By Evan Wanjiku
Making it in comedy, like in any other career, is no walk in the park. Kevin Hart had to deal with audiences booing him off the stage before he became the man he is today. This article looks at the top ten richest comedians in the world and their estimated net worth.
Jerry Seinfield
A large part of the comedian’s net worthy from his syndicated hit show, “Seinfield”. He has also recently starred in the web series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” Netflix recently acquired the show.
The comedian made a reported $100 million from the Netflix deal.
Seinfield has an estimated net worth of $950 million.
Matt Groenig
The comedian has earned a bucket load of cash, thanks to the continuing popularity of his creation and brainchild, “The Simpsons”, an animated series that debuted in 1989.
Despite some critics complaining that the show is declining in quality, “The Simpsons” in 2018 entered the record books by becoming the longest-running scripted TV show in history.
Though he is no longer a writer for “The Simpsons”, Matt also created “Futurama.”
He has also 12 Emmy Awards.
His net worth is approximately $500 million.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker
The two comedy geniuses are the creators of the hugely popular cartoon series, South Park. The long-running series has won Matt and Trey five Emmy Awards, in addition to a Peabody Award.
They also created a hit Broadway Musical, called the Book of Mormon. The musical won nine Tony awards.
They each have a net worth of over $500 million.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen has made her name the world over due to her daytime talk show. The comedian’s wildly popular show earns her a reported $75 million a year.
Her journey to the top tiers of the comedy profession started in 1982, when Showtime named her the Funniest Person in America.
She came out as gay in 1997.
Ellen’s net worth is approximately $450 million.
Bill Cosby
The scandal-ridden American comedian made his money from his starring role as Cliff Huxtable in The Cosby Show. The popular show, that aired in the 1980s and the early 90s, made him one of the most popular comedian in the United States, and the world over.
However, Cosby’s reputation has burned to ashes due to claims of sexual assault against him.
Bill has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, after getting found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2004.
He has a reported net worth of $400 million.
Larry David
With a net worth of approximately $400 million, Larry David once had double that amount. But a messy divorce settlement halved it.
He created Seinfield alongside fellow comedian Jerry Seinfield. He made a majority of his wealth after the show was syndicated.
Larry now stars in HBO’s hilarious and popular show, Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Jay Leno
Despite making his final appearance as host of NBC’s Tonight Show in 2014, Leno still remains influential in the world of comedy.
He started his comedy career as a stand-up comedian in the 1970s.
His net worth is said to be over $400 million.
Seth McFarlane
Seth McFarlane is hugely popular for his hit cartoon series: Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, and American Dad. He also voices several characters in his shows.
Seth also co-wrote and starred in the hit movie, Ted. In addition, he created and starred in the sci-fi TV series, The Orville.
He has an estimated net worth of $250 million.
