foley Sanders. He is an actor, singer and writer and is better known for his Vine series "Narrating People's Lives", also known as "Storytime", and his YouTube series "Sanders Sides" among other works.
Sanders' parents are both school teachers and he has three brothers, Patrick, Christian and Shae. Thomas is two years older than Shae and eight years younger than Patrick and Christian. Sanders is descendant of Irish immigrants on his mother's side and is proud of his Irish Catholic heritage, having the chance to travel to Ireland where his ancestors used to live a few times. Even though he travels with some frequency to New York City and L.A., Sanders has lived all his life in Gainesville and still lives there.
Sanders' interest in theater and singing began when he was in middle school. His debut was when he was in seventh grade, in a middle school production of "Macbeth", where he played Macduff. In middle school, he also started singing in choruses. He did his first musical in high school, when he played the evil scientist Prospero in an adaptation of "Return to the Forbidden Planet", based on Forbidden Planet (1956). He was chosen because he was a bass singer and was the only one among the students who could reach the ultra-bass notes the character required.
Later he became part of the Gainesville Community Playhouse, one of the most important community theater companies in his native Gainesville, and, founded in 1927, one of the oldest active community theater companies in all Florida. He debuted in the GCP in 2006, in a production of "Beauty and the Beast", the same year he started college in the University of Florida, which is located in Gainesville, combining his studies of science in chemical engineering with theater. He won three Golden Apples, an award honoring excellence in GCP productions each season, as the best actor in a musical in 2007 for his portrayal of Ko-Ko in "Hot Mikado", in 2010 for his portrayal of Leo Bloom in "The Producers", and in 2011 for his portrayal of Billy Crocker in "Anything Goes". He also starred in shows like "Into the Woods", "Singing in the Rain" and "Les Miserables" among others.
In April 2013, a friend of Sanders, Antonio Romero, showed him a new smartphone app, named Vine. It allowed recording of videos of six seconds of length and its upload on a new social media network. Together, Sanders and Antonio recorded Dinner After SHR (2013) which became the first in a long list of Vines, later known as the Sanders Shorts (2013). At first, Sanders only experimented with the app, uploading Vines just for fun or recording real life events like parties or moments before or after stage performances. It wouldn't be long until he started doing proper scripted Vines, singing snippets of songs, showing his comedy and doing impressions of characters like Stewie Griffin from Family Guy (1999), Stitch from Lilo & Stitch (2002) or Kermit the Frog from The Muppet Show (1976) and Sesame Street (1969) among others.
On the first months he was still doing Vines just for fun, until he started getting popular with series like "Narrating People's Lives" (also known as "Storytime", which earned him the nickname "Storytime Guy"), "Disney Pranks with Friends", "Pokemon Pranks" and "Stewie vs. Herbert" (co-starring Taylor Shrum as Herbert) among others, and his subscriber count grew amazingly fast, reaching 1 million followers in October 2013, only six months after his debut on Vine. It was then when he was approached by Matt Hogan, who became his manager and producer. Sanders then left his daytime job on an engineering firm and focused on Vines on the daytime and theater at night. Sanders also released his first musical EP, containing Christmas songs, in December 2013.
Vine popularity allowed Sanders to go to conventions around America and abroad, even reaching Tel-Aviv, Israel, and Melbourne, Australia. He still kept working on the GCP for some more years until he did his first professional theater musical in 2015, portraying J.D. in an Orlando production of "Heathers: The Musical". He used his Vine series to help drama teachers in Gainesville high schools give their students an acting exercise, and his high school Vines alongside real life students became some of his most popular, first playing one of the students, and later introducing the Teacher character that, along with the Dad character and the Prince character, became essential characters in his career. Meanwhile, he also started a YouTube channel where he did longer productions and collabs with other famous Viners and YouTubers like Anna Brisbin (Brizzy Voices), Hannah Hart, Miss Benny and Gabe Erwin among others. He also started publishing monthly compilations of his Vines from September 2014 onward. Sanders won a Shorty Award in 2015 and a Streamy Award in 2016 to the best Viner. By January 2017, Sanders had reached 8.3 million subscribers and over 7.4 billion reproductions of his Vines, which made Thomas Sanders one of the most successful Viners in the history of the Vine platform. His popularity as a Viner allowed him to appear on The View (1997) as an interviewee and one of his Vines was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003). He also appeared as a guest actor in an episode of the Disney Channel show Bizaardvark (2016) and co-hosted on Disney XD a special edition of Walk the Prank (2016), Talk the Prank with Thomas Sanders and David Lopez (2017).
In the middle of 2016, Twitter announced that they would shut down Vine. Sanders announced that he would keep doing Vines until the app's last day, and then he would focus on his YouTube career. On August and September 2016, Sanders went on a tour with his own stage musical, "Ultimate Storytime", based on his Vine series "Narrating People's Lives", with which he toured through 17 cities in the U.S.A. and Canada, including Toronto and New York City. He also released an album on iTunes and Spotify with the soundtrack of this musical. After the tour ended, he started thinking on how to make the transition from Vine to YouTube, and he had the idea of using three characters from his Vine series, the Teacher character, the Dad character and the Prince character, which had became some of the most important and renowned characters by his viewers and which he had also used in his tour, to represent the different aspects of his personality. Initially it was going to be a one-off vlog, but it was so well received that he did a second and a third installment, where he had Lilly Singh as a guest star and introduced the character of Anxiety/Virgil, which became by far one of the most iconic characters in his career. That's how the Sanders Sides (2016) was born, a series that became "the staple of (his YouTube) channel", as it was demonstrated on Halloween 2017 when hundreds and hundreds of people cosplayed as the Sanders Sides characters, as well as the thousands of drawings and cosplay pics Sanders has kept on receiving and publishing since the beginning of the series. Joan S., one of Sanders' best friends and a long-term collaborator since the beginning on Vine, joined "Sanders Sides" from the 8th episode as a co-writer, and together they expanded the series and developed characters to a new level, incorporating dramatic and thrilling moments as well as further improving the comedic moments that were the root of the series. "Sanders Sides" would also see special collaborations, like the one from Butch Hartman, who not only appeared as himself but also did a special animated sequence exclusively for "Sanders Sides" where Thomas and the "Sanders Sides" became cartoon characters, and also a cameo by Leslie Odom Jr..
Vine was finally shut down in January 2017, and from that moment Sanders kept on releasing the now renamed as "Sanders Shorts" episodes on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, while maintaining the monthly compilations on YouTube which were combined with "Sanders Sides" and many more YouTube shows in the Thomas Sanders (2013) series like "Real or Fake Anime", "I Can't Believe I Never Knew", "Storytime Madlibs" and "Voices of Unreason" among many others. It was in one of these episodes where Sanders officially came out as gay, becoming LGBTQ+ normalization one of the main themes in his career from this point on. He also did some musical collaborations with people like Adam Pascal, Deedee Magno, Dodie Clark and Jon Cozart among others, and kept on releasing music, being "The Things We Used to Share", released in July 2017, his first original single, composed and written by Joan Stokes, based on real events in Sanders' life. He also released a new YouTube series, "Cartoon Therapy", that was also highly praised. Sanders won his second Shorty Award, to the best YouTube comedian in 2017 and was nominated with Jon Cozart to another Streamy Award to the best YouTube collaboration. These were his first YouTube related award and nomination, which gave him high hopes for the future.
Although, due to his busy schedule, Sanders had been unable to work as much as he used to in community theater, or theater in general, he's still open to collaborate with the Gainesville Community Playhouse, and he has done it from time to time, the most recent time in December 2019, when he portrayed the Beast in a GCP production of Beauty and the Beast. It was his return to stage after three years, even when his busy schedule only allowed him to participate as an understudy for three shows only.
Sanders had owned an account in what was then known as Musica.ly for many years, but he hadn't given much use to it. When Musica.ly was renamed as TikTok and started gaining popularity as the spiritual successor of Vine, Thomas' account started gaining subscribers at a great speed, and Thomas started, first reposting his "Sanders Shorts" on TikTok, then turning Tiktok into his main social media account to post his shorts, many times in unique montages or in aspect ratio formats not seen in his other traditional platforms like Instagram and others. He had 4 million subscribers by mid 2019, and by July 2020, he already had more than 6.4 million, doubling his YouTube subscriber count. At this rate, by mid 2021 he will have recovered all the 8.3 million subscribers he had at the end of Vine and possibly even surpass it.Another hilarious breakout TikTok star who does one of my favorite segments of his called "Storytime", where he accosts random strangers with a camera, saying to them what he believes to be their "true stories" which usually turn out to be completely off the mark in a shocking or embarrassing way. Something that you have to check out! :D- Trey Moe is an American comedian who now resides in Los Angeles, CA. Trey is known for his internet sketches that have generated more than 100 million views world-wide, with his puppet "Keisha Jones" being one of his is more prominent characters. Trey's career started at the University of Alabama where he graduated with a degree in Film Production.Another YouTube star, Trey Moe is a comedian who is known mostly for his "The 5" videos which comments on various girls, guys, and overall situations that the sexes don't know about each other. Recently, he's been making videos about him and his puppet "girlfriend" Keisha Jones who doesn't "play-play" with anyone! :D