4 Comics Everyone Should Know
Do you know these geniuses of comedy?
By Jimmy Kimmel
DEBORAH SCHWARTZ/CORBIS
Choosing my four favorite comics is very difficult. How can I make a list that doesn't include Richard Pryor, David Letterman, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, Billy Crystal, etc.? Instead, here are four names you may not know. And yes, they are Americans. Each of them has paperwork to prove it.
PACE GREGORY/CORBIS
CHRIS ELLIOTT
I fell in love with Chris when he played a guy who lived under the audience seats at Late Night With David Letterman. He is weird and silly and smart, and though he has found success with parts in movies like There's Something About Mary, he still isn't the big comedy star he deserves to be.
MITCHELL HAASETH/NBC UNIVERSAL, INC.
TRACY MORGAN
Tracy is the crazy guy on 30 Rock. He was also the crazy guy on Saturday Night Live for seven years. Tracy is crazy.
JENNIFER BROWN/STAR LEDGER/CORBIS
ARTIE LANGE
Anyone who has heard Howard Stern's Sirius radio show knows that day in and day out, there is no one funnier than Artie Lange. It is sometimes hard to believe that such a gluttonous mess both physically and emotionally can be so sharp comedically, but Artie is.
SETH OLENICK
ZACH GALIFIANAKIS
When people ask me who, among the relatively unknown young comics, has the potential to be a big comedy star (to be honest, no one ever asks me this), I (would, if asked) immediately say Zach Galifianakis. If you can remember how to spell his name, take a look at his website.
