The Funniest People Alive!

(New York City wins the latest poll result hands down with 7 votes!)


The ten funniest people alive to ME are a diverse group. I can only tell you that what makes me laugh may not make you laugh. I probably have a few names here that will make some scratch their head. And since this is a list of the funniest people ALIVE, apologies to Mitch Hedberg and John Candy.

First let me give an honorable mention to a few people I love.

First Stephen Colbert whom I have thought hilarious for years, even before his show The Colbert Report ever started. His brand of satirical humor is just my type. Unfortunately I never watch his show so he doesn't make my list.

I also dig the lovable little fuzzball who rankles our friends on the left but cracks me up on a regualar basis- Rush Limbaugh. But since most of his show is serious politics, the parts that make me laugh are only about a quarter of the show or less.


So here's my list in no particular order. Each gets me laughing in a unique way.


Will Farrell


Not every movie he makes is a home run but some roles kill me every time, like Elf, Ricky Bobby and Ron Burgundy. His SNL run is one of the best ever.


Jim Gaffigan


I saw him in concert last year and I didn't stop laughing the entire show. His observational humor, especially about food, is the best in stand-up.


Dave Chappelle (as Rick James)


He's one of the few people who doesn't even need to open his mouth. I am already laughing as soon as I see him, because of so many images that have made him one of the funniest men alive. I can't exactly recommend any of his stand-up or his shows but Chappelle has become even funnier than Chris Rock to me.


Dennis Miller


Not as cutting edge as he once was, but I still get to hear Dennis on his radio show. And although he repeats a lot of his old material, every once in a while he still puts together a polysyllabic smart bomb of comedic genius that floors me...usually while I'm driving. I don't wanna get off on a rant here, but no other comic has ever been able to craft jokes with so many levels of gotcha! That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.


Ann Coulter


Not too many women make me laugh out loud. Ann makes me cry I laugh so hard. She's hated, reviled, mocked, and even threatened by libs and lefties. But that's part of why I love her. She is relentless and thus hilarious in her verbal beat-downs of modern liberalism. In much the same way Dennis Miller crafts his jokes, she puts together the most scathing, satirical bits of barbed wit since Jonathan Swift.

John C. Reilly (as Dewey Cox)


Just recently Reilly has come on to the comedic radar for me. For years he was an established and excellent character actor in films like Gangs of New York and Chicago (for which he won an Oscar). But recently in Talladega Nights and Step Brothers he teamed up with Will Farrell for one of the funniest duos since Wilder and Pryor. His Johnny Cash /musical bio sendup Walk Hard is one of the funniest satires in years.


Stephen Wright


The king of stand-up really hasn't changed in the last twenty years and that's why he's great. He is still unabashed, original, and brilliant. I got to see him live a couple of years ago and I will never forget it.


Jack Black


Some people put on an act and some people are born to be funny. Jack Black is one of the latter. He's a natural. From School of Rock to Nacho Libre he has proven his versatility as a comic actor. He's had a few dud films, but overall he still cracks me up every time I see him or hear him with Tenacious D.

Ricky Gervais


Funniest Brit alive in my opinion. He created and starred in the original sitcom The Office and produces the hugely popular American version. He's finally getting some recognition on this side of the pond in movies like Stardust and Ghost Town and for his HBO sitcom Extras (which was beyond brilliant in the same way The Office was!). If you haven't seen his YouTube with Elmo , look it up. Like Chappelle, all I have to do is look at him and I start laughing.

Brian Regan


The man of a thousand faces is one of the most popular stand-up acts of all time. I have seen him live twice now and he never ceases to amaze me or crack me up. Also, I don't think there is another human being alive I quote (with his patented inflection!) as much as Brian Regan.

I'm sure there's a funny person you think I should have mentioned (like Larry David or Jerry Seinfeld perhaps...yes both hilarious) so let me know.