Top 3 Highest Paid Comedians of 2015

The word is out dear friends, it turns out that the combined earnings of the top ten comedians in 2015 was $166.5 million. That’s huge right? All the credit goes to touring, television shows, films and internet deals. After all comedy is no more just a means to entertain people. It is becoming a fast growing business and the profits reaped from it are right in front of you. Comedians now days parlay their skills and talents of making people laugh to make permanent careers. People travel hundreds of miles to enjoy their shows and these live shows help them make the bulk of their money. Let’s have a look at the top three highest paid comedians of 2015.

1.       Jerry Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld reigns supreme in the world of comedy. Seinfeld made a whopping $36 million in the last year. All thanks to the “show about nothing” that helped Seinfeld to a massive payday. Hulu bought the streaming rights to the show for a sum of $160 million. Jerry continues to pull large crowds during his occasional comedy tours and also makes money through his web series “Comedians in cars getting coffee.” 

2.       Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart made a killing $28.5 million this year from his record-breaking tours and exceptional performance in movies like “Think like a man too”, “Get hard” and “the wedding ringer”.  Kevin started his career by participating in several comedy competitions at clubs in New England. He got his first break in 2000 when he starred as Judd Apatow in the TV series undeclared.  Hart’s reputation continued to grow since then, only to make him the second richest comedian in the world. 

3.       Terry Fator

Winner of season two of America’s got talent; Terry Fator stands third in our list of the highest paid comedians of 2015. Fator pulled $21.5 million in the past year due to his time in Vegas last year. He was signed as a headliner at The Mirage hotel and casino in Vegas which is apparently paying him good enough to land him in the list of highest paid comedians.

The list above proves how the comedy business is booming these days. If you too are an aspiring comedian and entertainment there are various online comedy blogs you can access and get information. You can also share comedy performance and post stand up videos to sites like Comicsandbox that encourage up and coming comedians.

4 Best Comedy Movies of All Time

Comedy is the best medicine and comedy shows are the medium. Over the years, they have spread happiness and joy in lives of many. These shows are iconic and have been running through the time and generations. They are cherished by young, old and every joke is just as funny as the first time. 

The importance of these comedy shows in the life of a young comedian cannot be underestimated. One can learn a lot about comic timing and the kind of jokes audience will enjoy by just watching these shows and adapting their technique.

Let’s begin the countdown of the greatest comedy shows of all time.

Seinfeld (1989 – 1998)

This sitcom began in 1989 on NBC and lasted for nine seasons. Set on the block of Manhattan’s upper west side, the stars and creators of the show wanted to deliver humor in form of everyday struggle of a New Yorker. It was also termed as a “show about nothing” due to its episodes based on various themes. A comedian can learn a lot from this and can cherish it for a long time.

Friends (1994 – 2004)

This is one of the favorite American television shows that have crossed boundaries of nations and cultures. Starring American sweethearts Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston along with Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, this show is still a loved one. This was based on a life of six friends living in New York and trying to fit in with their jobs and relationships.

Saturday Night Live (1975 – Current)

This is the greatest show for a comedian that opens them up to live performances and audience. They can learn their comic timings and the right way to perform in front of a group of people. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity combined with other actors in a comic script based on random formats.

The Office (U.S Series)

This is a great show about a funny many as the boss of a company, who is trying to handle a group of really weird workers. The job is not exciting, but Steve Carell, the manager is trying to make the best of the awkward situations in the office. Steve Carell and other stars have given the best performances and a comedian should learn a lot from these legends.

With the power of internet and platforms like Comicsandbox, a comedian can easily portray their talent in front of millions of viewers around the world. 

The Art of Mixing Comedy into Writing

Humor is a very important part of our everyday lives. Without comedy, most of our conversations will become dull and boring. Our desire to laugh and do something interesting makes us search comedians and funny videos on various parts of the internet. Our text messages and social media posts usually have a touch of humor and new jokes are always in circulation.

Writing humor and making people laugh is a serious job and requires talent, creativity, and patience. A little exaggeration or misdirection can mess up the whole script and your reader might feel lost in all the jokes. According to a research, comedy makes you closer to your friends and reduces anxieties, which are enough reasons to practice this art.

Learning the basics of subtle humor is an essential step in effectively writing comedy script. You should have a decent amount of experience in writing and introduce a little humor in a good story will pretty much do the job right. The importance of a story cannot be underestimated, as people won’t be interested in only ready random jokes without a strong story hold. Punch lines are an essential part of comedy writing but where to put them is the real deal. The best way to introduce a joke in a story is to establish a pattern with a setup and then misdirecting them with a punch line. Pair two ideas in a list and then add the third one into the mix. Metaphors are also a great way to add a joke and there are many funny ones that will always make you crack up.

Add a story that your readers are not familiar with. Taking the cliché and placing it in between a punch line is always a great option. Be strategic about the approach and illustrate your points as your points as you write, like in the book Your Money or Your Life. Let your readers realize that you are laughing as well, while writing the script. It will allow you to have a personal connection with the readers. Don’t let the fear of being too much funny or experimenting scare you off. This happens to the best of us and just believes in yourself and starts with your writings.

Sarcasm is also a tool that is very-essential in many areas of comedy writings and it always cracks up the readers. Some are even looking for some punch lines and sarcastic comments that they can use in their everyday lives and if you accomplish that task, you are sure to be a hit. Just get them to open their mouths to laugh and they will open their hearts for you.