American Humor - Notable Names

Notable Names

  • Allan Burns-Three Emmies for Comedy writing.
  • Art Buchwald-Pulitzer Prize winning humorist.
  • Art Carney-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • Bernie Mac-Number 72 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Betty White-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • Bill Burr
  • Bill Maher-Number 38 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Carl Reiner-Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
  • Chris Rock-Number five on Comedy Central's100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Christopher Buckley-Thurber Prize for American Humor.
  • Dave Chappelle-Number 43 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • David Cross-Number 85 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • David Javerbaum--Eight Emmys, two Peabody Awards, and only two-time winner of Thurber Prize for American Humor.
  • David Sedaris-Thurber Prize for American Humor.
  • Debbie Reynolds-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards
  • Denis Leary-Number 50 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Dennis Miller-Number 21 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Diane English-One of the few women to win an unshared Emmy for comedy writing.
  • Don Rickles-Number 17 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Doug Stanhope
  • Eddie Murphy-Number 10 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • George Burns-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • George Carlin-Number 2 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Ian Frazier-Thurber Prize for American Humor.
  • Imogene Coca-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • James L. Brooks-Academy Award nominee for several comedy films and won two Emmies for comedy writing. (also did dramas)
  • Jerry Lewis-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • Jerry Seinfeld-Number 12 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Johnny Carson-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • Jonathan Winters-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards and 2000 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
  • Jon Stewart-Number 41 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Lenny Bruce-Number 3 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Lewis Black-Number 51 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Lily Tomlin-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards and 2003 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
  • Lorne Michaels-2004 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
  • Louis C.K.-Number 98 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Martin Lawrence-Number 37 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Mitch Hedberg-stoner and drug user, the national award winner for best comedian of the post-modern age
  • Neil Simon-2006 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
  • Norman Lear-Television Hall of Fame, mostly wrote and produced for comedies.
  • Paul Mooney
  • Penny Marshall-Director of a comedy film in the top 50 of AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs and comedic actress.
  • Phyllis Diller-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • Redd Foxx-Number 24 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Red Skelton-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • Richard Lewis-Number 45 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Richard Pryor- Number 1 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Robert Klein-Number 22 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Robin Williams-Number 13 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time and won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album.
  • Rodney Dangerfield-Number 7 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Steve Allen-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards.
  • Steve Martin-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards and 2005 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
  • Steven Wright-Number 23 on 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
  • Tina Fey-First female head-writer for Saturday Night Live.
  • Walter Matthau-Lifetime Achievement from the American Comedy Awards
  • Whoopi Goldberg-2001 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
  • "Weird Al" Yankovic-Multiple winner of the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.

Note: An attempt has been made to avoid repeating names already mentioned, but some repetition might still exist. This list is partial and mostly deals with American comedians or humorists who won Lifetime Achievement awards in their fields or were placed in lists of history's great comedians.

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