James made his first stand-up comedy act in 1989 at the East Side Comedy Club which is located in Manhattan. He has also made some television appearances on talk shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Live with Regis and Kathy Lee. James landed the 89th spot on Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All Time.
He has also starred in films like Hitch, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, and Zookeeper, which is a movie he wrote and produced. He is someone we will continue to see on television for years to come.
$130 million
Steve Martin is a well-known guy in the comedy world. He started out his career in college, and you would find him performing at various local Los Angeles clubs prior to dropping out to pursue acting and comedy professionally.
Today he is worth $130 million, and that comes as no surprise to us. He’s been in several films, including Father of the Bride, Bringing Down the House, Cheaper by the Dozen, Pink Panther, and several more. He has also hosted Saturday Night Live approximately 15 times, which is insane, but the crowds loved him.
$160 million
Eddie Murphy is probably one of the highest-grossing actors in the history of film. He began his career with stand-up comedy as a teenager. His comedy was influenced by not only the famous Bill Cosby but Richard Pryor, as well. When 1980 rolled around, he was another comedian who joined Saturday Night Live. He managed to become one of the only cast members to host the show in the four short years he was a member. Mr. Murphy made it to the big screen when he appeared in 48 Hours.
Back in 2006, Eddie was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for his role in the movie Dreamgirls. In addition to acting, he is also a producer. He has produced several of his own films including Vampire in Brooklyn, Life, and Harlem Nights. He is estimated to be worth $160 million.
$16 million
Amy Schumer is quite literally one of the funniest and most talented comedians out there right now. While she is relatively new to the comedy scene, she is certainly one of the most popular comedians and actresses today. You may recognize her from the well-known film, Trainwreck, and she absolutely killed it.
In addition to her roles in films, she also has her own sketch comedy series, called Inside Amy Schumer, which you can find on Comedy Central. If you’re familiar with Amy’s personality, you know she is not one to keep quiet and be shy. We’re sure that her net worth will only increase as the years go on.
$100 million
Chris Rock is an amazing actor, comedian, and screenwriter who was raised in Brooklyn, New York. He was recognized nationally when he linked up with Saturday Night Live in 1990. A few of his films following his stand-up career are Dogma, The Longest Yard, and Beverly Hills Ninja.
He scored the Executive Producer title of the semi-autobiographical television series, Everybody Hates Chris. He has also hosted the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Grammy Awards several times. He’s estimated to be worth $100 million, which are well deserved.
$25 million
Kristen Wiig is probably most known for her role in the film, Bridesmaids, which is one of those movies that you could watch over and over again. She was also in the film Ghostbusters and was the voice of the hot dog named Brenda in the movie, Sausage Party.
We’re not surprised by this at all, she is quite hilarious. In total, she has a net worth of $25 million dollars. Kristen has also been seen on the hilarious show, Saturday Night Live. There are many other comedians who have hosted this show, as well. As of now she has decided to focus solely on her film career.
$150 million
Jim Carrey is someone who we all love and feel like we know very well. He brought us some incredible movies, like Ace Ventura, Batman Forever, The Mask, The Truman Show, Liar Liar, and that’s not even all of them! He’s one of the very few comedians who didn’t start out his career in stand-up, but rather on a sketch comedy show called In Living Color, a Wayans production from the '90s.
One of his popular hit movies was the sequel Dumb and Dumber, and Dumber and Dumber 2. All of his amazing accomplishments having him at a net worth of $150 million.
$490 million
In the beginning, Ellen was a waitress who performed at various comedy clubs in the New Orleans area, until things took off and she began touring nationally. Moving forward, she went on to star in the sitcom, Ellen, which aired from roughly the mid to late ’90s.
She now has her own talk show, called The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which started back in 2003. She is one of the kindest people out there, as she is always donating and giving back to those in need. Additionally, she has been married to Portia de Rossi since 2008.
$950 million
In addition to being the co-creator of the show Seinfeld, Jerry also starred in it. He can live a very comfortable life just from the income he receives from the show. Jerry, like most others, started out by doing your typical stand-up comedy at various locations until he made it big.
He is also the voice in the Bee Movie and is the brains behind a reality show called The Marriage Ref. In addition to his nice income, he has a great family at home, with a wife and three beautiful children.
$50-100 million
We hold this actor near and dear to our hearts and were very upset to hear of his passing. He is one of the best and most loved comedians of all time. He will be remembered for his many faces and voices in incredible movies, such as the Genie in Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Patch Adams. It was in the late ’70s where he broke into the scene, with his role in Mork and Mindy. This movie won him five Grammy Awards, which had him sitting on $150 million. A nice chunk of change.
Robin Williams was married three times and divorced twice. Fortunately, his third marriage, to Susan Schneider, was the one that lasted. He had admitted that both of his divorces had him close to filing for bankruptcy. Right before his death, in 2014, his net worth was estimated to be somewhere between $50 and 100$ million.
$40 million
If you aren’t familiar, Chelsea Handler is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author, and late-night talk show host. She has performed as a comedian all across the nation and is probably most famous for being the host of the popular show E!
She has starred in television shows including, The Bernie Mac Show, My Wife and Kids, Weekends at the D.L, and The Practice. Chelsea is a best-selling author who has written books relating to her life. She has been nominated for the People’s Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and Women’s Image Awards, between the years of 2010-2013. Handler also has two Netflix series, called Chelsea Does, and Chelsea. All of this has a net worth looking like a nice $40 million dollars. We could live off that!
$60 million
Jimmy Fallon is known for being part of Saturday Night Live and as the host of his own late-night talk show — The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Prior to that, it was the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, which sounds a little too similar if you ask us, but we're not here to judge a man with a $60 million net worth.
Fallon joined NBC’s Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 1998 where he was a co-host of the show’s Weekend Update segment. He became a household name in his six years in SNL. He left to focus on a career in film, in which he appeared in a number of movies such as Taxi, Fever Pitch, Factory Girl, Whip It, and Get Hard. But he soon returned to television to host Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC. In 2014, he became the sixth permanent host of The Tonight Show.
$35 million
His real name is Louis Szekely, however, everyone refers to him as Louis C.K. He’s a very famous stand-up comedian in addition to being an actor, writer, director, and producer. He’s been part of the comedy circuit for decades. He may not be adored by everyone, but like it or not, he is by far one of the most successful faces in the comedy world.
His films include, but are not limited to, American Hustle, Trumbo, and The Invention of Lying. He also had a self-titled, semi-autobiographical series that aired on FX, called Louie, which he created, directed, wrote, edited, and starred in. This comedian is reportedly worth $35 million dollars.
$60 million
Kelsey Grammer is an actor and comedian best known for his character, Dr. Frasier Crane, on the sitcoms Cheers and later Frasier. When you play a certain character for 20 years, you get so used to it that it might be hard to play a different role. That is not the case with Kelsey Grammer and he has the $60 million net worth to attest to that.
Most are not aware of this, but Kelsey was a producer, director, writer, and voice actor on the animated sitcom, The Simpsons. He was also the voice of the character Sideshow Bob. He's won 5 Primetime Emmy's among his other awards.
$165 million
Drew Carey is another comedian who is very well-known within the comedy world. He’s an actor, writer, and television host who has a net worth of $165 million! You may remember him from his role on The Drew Carey Show, which aired from the mid-’90s to 2004.
The show ran for nine years, and towards the end, he was earning approximately $750,000 an episode. He was also the host of the show Whose Line is it Anyway? Today, he continues his career as a host on The Price is Right.
$13 million
Nick Kroll's net worth is $13 million, but there's more to it. He is also the heir of a $500 million empire! The New York City-born writer, comedian, and actor is the son of Jules and Lynn Kroll. His father, Jules, founded Kroll Inc., a corporate risk consulting and investigations firm that is worth well over $1 billion. He found a niche in comedy and decided to put his acting skills to work in the genre that America so loves! We wonder what his conservative parents must have thought about his choice of career...
His acting roles include appearing in Cavemen, Big Mouth, Hello Show, and The League. He also starred in his own show, The Kroll Show. He appeared in the films I Love You, Man, Dinner for Schmucks, Get Him to the Greek, and Date Night, among others. From the types of films you can clearly see that Kroll has quite a sense of humor!
$12 million
Saturday Night Live alum, Bill Hader was labeled as a jokester even as an elementary school student. He must have gotten it from his father, who dabbled in stand up comedy himself. Though Hader was initially interested in filmmaking, he realized his true passion was comedy after taking improv classes with a couple of friends. His SNL audition soon followed, as did his current net worth of $12 million.
Hader left SNL after eight seasons as an established actor with an impressive record of roles in film and TV. His most memorable role in the last few years is that of the name character in the HBO dark comedy, Barry. Hader portrayed a depressed hitman in the funniest way possible, which won him two Emmys.
$25 million
There’s just something about Amy! This gorgeous blonde bombshell got her start on the very popular show, Saturday Night Live. She was on the show for many years before she joined her very best friend, Tina Fey in the film industry. You may be aware of the popular films Mean Girls, Man of the Year, Baba Mama, and Sisters which she all played a role in.
In addition to those movies, she starred in television shows like Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, Louie, Broad City, and continued to do skits on Saturday Night Live. Her $25 million dollar net worth is only going to go up.
$200 million
Kevin Hart, as you may have already assumed, is one of the highest-paid comedians in the world. He took a step into the comedy scene after appearing on Comedy Central specials, such as I’m a Grown Little Man, and Seriously Funny. Since then, he has made a name for himself by scoring roles in movies and television shows that have flown off the charts.
A few of those films are Paper Soldiers, Scary Movie 3, Soul Plane, In the Mix, and Little Fockers. He has also had a stint in the reality television scene on the show Real Husbands of Hollywood.
$200 million
Born to Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, a celebrated comedy duo, Ben Stiller decided to follow in his parents’ footsteps at an early age. That’s probably one of the best decisions he’s ever made, since today, he is widely regarded as one of the best comedians in Hollywood. Some of his credits include The Ben Stiller Show, comedy-drama The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, as well as movies Zoolander and Heartbreak Kid featuring his legendary dad.
When he is not being hilarious on a set, Ben is either growing his real estate list or keeping himself busy with writing, producing, and directing. Considering all that plus his $200 million net worth, we can all agree that Ben has made his parents proud.
$3 million
Chelsea Peretti has many hats. She is a comedian, actress, writer, musician, and more. But for some of us, she will always be Gina Linetti, the self-absorbed, can't-be-bothered secretary from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Her first steps in media were actually done as a writer for various newspapers and magazines.
Peretti later started acting and even moved to Los Angeles to do it. She appeared in TV shows such as Parks and Recreation, The Sarah Silverman Program, and Louie. In 2013 she was cast for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and gave us one of the best characters on TV. Peretti's net worth is $3 million but if we asked Gina she would probably say it's more than that.
$300 million
Seth MacFarlane, who is not only the voice of Ted in both movies but also the creator of Family Guy, is sitting on a nice $300 million dollars, which are very well deserved.
$40 million
Adam McKay, in addition to being a comedian, is a director and a writer. Some may not know this but, he began his professional comedy career after failing an audition for Saturday Night Live. He wanted to be an on-screen performer.
With that being said, he did score a job as a writer on the show, back in 1995. He has starred in several popular films which include, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, The Other Guys, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. His next upcoming project is supposed to be a biographical drama about Elizabeth Holmes titled Bad Blood.
$30 million
Except for modeling, James Corden has seen and done anything there is to see or do in show business. He has appeared in films, TV shows, theaters, and music videos. Not only is he a talented actor, but he is also a talented singer, writer, and comedian with a successful talk show, which won him several Emmy awards.
The Late Late Show with James Corden has been running since 2015 and has garnered an audience of avid watchers (by the way, if you've never watched one of James Corden's Carpool Karaoke interviews, you've never really lived). The show, as well as his care-bear image, are two of the major things that led him to his current net worth of $30 million dollars.
$40 million
Hugh Laurie played the brilliant and unconventional medical genius, Dr. Gregory House, in the TV drama, House. He also has a degree in anthropology and archaeology, but apparently that kind of stuff doesn't pay the bills, let alone lands you a $40 million net worth.
Laurie briefly thought of becoming a doctor or some other kind of medical professional. But that, as we know, did not push through (not in the real world anyway). Instead, he opted for being a talented actor, musician, comedian, and writer. What a showoff.
$2 million
Take a minute to look at that crazy hair. Good. Now, let us tell you a little bit about Reggie Watts. Most people might know Reggie as the leader of the house band from the Late Late Show with James Corden (also on our list. Shocking.) but there is a lot more to him. The man is an incredibly talented musician, and he incorporates live musical improvisation in his comedy shows.
Watts describes himself as a "disniformationist" since his humor often disorients his viewers. Seriously, take a few minutes to watch a YouTube clip of one of his shows. The appropriate response is usually "What did I just watch? Why did it make me laugh? I'm so confused..." His unique sense of humor, as well as his musical talent, are what earned him a net worth of $2 million.
$180 million
There was a mishap during the Miss Universe Pageant, but who cares? Steve is still a guy who is loved by many. He is probably most famous for starring on The Steve Harvey Show, which aired an incredible 122 episodes during the mid-’90s to the early 2000s.
You can also catch him as the host on the famous game show, Family Feud. He’s also an author of three bestselling books, his own clothing line, and has won multiple awards for acting.
$16 million
Those of you who don't know who Andy Samberg is should probably go to their rooms and think about what they did, but we don't believe in that form of education so here's some info. Andy Samberg was invested in comedy from a very young age. He recalls watching Saturday Night Live as a kid and being deeply influenced by it. Years later, Samberg joined the show as a writer and as an actor.
Samberg has studied filmmaking and been involved in numerous movies and TV shows, most notably, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Among his many accolades there are an Emmy and a Golden Globe, but we believe that a $16 million net worth is enough of an accolade as it is.
$35 million
Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, who also has a spot on this list, are often mistaken for one another. It could have something to do with the fact that they're both named Jimmy, or that they are both comedians, or that they both have successful talk shows, or that they are basically the same person traveling back and forth from a parallel universes and messing with our brains. The two actually have a skit about the issue, which leaves you with more questions than you've had in the first place.
Other than the talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel's successful career includes radio hosting, TV writing, wiring a children's book, and, of course, a handsome net worth of $35 million.
$60 million
Stephen Colbert, from Washington D.C, is also a writer, actor, author, and talk show host. Early on in his career, he began at the ImprovOlympic’s Annoyance Theater where he performed long-form improvisation. From there he moved on to Second City where he made a lot of connections which ultimately let him to his first television gig.
This gig aired on Comedy Central and was called Exit 57. Since then he has made appearances on several television shows and films. A few are Stranger with Candy, The Dana Carvey Show, and The Daily Show. We’re also sure that he’s very proud of the three Emmy Awards he won as a writer. In Early 2014 Stephen was chosen to take David Letterman’s place on The Late Show. All of his accomplishments have his net worth sitting at $60 million.
$35 million
Just like his father, Damon Wayans Jr. can make you laugh to tears in no time. Born in the family of entertainers, Damon Wayans Sr. first started off in the ‘80s as a stand-up comedian before he shifted his focus to acting, and then writing and producing. His son, Damon Wayans Jr., is an acclaimed actor, writer, and stand-up comedian in his own right, best-remembered for his role of Brad Williams in hit sitcom Happy Endings.
So yeah, both Jr. and Sr. have the same name, the same career, and the same look. Are we sure they aren't the same person? Anyway, while it will take Wayans Jr. lots of time and hard work before he has a portfolio or savings account to compare with his fathers’, we can all agree that Hollywood appreciates the good genes with a net worth of $35 million.
$65 million
Bob Newhart is a Chicago-area actor and stand-up comedian known for his deadpan delivery. He hit the scene with a series of monologues that he recorded with Warner Bros., called 'The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart'. The record shot to No. 1 on the pop charts. He released ten additional comedy albums. At 90 years old, Newhart’s 60-plus year career is as active as ever, still performing stand-up comedy with dates lined up. The younger generations probably remember him from his guest appearances on 'The Big Bang Theory'.
Working as an accountant when he was 30 years old, hating every minute of it, he found an unlikely break. He and a co-worker began recording absurd telephone conversations and he used the tape to audition as a comedian. His success as a stand-up comedian led to the eponymous variety show on NBC, 'The Bob Newhart Show'. The 1961 show won an Emmy award and a Peabody nomination. In 1972, the comedy sitcom 'The Bob Newhart Show' hit the airwaves to rave reviews. The show ran for six seasons. His current net worth is $65 million.
$80 million
James made his first stand-up comedy act in 1989 at the East Side Comedy Club which is located in Manhattan. He has also made some television appearances on talk shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Live with Regis and Kathy Lee. James landed the 89th spot on Comedy Central’s 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All Time.
He has also starred in films like Hitch, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, and Zookeeper, which is a movie he wrote and produced. He is someone we will continue to see on television for years to come.
$10 million
This actress and comedian is best known for her hilarious role as Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore show. Her Phyllis character was so popular Leachman went on to do her very own spin-off sitcom, called 'Phyllis'. She also appeared in the Mel Brooks film Young Frankenstein and continued to work with Brooks for many years. Two TV parts she played was Beverly on The Facts of Life and Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies, the 1993 movie version. Leachman set a record winning eight primetime Emmy Awards. She also won a Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Phyllis.
Today she’s 94. Her last role was performed in the 2019 TV show Mad About You, as Mrs. Mndelbaum. Cloris Leachman was born in Iowa, on April 30, 1926. She grew up in Des Moines and lived there until she attended Illinois State to study drama, and then graduated from Northwestern University. She started her film career soon after, but not before winning Miss America in 1946. She still looks fabulous, but it could also be her $10 million net worth amping up her glam.
$1-5 million
Graham Chapman is almost royal in terms of British comedy. Did you know he is also a medical doctor? Chapman was born in Leicester, England, and two of his earliest interests have been, of course, comedy and acting. However, other than those two fields, he has also enjoyed science. He majored in medicine at Emmanuel College, which is also where he met John Cleese.
Chapman later completed a Medical Degree at St. Bartholomew’s Medical College and became a certified medical doctor. It seems that contagious laugh is the only thing this inspirational man won’t try to cure. We will leave it to you to figure out which of his interests was the one to earn him his $1-5 million net worth.
$10 million
Minnie Riperton's daughter, Maya Rudolph, started her career as a singer in an alternative rock band called The Rentals. However, people quickly noticed her great comedic side and pushed her to be a comedian. Saturday Night Live was the obvious place for her to land eventually. Rudolph was only nine when her famous mom lost her life battle. But even though Minnie didn’t stay long enough to help her daughter find her way into the world, Maya has done a great job in both the music and film industry all by herself.
In addition to singing and acting, this gorgeous lady used to keep her credit score perfect by co-hosting a show and doing impressions of celebs on national TV. Maya may not have inherited that amazing soprano from her late mom, but with so many other talents and skills, she has climbed her way to a $10 million net worth.
$7 million
Known as half of the Key& Peele comedy duo, Keegan-Michael Key was introduced into the comedy world in 2004. He started out as part of the cast of Mad TV, where he was greatly appreciated. During his time there he got to play original characters as well as famous celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Eddie Murphy, and Barack Obama. Mad TV is also where he met his comedy partner, Jordan Peele. Both men showed up to an audition to join the 9th season cast, but the producers were only interested in hiring one black cast member for the season.
After meeting with both men, they decided to hire them both on the spot. They launched their own sketch comedy series on Comedy Central called Key & Peele back in 2012. The series would continue for 53 episodes until it came to an end in 2015. Key has since transitioned to Broadway and continues to star in major motion pictures and television series with no appearance of slowing his career down anytime soon. With a net worth of $7 million, who could blame him?
$420 million
Adam Sandler proved that he wasn’t just another funny guy in the comedy world, even though that humor is a must. He’s been in very popular films like Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, and Mr. Deeds. A lot of people aren’t aware that in addition to acting in those movies, he produces them with his own production company, Happy Madison Productions.
He may be sitting on $420 million today, but we can’t forget his roots as a Saturday Night Live writer. What a guy!
$8 million
After eleven years in Saturday Night Live, Fred Armisen has secured his place as one of the funniest people in the industry. Not many people know he has other talents too. Armisen dropped out of college to pursue a career in music, which was his first step in showbusiness. He has also made a name for himself as an actor, writer, and producer so there is more to him than his impressive comedic chops.
Armisen's romantic life seems to have been pretty tumultuous. He was briefly married to musician Sally Timms and even more briefly married to actress Elisabeth Moss. He is currently dating actress Natasha Lyonne, but in case things don't work between them, at least he has his $8 million net worth to keep him company.
$100 million
Bob Saget began, like many others, as a stand-up comedian, and has continuously done stand-up for over thirty years all over the country. His comedy tended to be a little more on the risqué side. He became very popular when he joined the show Full House, playing the part of Danny Turner for eight years.
Later on, he also starred in Fuller House. He was also the host of the very hilarious, America’s Funniest Home Videos. In January 2022 Bob Saget passed away, leaving the house less full and sadly more empty.
$35 million
When God gave people talent, some were obviously standing at the front of the line and secretly loading extra into their pockets. Donald Glover is probably one of those people. After all, a $35 million net worth doesn't just happen to average people. His comedic chops were first recognized by Tina Fey, who hired him as one of the writers for her TV show 30 Rock.
He later became famous playing the part of Troy Barnes in the comedy show Community. Saying this wasn't his last on-screen appearance would be an understatement. Other than additional roles in film and TV, Glover has also made a name for himself as a musician, producer, director, and voice actor. All that accumulative talent ended up being translated into a $35 million net worth.
$12 million
The face of American comedy would have looked a lot different without Seth Meyers. The comedian, actor, host, writer, and producer was the head writer and a regular cast member of Saturday Night Live from 2001 to 2014, which means he is the mastermind behind some of the best comedy sketches in the last two decades. Let that and his net worth of $12 million sink in for a minute.
Prior to his work in SNL, Meyers had a hot dog stand and was making his way as an improv artist. Those improve skills must have been very handy when he started performing live on a weekly basis. After his SNL stint, he went on to host his very own talk show. It's almost as if it's a standard section in a comedian's contract to host a talk show once he's at a certain age.
$16 million
Everyone loves Rebel Wilson. The actress and comedian appeared in various beloved films, such as Bridesmaids, What to Expect When You're Expecting, Pitch Perfect, How to Be Single, and Isn't It Romantic?. Most people don't know that Wilson actually started out in the field of Mathematics, and was very academic in high school. She once contracted malaria during a trip to South Africa and hallucinated herself as an Oscar-winning actress, which is what led her to pursue a career in acting. Now, that’s quite a story!
The Australian actress has been a leading activist on body positivity and weight loss. She also dated the popular British actor and comedian, Matt Lucas, in 2012. The couple ended up living together in West Hollywood until the end of their relationship, in 2015. Since then, Wilson has been mostly single and lives by herself in her multi-million dollar apartment, as you'd expect someone with a net worth of $16 million.
$70 million
With a $70 million net worth, Carl Reiner has had a career that has spanned seven decades. The comedian, actor, director, screenwriter, and publisher is best known for his favorite project, The Dick Van Dyke Show. He also wrote some of Steve Martin’s funniest movies, including The Jerk. Reiner's best friend is comedian Mel Brooks. “He comes over every night,” he said, “If he doesn’t come over, I don’t know what to do with myself.” The two teamed up as a comedy duo on The Steve Allen Show in 1960 and 2000 Year Old Man.
His other closest friend was his sweetheart, Estelle Lebost. the two married in 1943 until she died in 2008. A Hollywood anomaly. Born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrants, he grew up watching his favorite comedians in movies, such as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and the Marx Brothers. Those funny-men became his role models. As it turned out, he got his training as an actor, director, and entertainer in the military while serving WWII by entertaining the troops. His personal goal is to live until the 2020 elections to vote the President out.
$800K
One thing you learn about Taylor Tomlinson from watching her stand-up comedy show is that she was born and raised Christian. This means she is not afraid to make fun of neither religion nor her family. She was first introduced to comedy when she was 16 years old and her father enrolled them both for stand-up comedy class (now would be a good time to say "awww".)
Having started at 16, this young woman's career is constantly on the rise. After performing in church basements as a teen, she grew up to appear on several comedy reality shows and finally landed her own 2 hour special on Netflix titled Quarter-Life Crisis. Her current net worth of $800 thousand is on a constant rise.
$110 million
Martin Lawrence’s net worth comes from his numerous roles in films and television. Additionally, he had his own TV series, called Martin. One time he was on Saturday Night Live, where he went on an improvised monologue that critics say was “too hot for TV.” Because of this, Martin is one of the very few people to be banned for life from the show.
It should be noted that he is known for occasional erratic behavior, so SNL should’ve known better, in our opinion. Since then, he has remained under the radar in Hollywood.
$950 million
We’re basically at the peak of net worths, with Larry David sitting at $800 million. In the beginning, he worked as a limo driver and clerk, while pursuing stand-up comedy in the evenings.
David wrote 62 out of 180 episodes of Seinfeld. Within those episodes, there was one, “The Contest”, for which he won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
$350 million
Jay Leno is one of those stand-up comedians and actors who made it really big without an agent. He’s managed to generate quite the income throughout his life, and his current net worth is $350 million.
We wouldn’t even know what to do with all that money! By the end of his hosting career on The Tonight Show, he was making $15 million a year, after taking a 50% salary cut. Today, he still performs stand-up, touring the country and having around 200 gigs a year. This guy is unstoppable.
$70 million
Melissa McCarthy is hands down one of the funniest people in Hollywood. We aren’t sure if there’s a person out there she can’t make laugh. She reached new heights in her career when she landed a role in the ever so popular movie Bridesmaids. She performs stand up comedy and has been seen in a wide variety of television shows and movies. A few would be, Charlie’s Angels, Go, Drowning Mona, Pumpkin, The Back-Up Plan, This is 40, and many, many more.
However, her career really took off after Bridesmaids. All of her accomplishments have her in the top ten highest-paid actresses in the entire world. We can’t imagine what her paychecks are, but her net worth is a whopping $70 million.
$130 million
Although he worked as a fashion model for a period of time, Sacha is mostly known for portraying several very funny fictional characters, like Ali G, Bruno, and Borat. Over the course of his career thus far, he has won quite a few MTV Movie Awards, a Golden Globe, and more.
$100 million
Mel Brooks began his career by doing stand-up for resorts in the Catskills, during his high school years. We admire him for many reasons, one of them being that he served in the military during World War II. After wrapping up his military career, he returned to the comedy scene. This time as a writer. He has been known to write, direct, and/or perform in hit comedies such as The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, and more.
All of his hard work has paid off, seeing as he has won many awards, such as an Emmy, a Tony, a Grammy, and an Oscar. This comedian’s net worth is $100 million.
$6 million
Emmy award-winning comedian, Tiffany Haddish, has had it pretty rough. Growing up in foster care, experiencing, poverty and homelessness, and finally getting her big break at the age of 37, has made Haddish a very grateful woman to be able to live the life she has now. In the last few years, Haddish has branched out as a comedian. She wrote a book, appeared in films, TV shows, music videos, and even a video game.
Fame is relatively new to her, so she often doesn't behave like a celebrity. She has made headlines for wearing the same dress at multiple public award shows and can be seen switching into her back-up slippers when her high heels get too uncomfortable at industry events. Maybe her well-deserved net worth of $6 million hasn't sunk in yet.
$130 million
While working several jobs in the media and music industry, Gervais developed quite a few connections, which would lead him to get himself on television during the ’90s. Fast forward to 2001, when Ricky finally got his big break with The Office.
This popular show had 9 seasons and 201 episodes. To date, he has earned over $100 million, which we assume has mostly come from The Office. He currently has three Golden Globes, two Emmy Awards, seven BAFTA Awards, and five British Comedy Awards under his belt. Well-earned for sure!
$4 million
Best known for her role on The Jeffersons playing George Jefferson’s snarky maid Florence, Marla Gibbs broke into showbiz as a witty comedian full of sass and spunk. For her role on the CBS sitcom, she received five Emmy nominations. Gibbs is also a singer, writer, and television producer. Breaking into her acting career late in life, she was 44 when she joined the 1970s sitcom, she held onto her day job at United Airlines until 'The Jeffersons' became a hit TV show. Somehow we don't think that her day job would have resulted in a $4 million net worth.
Her role was so sensational it landed Gibbs her very own sitcom, in her very own apartment. Titled 227, after the show’s middle-class city apartment building address, 227 Lexington Place, the show ran from 1985 to 1990. Gibbs has won seven NAACP Image Awards. In 2017, she starred in two films, Lemon and Please Stand By. At 88, she’s going strong. Gibbs also owned a jazz club in South Central L.A. called Maria’s Memory Lane Jazz and Supper Club, up until 1999, and she’s released several albums as a solo artist.
$10 million
Known for his work with the comedy group, Monty Python, none of us would have imagined John Cleese being a lawyer, but that almost happened. Cleese earned his degree in law in 1963 from Downing College, Cambridge University. Prior to studying law, he taught science, geography, history, English, and Latin at St. Peter’s, a preparatory school in Weston where he attended when he was a kid. He must have made his students laugh so hard they forgot to hate school.
Cleese's passion for comedy ultimately won. He joined the Cambridge Footlights and had his first success when he wrote and appeared as a cast member in A Clump of Plinths. His Monty Python days soon followed, and the rest is history. Cleese's current net worth is $10 million, but it could have been more if it hadn't been for his 2009 divorce settlement. Cleese’s ex-wife benefited so much from that settlement that she became richer than him. He reportedly paid $19.7 million and $13 million in assets which included real estate in New York, London, and Santa Barbara.
$35 million
Katy took on roles that really revolutionized her career. She took on roles on Seinfeld and Suddenly Susan. In the ’90s, she would take on guest appearances on quite a few television shows.
Kathy has released many comedy albums as well, and six of those have won her Grammy Award nominations. In 2014, she won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album and is currently one of only three women to win in that category, ever.
$50 million
People might identify Steve Carrell as a talented comedian with a 50$ net worth, but he is just as obsessed with Target as the rest of us common folk. He says he can’t go inside the store without buying something. Leave some for us, Steve! And what does he love to buy in his favorite store? Cargo pants, of course. He calls the pants “comfy but uncool.”
During his time as a star, we believe he has done enough cool things to be able to be comfortable every now and then. Cargo shorts are about as far away as can be from those nice, tailored suits he got to wear on the Daily Show or when he played Michal Scott in The Office and cracked us all up.
$14 million
Ken Jeong may is noted as a comedian who never fails to make us laugh, but did you know that he is actually a medical doctor? He is best known for his roles as Ben Chang on the sitcom Community and as Leslie Chow in The Hangover film series. So who would ever think that this actor got an M.D. from the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, in 1995?
He finished his internal medicine residency in New Orleans while starting his stand-up comedy career at the same time. He is a licensed physician but is no longer practicing medicine as he chose to focus on comedy and his acting career instead. It appears that he has made the right choice, as it led him to a $14 million net worth.
$12 million
If you don't recognize Jordan Peele on his own, it's probably because you're used to seeing him with his comedy partner, Keegan-Michael Key (also featured on the list). The two met on the set of Mad TV in 2003 and became inseparable. Their on-screen chemistry was immediately apparent and from that casting, they developed a partnership that continues to this day. On-screen, these guys can play anything from bitter enemies to the best of friends, but in life, they are truly the latter.
Their comedy partnership appears to have come to an end after their sketch comedy show went off the air in 2015 but the two remain good friends. Peele has since transitioned into voice acting and directing. He was even nominated for an Academy Award! He has a net worth of $12 million which he probably invests in his wife and son.
$140 million
Jeff Dunham is one of, if not the most highly paid comedians in the world. He rakes in roughly $15-$30 million a year. He’s a ventriloquist, a comedian, television producer, actor, and screenwriter with a net worth of an incredible $140 million. A little backstory on Mr. Dunham — in the late 1980’s you could see him on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. All through the ’90s, Jeff had a somewhat successful career as a touring comedian.
After appearing on a Comedy Central special, Jeff’s career really took off. Moving forward, he made appearances on several television shows, including Blue Collar TV, Good Morning America, and Hollywood Squares.
$30 million
With five BAFTA awards, his own successful talk show, published books, and numerous appearances in film and TV, Graham Norton is one of the most successful comedians in the United Kingdom. His long-running talk show, The Graham Norton Show, has been running since 2007. This means that if the show was human, it would have started growing facial hair right about now.
The incredible accolades he has received and the fact that people keep up with his shenanigans for nearly three decades is all you need to justify his $30 million net worth.
$65 million
Tina moved her way into the world of comedy as a featured player in the improvisational comedy group, The Second City. She then moved on to bigger and better things on Saturday Night Live where she is most commonly known for her sketch comedy work. You may have also seen her on the comedy series 30 Rock. She also took on roles in the movies, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, Date Night, and several more. Tina has received 8 Emmy Awards, 2 Golden Globes, 5 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and 4 Writers Guild of American Awards.
In addition to all of those, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for her book, Bossypants. Her book sat at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list for 5 weeks. She has accomplished more than most in her life thus far and has a net worth of $65 million.
$5 million
Tom Green was up to something good, and audiences found his magnetically absurd acting style irresistible in the 90s MTV series, The Tom Green Show. Audiences wanted to see more of Green and were happy when he followed up his MTV series with films such as Superstar, Road Trip, and Charlie’s Angels. The latter was where he met Drew Barrymore, who was married to him for about three seconds before they ended things, but let's not dwell on that, shall we?
He was set for bigger things until he co-wrote and starred in the movie Freddy Got Fingered, which viewers found tasteless and cliche-ridden. While Green disappeared for a long time after the Freddy fail, his career is still going strong as a musician, interviewer, and the host of Tom Green Live. He has a current net worth of $5 million.
$20 million
As a defensive end for Western Michigan, Terry Crews earned All-Conference honors and won a MAC conference championship. The Los Angeles Rams selected Crews in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL draft. He played with the Rams, Chargers, and Redskins before stepping away from football in 1997. He would have had a great career in football if he hadn't turned to a career in acting and comedy.
After the NFL, Crews followed his true love of acting and blossomed into a TV and film superstar. He’s come a long way from his breakout role in Friday After Next to the critically acclaimed Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Crews’ celebrity status has reached such incredible heights that TIME named him the 2017 Person of the Year. His net worth of $20 million is definitely well deserved. Not that he needs us to reaffirm that.
$4 million
Once there was a time when Pete Davidson was known for his work as a Saturday Night Live cast member. He has even made history as one of the youngest SNL cast members ever. 1156347005 Now, he is mostly known as the guy who was lucky enough to be engaged to Ariana Grande for four months.
At 26 years old, Davidson's career includes guest performances and recurring roles in film and TV, as well as a net worth of $4 million.
$130 million
Rowan started out and gained some popularity with a radio program called The Atkinson People, which aired during the mid-’70s. However, he’s probably most famous for co-writing and performing in The Black Adder, as Mr. Bean.
You can also find him in some other films, such as Love Actually, The Tall Guy, Never Say Never Again, and more. Atkinson is worth $130 million.
$50 million
Tracy Morgan began his comedy career by performing stand-up all over the country. Following that, he appeared on Saturday Night Live from the mid-1990s to 2003. He also starred in The Tracy Morgan Show, however, it was canceled after only one season. In 2014, he was in a terrible car accident and it took him quite some time to recover. He may be most famous for the role he played on the comedy show, 30 Rock.
The show ran for seven seasons and had a total of 138 episodes. While acting on the show he was nominated for an Emmy and two Image Awards. His net worth is $50 million.
$1-5 million
Funnyman Moshe Kasher has been bringing the funny to anything and everything he has been doing in his career. As a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer, he never fails to make other people laugh. His sense of humor is anything but to be expected when you learn the hardships he had to endure as a child, such as a four-year-long period of substance abuse which started at the age of 12! Now pick your jaws off the floor and go read about it in his memoir.
Kasher's life has been a true Cinderella story. Growing up with two deaf parents had him working as a sign language interpreter since he was 17 years old. He later attended college, earned a degree in religious studies, and finally found stand up comedy at an open-mic night in 2001. From there, he worked hard to make a name for himself as a successful comedian, actor, and writer with a net worth of $1-5 million. What an inspiration.
$9 million
Born Yacov Moshe Maza in 1931 to a strict, Orthodox Jewish family and a long string of rabbis, including his father, he grew up and became ordained also. But it didn’t last. He left the synagogue to become a comedian because, as he said, “Someone in the family had to make a living.” So, he became Jackie Mason, one of the funniest stand-up comedians to ever hit the stage. He likes to joke about politics, and satirize society and the religion he knows best, but he’s also known to be controversial and irreverent.
Mason is also a television and film actor who appeared often on The Ed Sullivan Show and starred in The Jerk with Steve Martin. His own production, a one-man show called The World According to Me, was an enormous hit and won several awards. He’s been active in his sensational career since the 1950s. “I have enough money to last me the rest of my life unless I buy something,” he joked on The Dean Martin Show and many times after. The truth of the matter is, his net worth is $9 million.
$400 million
$400 million and 33 years of Late Night hosting seems fair, doesn’t it? David made his fortune by being a funny and entertaining guy who was always up late.
He may be retired now, but he kept fairly busy by producing shows, such as Everybody Loves Raymond, King of Queens, and others, through his company, called Worldwide Pants.
$30 million
Jack Black is a very famous, well known, and versatile personality in Hollywood. He is a musician, comedian, and an actor from Santa Monica. You may be most familiar with his comedy films, which include Shallow Hal, School of Rock, King Kong, The Holiday, and Tropic Thunder.
Jack has been nominated for two well deserved Golden Globe awards. He is also the lead vocalist of the rock group, Tenacious D, which started back in the early ’90s. The comedy world just would not be the same without Jack Black, whose estimated net worth as of 2020 is a whopping $30 million dollars.
$60 million
David Spade as you may already know is an actor, comedian, and TV personality. He has starred in many TV shows and movies. He broke into the comedy scene when Dennis Miller, another comedian, assisted him in getting a job on Saturday Night Live, back in 1988.
He stayed on the show until the mid-’90s. A few films he starred in are Tommy Boy, which is a classic, Joe Dirt, Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser, Grown Ups, and Grown Ups 2. He also owns a number of very expensive homes that are rumored to be worth over $20 million. David Spade’s net worth is reported to be $60 million.
$45 million
Billy Crystal is an actor, writer, producer, comedian, and film director. A few comedy films he’s best known for are The Princess Bride, City Slickers, and When Harry Met Sally. He’s scored quite a few Emmy and American Comedy Awards. He became more well known when he became a cast member of Saturday Night Live, in the mid-1980s.
He may look familiar to you because he has been seen hosting a few of the Academy Awards, which are held annually. In the entertainment world, he is known as one of the most versatile, which may be why his net worth is $45 million.
$75 million
As one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, Betty White has charmed audiences her whole life. She is like the girl next door who’s also a sharp-witted comedian. Her signature sweet and innocent demeanor is inevitably sliced by a laser-tongue remark that leaves people in hysterics. With a career spanning over 80 years and a $75 million net worth, White has been recognized by many awards, but she is also part of television history. In the early 1950s, she became one of the first women producers. It’s no surprise, then, that she and Lucille Ball were good buddies.
White’s career went well into her older years. The smash-hit Golden Girls became the most successful show she starred in. She landed that gig at 63. Known for saying, “Retirement is not in my vocabulary,” she sure lives up to it. In 2010, when she hosted Saturday Night Live, she brought in the best ratings of the season. And she did this as the oldest person ever to host SNL. She was 88. Besides winning eight Emmys, three SAGs, and a Lifetime Achievement Award, Betty White is an animal lover, and she works with several animal organizations.
$1.5 million
Luckily for her, Chris Elliott's daughter, Abby Elliott inherited her father's sense of humor. She too is a comedian and was a Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member from 2008-2012. Among her most hilarious impersonation were those of Kate Middleton, Khloé Kardashian, Meryl Streep, and Rachel Maddow.
Aside from comedy, Elliot also maintains a noteworthy acting career with roles in film and TV. One of her most memorable performances in the last few years was that of Brooke Von-Weber in The Odd Mom Out. She currently has a net worth of $1.5 million but we have a feeling this number is only going to get bigger. Hollywood usually tends to do that.
$600 million
The Simpsons is a show that we all have grown to know and love over the years, and it just so happens to be the longest-running show on American television. The creative mind behind the show? Matt Groening, who happens to be worth $600 million.
Thanks to the show, he has won twelve Emmy Awards and has even earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Presently, The Simpsons is on its 31st season and is obviously still a favorite among a lot of people.
$135 million
Dan Aykroyd is well known for being one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live. Additionally, he played a role in the famous film, Ghostbusters, and The Blues Brothers. He didn’t start out wanting to be an actor or a comedian, but that’s just the way things worked out, and we are glad they did. In total, he has appeared in more than 70 films, which is incredible.
As if he hadn’t accomplished enough already, he launched Crystal Head Vodka in 2007. His $135 million net worth is an ode to his many accomplishments.
$45 million
Whoopi Goldberg is a face that you see everywhere, and a name you would recognize anywhere, too. She’s a comedian, actress, author, talk show host, singer-songwriter, and political activist. As a side note, and many may not know this, but she has dyslexia and used to struggle with substance abuse. She fell into her big break when she landed the lead role in the movie, The Color Purple, which came out in 1985.
Another popular film of hers, called Ghost, where she played a psychic, came out in 1990. Today, you are able to see her regularly on the television show, The View, which tends to get pretty heated from time to time. In total, Goldberg has been nominated for roughly 80 awards and has won 50. What an accomplishment! All of them have led her to be worth $45 million.
$150 million
Conan O’Brien is another comedian who became a host of The Late Night Show, but started out as a writer for Saturday Night Live. For a short period of time, he was the host of The Late Night Show, taking the place of David Letterman, but this came to a halt when a public scandal surfaced. Afterward, David Letterman was reinstated.
He eventually moved on to The Tonight Show, and then out of the NBC scene entirely. This is where he earned $32 million of his $150 million net worth.
$12 million
Sarah Silverman is one of the most divisive figures in comedy. With her jokes revolving around confrontational topics such as politics, and religion, the Jewish comedian has managed to agitate people in both left and right political circles. Silverman has also acted in various films, such as School of Rock, Wreck-It Ralph, and A Million Ways to Die in the West. The vegetarian comedian had to struggle her entire life with depression and decided she never wants to have kids, citing that ‘there are just too many kids with no parents’ as the reason why.
Silverman has dated the famous comedian and SNL writer, Dave Attell, and even had a thing with Jimmy Kimmel in 2002. She also dated actor Michael Sheen in the past but never got hitched. If she does decide to get married at some point, the lucky man by her side would probably love to know she is sitting on a $12 million net worth.
$100 million
Will Ferrell is another comedian who has made quite the name for himself. It all started back in high school when he first became interested in acting. Fast forward to 1995, when Will became a featured player on Saturday Night Live for seven years. He is one of few who was nominated for an Emmy as an SNL performance.
After he left SNL he starred in quite a few movies that became a hit such as Old School, Elf, Talladega Nights, a few Austin Powers movies, and more. Will scored two Golden Globe nominations for his role in the movies, The Producers and Stranger than Fiction. His net worth is $100 million, and we imagine that will only increase as the years go on.
$500 million
Meet the two guys who are the intelligent masterminds behind the incredible television series, South Park: Trey Parker and Matt Stone. We’ll say what you’re thinking, the show definitely says too many dirty lines/words for us to repeat on the internet, but apparently, it works. The show started back in the late ’90s and is still in production today.
The two of them and the show have been the topic of conversation throughout the time the show has been airing. They have also jumped into the world of film, theater, and video games.
$130 million
It's true, everybody does love Ray Romano! In fact, so much so that it ran for nine seasons, totaling in 210 episodes. Just from that show, he won three Screen Actor’s Guild Awards, four People’s Choice Awards, an Emmy Award, and many others.
He has had a few guest appearances on some television shows, like Hannah Montana, The Nanny, The Simpsons, and The King of Queens.
$1 million
Iliza Shlesinger had her big break in 2007 when she won the Myspace comedy contest So You Think You're Funny. The following year, Shlesinger won another comedy contest, this time it was NBC's Last Comic Standing. Having made a name for herself as a force to be reckoned with in the comedy scene, Shlesinger has lived up to every top comedian standards.
Over the years she got to host a number of shows, write a book, create a sketch comedy show, create five comedy specials for Netflix, and reach a net worth of $1 million. So yeah, we get it. She's funny.
$6 million
John Mulaney's parents sound like the least likely people to raise a comedian. His mother is a law school professor, his father is a lawyer, and they're both Irish catholic. Little John has had a different plan for life at a very young age. He knew that showbiz was the place for him. Apparently, he was right. Who said kids never know what's good for them? Take that , law school!
After graduating from college, Mulaney got a job as an office assistant at Comedy Central and got to dip his feet in the pool of comedy. He later went on to perform on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, write and perform on Saturday Night Live, receive an Emmy, and more. All the while touring with his stand-up comedy shows. After all that hard work, it is no wonder his net worth currently stands at $6 million.
$80 million
John Stewart’s comedy career started in New York City where he performed at the Bitter End and Comedy Cellar. In the late 90’s he started hosting The Daily Show, and at that time he was making $16 million a year. He also can be seen in a few films including Half Baked, Big Daddy, The Nanny, and more. In addition, he had hosted the Grammy Awards in 2001 and 2002 as well as the 78th and 80th Academy Awards.
On top of all that, he has co-authored two books based around politics and signed a four-year deal with HBO in 2015 which will include exclusive original digital content for the network. This comedian and political satirist has a net worth of $80 million.
$50 million
It took quite some time for Dave Chappelle to earn enough comedy credit and finances to start the Chappelle’s Show, but it’s been quite the wave ride to watch him on. Dave landed his first role in Mel Brooks’ film, Robin Hood: Men in Tights!
Following his role in that movie, he went on to play in films like The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Half Baked, which he also happened to write and produce. A nice $50 million later, Dave Chappelle is the funny guy you don’t want to mess with.