Funny money
March 17, 2015 6:52 PM Subscribe
Comic's Comic provides a graphic of the top 25 richest living comedians. Seinfeld: $800 million. (derived from Celebrity Networth's list of the top 50 of all time)
Where is Jeff Dunham?
Locked in a barn somewhere with his stupid racist puppets, I hope.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 7:17 PM on March 17, 2015 [16 favorites]
Locked in a barn somewhere with his stupid racist puppets, I hope.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 7:17 PM on March 17, 2015 [16 favorites]
Most of that is a list of very lucky guys who didn't let mediocrity keep them from stupid riches.
posted by munchingzombie at 7:21 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by munchingzombie at 7:21 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I don't think I'd consider Matt Groening to be a comedian.
posted by That's Numberwang! at 7:22 PM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by That's Numberwang! at 7:22 PM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
I can't believe Drew Carey is here and Craig Ferguson is not. I thought The Price Is Right was a big step down from any late night show.
posted by Brodiggitty at 7:23 PM on March 17, 2015
posted by Brodiggitty at 7:23 PM on March 17, 2015
Byron Allen? Am I missing out on a lot of Real People syndication or something?
posted by sourwookie at 7:31 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by sourwookie at 7:31 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Byron Allen founded Entertainment Studios, which owns 6 cable channels and produces/distributes 29 syndicated shows. All of which I have never heard of.
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:36 PM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:36 PM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
where is jeff dunham, i thot he was doing better than terry fenton (horror, horror, etc)
posted by PinkMoose at 7:38 PM on March 17, 2015
posted by PinkMoose at 7:38 PM on March 17, 2015
Steve Martin would be higher on the list if he hadn't a) chosen to pursue less lucrative but more satisfying artistic pursuits (e.g., banjo, playwriting) and, especially, b) become a truly important patron of the arts. That's a life well-lived.
posted by carmicha at 7:40 PM on March 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by carmicha at 7:40 PM on March 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
I would guess that Steve Martin has probably made more from selling paintings than from comedy. He once sold a Hopper for $27 million. I think his estimate may be low.
posted by knoyers at 7:43 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by knoyers at 7:43 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I enjoy Ricky Gervais's reply to celebritynetworth's claim that he's worth $80MM. "Spot on. I'm going to buy Libya."
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:43 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:43 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Never heard of Terry Fator so I googled him. Wish I hadn't. Horrible.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 7:59 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 7:59 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Steve Martin has probably made more from selling paintings than from comedy. He once sold a Hopper for $27 million.
True, but he's also given numerous works to LACMA (where he's a Trustee) and made significant gifts (donations and art) to other institutions as well. He also funds a pretty sizable annual bluegrass prize.
posted by carmicha at 8:02 PM on March 17, 2015
True, but he's also given numerous works to LACMA (where he's a Trustee) and made significant gifts (donations and art) to other institutions as well. He also funds a pretty sizable annual bluegrass prize.
posted by carmicha at 8:02 PM on March 17, 2015
I bet both Tuna Fey and Sarah Palin do pretty well.
Tuna Fey
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:26 PM on March 17, 2015 [16 favorites]
Tuna Fey
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:26 PM on March 17, 2015 [16 favorites]
I can't believe Drew Carey is here and Craig Ferguson is not. I thought The Price Is Right was a big step down from any late night show.
Depends on what sort of steps you mean, I guess. Drew made/makes good money from his sitcom & Who's Line, and lazy Googling indicates TPIR's viewership is something like 5 million, as opposed to TLLS's 1.5 million.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:36 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Depends on what sort of steps you mean, I guess. Drew made/makes good money from his sitcom & Who's Line, and lazy Googling indicates TPIR's viewership is something like 5 million, as opposed to TLLS's 1.5 million.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:36 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Even if these numbers are sketchy as hell it's really sad that there's only one woman listed.
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:50 PM on March 17, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:50 PM on March 17, 2015 [7 favorites]
I'm gobsmacked that Parker and Stone are individually worth more Seth MacFarlane. I can't make that add up. I'm not knocking the work, I just think of MacFarlane being responsible for several shows and Matt and Trey being jointly responsible for one show. I must be missing a lot of the picture.
posted by NortonDC at 9:10 PM on March 17, 2015
posted by NortonDC at 9:10 PM on March 17, 2015
Matt and Trey also have several films and a great musical under their royalty-reaping belts.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:32 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:32 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Matt and Trey also have several films and a great musical under their royalty-reaping belts.
Yep. The Book of Mormon's gross receipts total a third of a billion dollars.
posted by Iridic at 9:35 PM on March 17, 2015 [6 favorites]
Yep. The Book of Mormon's gross receipts total a third of a billion dollars.
posted by Iridic at 9:35 PM on March 17, 2015 [6 favorites]
Oh and Joan Rivers would've been in the graphic but she died, boo. That woman was legendary, though not everyone's cup of tea.
On preview: holy shit, that's a lot of money.
Did not scroll all through top 50: is Carrot Top listed?
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:36 PM on March 17, 2015
On preview: holy shit, that's a lot of money.
Did not scroll all through top 50: is Carrot Top listed?
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:36 PM on March 17, 2015
How is Groening not a multibillionaire?
posted by BrotherCaine at 10:14 PM on March 17, 2015
posted by BrotherCaine at 10:14 PM on March 17, 2015
How many million are Matt Stone and Trey Parker worth?
About tree fiddy.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 10:20 PM on March 17, 2015 [9 favorites]
About tree fiddy.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 10:20 PM on March 17, 2015 [9 favorites]
I would guess that Steve Martin has probably made more from selling paintings than from comedy.
Jimmy Dell: Do the American thing.
Joe Ross: What's that?
Jimmy Dell: Marry a rich widow.
Joe Ross: We used to say, a nymphomaniac who owns a liquor store.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:23 PM on March 17, 2015
Jimmy Dell: Do the American thing.
Joe Ross: What's that?
Jimmy Dell: Marry a rich widow.
Joe Ross: We used to say, a nymphomaniac who owns a liquor store.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:23 PM on March 17, 2015
Tuna Fey
Rich.
In omega-3 fatty acids.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:25 PM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
Rich.
In omega-3 fatty acids.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:25 PM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
Did not scroll all through top 50: is Carrot Top listed?
No but pretty sure Joe Piscopo must be there a couple of times along with Rob Schneider and that Mango guy.
I'm kidding. Carrot Top is tragically, shockingly #31 with $75 million. And elsewhere the site claims Eddie Murphy is worth $85 million, even though he is no where to be found on the list. They're not even internally consistent with their suspect numbers.
posted by xigxag at 10:44 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
No but pretty sure Joe Piscopo must be there a couple of times along with Rob Schneider and that Mango guy.
I'm kidding. Carrot Top is tragically, shockingly #31 with $75 million. And elsewhere the site claims Eddie Murphy is worth $85 million, even though he is no where to be found on the list. They're not even internally consistent with their suspect numbers.
posted by xigxag at 10:44 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
We could get into some semantics here. Groening, Parker, and Stone are not really comedians. But they're in the business of comedy, so let's use comedian as short-hand for that idea, I suppose. But then Chuck Lorre should probably be on there somewhere, and even Sam Simon might have cracked the top 50. And, as people mentioned above, Mel Brooks.
I seem to recall that part of what got Joan back into standup in her later life was a bit of financial trouble. If that's so, I find it hard to believe that she was worth $150M at her death. But who knows?
Seinfeld's interesting, because he had the last of the great sitcom syndication deals. Well, him and Larry David, which is why they're both up there. Note that 9 out of the top 10 living rich comedians have their money from television, and they are from the last generation of television. Comedians (proper comedians) will likely never see money like that again.
posted by aureliobuendia at 10:58 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I seem to recall that part of what got Joan back into standup in her later life was a bit of financial trouble. If that's so, I find it hard to believe that she was worth $150M at her death. But who knows?
Seinfeld's interesting, because he had the last of the great sitcom syndication deals. Well, him and Larry David, which is why they're both up there. Note that 9 out of the top 10 living rich comedians have their money from television, and they are from the last generation of television. Comedians (proper comedians) will likely never see money like that again.
posted by aureliobuendia at 10:58 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
When Rivers died, she owned this swank pad on the UES (which her estate is selling for $28M), so she can't have been doing too badly. The 2010 documentary (on Netflix, very enjoyable, I gained a new appreciation for her) suggests that she's just a workaholic and needs the focus of doing standup even at a remote Wisconsin Indian casino to keep her going mentally. During the filming she fired her manager, though, and there was a lawsuit by him.
posted by dhartung at 11:20 PM on March 17, 2015
posted by dhartung at 11:20 PM on March 17, 2015
Mathew Perry? Since when is Mathew Perry a comedian?
posted by MexicanYenta at 11:22 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by MexicanYenta at 11:22 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
I wonder what the gini coefficient is like within the 'comedian' group, I can't imagine it is any better than that in the fiction author group. As cstross points out:
the UK had a Gini coefficient of 0.36 in 2009, the widest ever gap between rich and poor — while the USA, at 0.408, had the most unequal income distribution in the entire developed world. The Gini coefficient among writers in the UK in 2004-05 was a whopping great 0.74posted by asok at 3:01 AM on March 18, 2015
So very many funny women out there... so very few women listed here...
posted by fredludd at 4:42 AM on March 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by fredludd at 4:42 AM on March 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
Could somebody explain to me how Seinfeld got so incredibly rich? There have been plenty of popular sitcoms before and since. What was it about "Seinfeld" in particular that made made Jerry so much money? Was it just the perfect combination of talent and luck? Also, why are Larry David and his co-stars not right up there with him? I mean, he has more net worth than most Hollywood actors for crying out loud — and all that mostly from a single show!
posted by archagon at 5:50 AM on March 18, 2015
posted by archagon at 5:50 AM on March 18, 2015
Julia Louis-Dreyfus supposedly has a net worth of $200 million, separate from her father's billions. In other words, this list is full of crap.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:16 AM on March 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 6:16 AM on March 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
How is Groening not a multibillionaire?
James L. Brooks and Sam Simon carved off a lot of the "creator" money for the Simpsons.
posted by Etrigan at 6:27 AM on March 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
James L. Brooks and Sam Simon carved off a lot of the "creator" money for the Simpsons.
posted by Etrigan at 6:27 AM on March 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
munchingzombie: "Most of that is a list of very lucky guys who didn't let mediocrity keep them from stupid riches."
Sure, and why not?
posted by Chrysostom at 6:42 AM on March 18, 2015
Sure, and why not?
posted by Chrysostom at 6:42 AM on March 18, 2015
Was it just the perfect combination of talent and luck?
And timing. He and his agents were negotiating a contract for him to do a show in the later seasons at the utter height of both popularity of TV shows, ad revenue on TV, a stock market bubble, BUT also with growing competition in cable that offered plenty of venues for TV shows, albiet smaller stages. Larry David is important, but you can make Seinfeld without him.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:29 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
And timing. He and his agents were negotiating a contract for him to do a show in the later seasons at the utter height of both popularity of TV shows, ad revenue on TV, a stock market bubble, BUT also with growing competition in cable that offered plenty of venues for TV shows, albiet smaller stages. Larry David is important, but you can make Seinfeld without him.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:29 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
But anyway this list is trash and we should feel bad for gossiping about it lol.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:29 AM on March 18, 2015
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:29 AM on March 18, 2015
Also, why are Larry David and his co-stars not right up there with him?
Well, considering that the figures in Celebritynetworth and the graphic are likely sheer gobbledegook, Larry David might actually be pretty close. Here's a news article (press release) from 1999 that says that Jerry got 267 million and Larry got 242 million from the sale of Seinfeld syndication rights.
OTOH, Jerry still can earn millions each year from doing stand up tours and corporate gigs, so there's money he gets that David doesn't.
The other cast members only get residuals as actors, while Seinfeld & David can also get residuals as creators/producers/writers (or they can sell those rights for one large lump sum).
posted by soundguy99 at 7:58 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Well, considering that the figures in Celebritynetworth and the graphic are likely sheer gobbledegook, Larry David might actually be pretty close. Here's a news article (press release) from 1999 that says that Jerry got 267 million and Larry got 242 million from the sale of Seinfeld syndication rights.
OTOH, Jerry still can earn millions each year from doing stand up tours and corporate gigs, so there's money he gets that David doesn't.
The other cast members only get residuals as actors, while Seinfeld & David can also get residuals as creators/producers/writers (or they can sell those rights for one large lump sum).
posted by soundguy99 at 7:58 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
DirtyOldTown wrote:
I would just like to point out that this is a site that, for instance, claims Fugazi's Guy Picciotto has a net worth of $14 million, which would be a whole fucking lotta $9 CDs and $5 concert tickets. Their estimates of net worth are famously preposterous.
he'd have all that and more if the band would have listened to Brendan Canty all those years ago!
posted by any major dude at 8:00 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I would just like to point out that this is a site that, for instance, claims Fugazi's Guy Picciotto has a net worth of $14 million, which would be a whole fucking lotta $9 CDs and $5 concert tickets. Their estimates of net worth are famously preposterous.
he'd have all that and more if the band would have listened to Brendan Canty all those years ago!
posted by any major dude at 8:00 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
The real lesson of this thread is that Starkist should being back the "Sorry, Charlie" campaign but with Tuna Fey doing the voice.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:19 AM on March 18, 2015
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:19 AM on March 18, 2015
I'm more mediocre than a lot of these guys. Where's my paycheck?
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 10:56 AM on March 18, 2015
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 10:56 AM on March 18, 2015
Was it just the perfect combination of talent and luck?
And timing. He and his agents were negotiating a contract for him to do a show in the later seasons at the utter height of both popularity of TV shows, ad revenue on TV, a stock market bubble,
Seinfeld was also the last of the great syndicated-at-11 shows. In every major market in the US, Seinfeld aired at 11pm/10pm on at least one channel. In many markets, it aired at 5 or 6 or 7pm as well. That's a lot of residual money that Jerry was triple-dipping on (actor, creator, executive producer). Not to mention that, according to the cite above, he sold the syndication rights for a quarter of a billion dollars. Then factor in DVDs, etc. etc.
BUT also with growing competition in cable that offered plenty of venues for TV shows, albiet smaller stages. Larry David is important, but you can make Seinfeld without him.
And, in fact, they did. Several seasons of Seinfeld had no Larry David at all. They're still good, but maybe not the best of the best.
posted by aureliobuendia at 12:31 PM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
And timing. He and his agents were negotiating a contract for him to do a show in the later seasons at the utter height of both popularity of TV shows, ad revenue on TV, a stock market bubble,
Seinfeld was also the last of the great syndicated-at-11 shows. In every major market in the US, Seinfeld aired at 11pm/10pm on at least one channel. In many markets, it aired at 5 or 6 or 7pm as well. That's a lot of residual money that Jerry was triple-dipping on (actor, creator, executive producer). Not to mention that, according to the cite above, he sold the syndication rights for a quarter of a billion dollars. Then factor in DVDs, etc. etc.
BUT also with growing competition in cable that offered plenty of venues for TV shows, albiet smaller stages. Larry David is important, but you can make Seinfeld without him.
And, in fact, they did. Several seasons of Seinfeld had no Larry David at all. They're still good, but maybe not the best of the best.
posted by aureliobuendia at 12:31 PM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Larry David is divorced and his wife got a good chunk of their combined net worth.
posted by Mick at 4:44 AM on March 19, 2015
posted by Mick at 4:44 AM on March 19, 2015
I'm kidding. Carrot Top is tragically, shockingly #31 with $75 million.
He works Vegas and other casinos a lot. Patton Oswalt has a bit on "Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time" talking about how the most he has been paid for any gig was at Tulalip Casino. The performance was basically standing on stage while drunks yelled out roles he had played on TV.
Similarly, the reason Terry Fator is on this list is because he signed a 5-year $100 million deal at The Mirage.
posted by Gary at 7:37 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
He works Vegas and other casinos a lot. Patton Oswalt has a bit on "Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time" talking about how the most he has been paid for any gig was at Tulalip Casino. The performance was basically standing on stage while drunks yelled out roles he had played on TV.
Similarly, the reason Terry Fator is on this list is because he signed a 5-year $100 million deal at The Mirage.
posted by Gary at 7:37 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Matthew Perry gets listed as a comedian, but Jennifer Aniston ($150 million) and Courtney Cox ($120 million) are not.
But I don't think it's sexism so much as a really lazy article based on poor tagging in their database. They mention Robin Williams in their introduction but he's not actually included in the list ($50 million). Neither are Mike Meyers ($150 million), Roseanne Bar ($80 million) or Tim Allen ($80 million).
posted by Gary at 7:59 AM on March 19, 2015
But I don't think it's sexism so much as a really lazy article based on poor tagging in their database. They mention Robin Williams in their introduction but he's not actually included in the list ($50 million). Neither are Mike Meyers ($150 million), Roseanne Bar ($80 million) or Tim Allen ($80 million).
posted by Gary at 7:59 AM on March 19, 2015
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posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:01 PM on March 17, 2015 [5 favorites]