Comedian Facts for Kids

Charlie Chaplin in the film The Champion, 1915

A comedian or comic is a person whose job is to make people laugh. They do this to entertain an audience. Comedians might tell jokes, act silly, or use funny objects (called props). A comedian who talks directly to the audience on stage is called a stand-up comedian.

Some people say, "A comic says funny things; a comedian says things funny." This means a comic's humor comes from their words. A comedian's humor comes from how they act and their personality.

Since the 1980s, a new style of comedy called alternative comedy has become popular. This style is more unusual and experimental. It often involves comedians sharing their own experiences or observations about life. Comedians like Alexei Sayle and Daniel Tosh are examples. Some comedians, such as Tommy Tiernan and Joan Rivers, make fun of themselves and their own backgrounds. Others, like Jon Stewart, use comedy to talk about politics or culture.

History of Comedians
The World's Highest Paid Comedians
Images for kids
See also

History of Comedians

Ancient Greek Comedians

Comedians have been around for a very long time. We can trace them back to 425 BC. A writer named Aristophanes wrote funny plays in ancient Greece. He wrote 40 comedies, and 11 of them are still performed today. Aristophanes' plays often used satire. This means they made fun of people or ideas to show their flaws.

Shakespearean Comedy

The famous English writer William Shakespeare also wrote many comedies. A Shakespearean comedy usually has a happy ending. Often, it ends with characters getting married. These plays are usually light-hearted and funnier than his other works.

Modern Comedy

Sarah Silverman performing in LA, 2013

Charlie Chaplin was a very popular screen comedian in the early 1900s. He made funny silent films like Modern Times and The Kid. His movies still influence comedy films today.

One of the most popular types of comedy today is stand-up comedy. This is when one person tells jokes or stories while standing on a stage. Bob Hope was a very famous stand-up comedian in the 20th century. He also starred in many comedy movies. Other well-known stand-up comedians include George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld, and Chris Rock.

Another popular type of modern comedy is talk shows. On these shows, comedians often make fun of current news or popular topics. Examples of comedians who host these shows are Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon.

A third type of modern comedy is TV shows where many comedians work together. They create short, funny scenes called skits. A famous example is Saturday Night Live. These shows are often very popular. This might be because many comedians work together to create the humor.

The World's Highest Paid Comedians

Forbes magazine creates a list each year of the comedians who earn the most money. This list is similar to their Celebrity 100 list. Jerry Seinfeld was at the top of this list from 2006 to 2015. Then, Kevin Hart took the top spot in 2016. In 2016, most of the highest-paid comedians were from the United States. Amy Schumer was the first woman to be in the top ten that year.

Here are some of the top earners from 2016:

Rank	Name	Annual earnings (USD)	Nationality	Age	Notable works
2	Jerry Seinfeld	$43.5 million	United States	62	Seinfeld, Bee Movie
3	Terry Fator	$21 million		51	America's Got Talent
4	Amy Schumer	$17 million		35	Trainwreck, Inside Amy Schumer
5	Jeff Dunham	$13.5 million		54	Spark of Insanity
6	Dave Chappelle	$13 million		43	Dave Chappelle's Block Party, Chappelle's Show
7	Jim Gaffigan	$12.5 million		50	Jim Gaffigan: Mr. Universe, The Jim Gaffigan Show
8	Gabriel Iglesias	$9.5 million		40	Hot and Fluffy, The Fluffy Movie
9	Russell Peters	$9 million	Canada	45	Red, White and Brown, Outsourced
10	John Bishop	$7 million	United Kingdom	49	John Bishop's Britain, The John Bishop Show