Comedy is a serious business. It is not easy to make people laugh; and if someone has that talent, people are more than willing to travel miles to watch him/her perform. There is a huge demand for comedians today. Many comedians are making the most of this opportunity and are raking in millions. According to Forbes list, the top 10 highest paid comedians of 2015 earned a combined total of $166.5 million. They make money through touring, television, movies and internet deals.
10) Dave Chappelle ($7.5 million)
Dave has a role in Spike Lee’s upcoming movie Chiraq, which should be in theaters on December 4 2015. He continues to make big bucks by touring. Dave became rich and famous through is sketch comedy television series Chappelle’s Show.
9) John Bishop ($8 million)
English comedian and actor John Bishop continues to earn by touring. He has secured BBC spots, including his annual Christmas special. His autobiography titled How Did All This Happen? was published in October 2013.
8) Gabriel Iglesias ($8.5 million)
Fluffy’s 87 stops during his tour and movie appearances earned him big bucks during the scoring period. His shows Hot & Fluffy and I’m Not Fat… I’m Fluffy earned him fame and money. He became rich and famous by employing affected voices, storytelling and sound effects in his acts. References to his weight and use of Hawaiian shirts are his trademarks.
7) Louis C.K ($9 million)
Louis C.K is one of the top 10 Comedian there makes money through lucrative deals with Netflix. He earns big bucks both from television and internet. This talented artist is famous for his use of self-deprecating, observational, dark and vulgar humor. He is the first comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden three times in a single tour.
6) Aziz Ansari ($9.5 million)
Comedian and actor Aziz Ansari has taken his fame from stage and screen to the page. His book Modern Romance earned him a seven figure advance. Ansari earned fame and big bucks by playing Tom Haverford on the NBC show Parks and Recreation.
=4) Russell Peters ($19 million)
Russell Peters continues to make millions by telling jokes and also judging them. Currently he is making big bucks by judging NBC’s Last Comic Standing. He is among the first South Asians to achieve international success in the field of comedy.
=4) Jeff Dunham ($19 million)
Jeff found his fortune in Vegas. He has a residency in Planet Hollywood. He is definitely making the most of this opportunity. This ventriloquist, producer and stand-up comedian has appeared in many television shows. His six specials run on Comedy Central. They are: Jeff Dunham: Arguing with Myself, Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity, Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special, Jeff Dunham: Controlled Chaos, Jeff Dunham: Minding the Monsters, and Jeff Dunham: All Over the Map.
3) Terry Fator ($21.5 million)
Fator’s lucrative residency at the Mirage Hotel in Vegas pays him $20 million annually. This immensely talented artist can do more than 100 ventriloquial impersonations. He uses 16 puppets in his act. He was the winner of season two of America’s Got Talent.
2) Kevin Hart ($28.5 million)
Hart made loads of money this year due to his ability to pack arena after arena on his record-breaking tour. He also made money by acting in hit movies like Think Like a Man Too, The Wedding Ringer and Get Hard. He currently stars as himself in the lead role of Real Husbands of Hollywood.
1) Jerry Seinfeld ($36 million)
Right at the top of the list is Jerry Seinfeld who is also the richest actor in the world. This comedian, actor, writer and producer is best known for playing a semi fictional version of himself in the sitcom Seinfeld, which ran from 1989 to 1998. Hulu bought the rights of the show this year in a whopping $160 million deal. Jerry co-created and co-wrote the sitcom with Larry David. He is famous for his observational comedy. He makes money from his sitcom’s rerun residuals and from comedy tours. He is also the creator and host of the web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
In these stressful times, these comedians are really doing a great job of making people laugh. They deserve all the money they are making. Who among these is your favorite?
