This Is How Much Your Favorite Comedians Are Worth
Making large groups of people laugh is considered by many in Hollywood to be one of the toughest gigs around. The best comedians in the world, from Ray Romano to Kevin Hart, take full advantage of the spotlight. Their charisma on stage and whip-smart senses of humor have gained them millions of fans and millions of dollars. Do you know how much money they are actually worth, though? These are the net worths of the world's most popular comedians!
Chevy Chase - $50 Million
Comedy icon Chevy Chase first made his name known to the world on Saturday Night Live. He proved to be one of the show's breakout stars, and transitioned his success on the stage and the small screen to major motion pictures.
After co-starring with Bill Murray in Caddyshack, Chase took the lead role in Vacation as Clark Griswold. Movies like Fletch followed as Chase's comedy empire continued to grow. Today, he's valued at $50 million dollars!
Ray Romano - $130 Million
Although he might be taking on more dramatic roles today in movies like The Irishman and The Big Sick, Ray Romano earned his chops as a stand-up comedian. In 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond debuted on CBS. The half-hour sitcom based on his stand-up was a huge hit.
In 2005, the show ended but Romano's career didn't. Older and wiser, he began pursuing more mature material, leading to his recent transition. Thanks to his career spanning more than two decades, Romano is worth $130 million.
Rowan Atkinson - $130 Million
A worldwide phenomenon who is lesser-known in the United States, Rowan Atkinson is worth an estimated $130 million. Known best for playing Mr. Bean and Johnny English, the funnyman has an incredible career that began in the 1970s.
Atkinson has been praised for his physical style of comedy and has been compared by critics to Buster Keaton. The talented funnyman, when asked to speak lines, uses a deadpan delivery style that contrasts perfectly with his movements.
Sacha Baron Cohen - $130 Million
Another comedian who has taken on more dramatic roles in recent years is Sacha Baron Cohen. Worth an estimated $130 million, the star of Da Ali G Show and Borat built his net worth with over-the-top caricatures that made us laugh.
His more recent work in the mini-series The Spy earned Cohen critical praise for his dramatic range. This wasn't his first attempt to turn serious, however. Before Rami Malek was cast as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, Cohen was set to take the role. He dropped out over concerns about the musician's portrayal.
Bill Murray - $140 Million
The list of classic comedies Bill Murray has starred in since breaking out on Saturday Night Live is mind-boggling. A few of his most iconic movies include Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, and Lost in Translation.
A multi-generational talent, Murray also works on his own terms. It has been reported that in order to pitch a movie to the man worth $140 million, you leave a voice message on a phone and hope he gets back to you.
Eddie Murphy - $160 Million
In the '80s and '90s, few comedic actors were in more demand than Eddie Murphy. He broke through on Saturday Night Live before becoming a huge movie star. He could seamlessly transition his humor from R to G rated without blinking an eye.
Throughout it all, though, Murphy never forgot his stand-up roots. In 1983, HBO aired Delirious, a stand-up special featuring Murphy in a leather suit that today is considered iconic.
Jim Carrey - $180 Million
One of the biggest funny-men of the '90s, Jim Carrey's career is still going strong today. From Liar, Liar to Sonic the Hedgehog, Carrey's resume is full of major box-office successes. The decades of hits have been kind to his pockets too, giving him an estimated $180 million net worth.
On his way to earning his fortune, Carrey became the first actor to ever get paid $20 million for a movie. That film was The Cable Guy, which ultimately failed financially but didn't derail the comic's career.
Dan Aykroyd - $180 Million
Another Saturday Night Live alum makes an appearance here. Dan Aykroyd has been making audiences laugh for a long time. He may not work today as much as he used to, but that hasn't hurt his estimated $180 million net worth.
So how did Aykroyd earn it all? He created the Ghostbusters franchise and was Oscar-nominated for his role in Driving Miss Daisy. In 2007, he founded Crystal Head Vodka, which quickly became one of the most popular brands in the United States.
Drew Carey - $190 Million
In 2007, Drew Carey took over for Bob Barker as the host of The Price Is Right. The gig, which Carey still holds today, turned him away from his stand-up roots, but also helped him build a net worth of $190 million.
Before The Price Is Right job started, Carey adapted his stand-up to The Drew Carey Show for ABC. The sitcom ran for nine seasons and aired 233 episodes. By the time it was canceled, Carey was one of the highest-paid actors on television.
Steve Harvey - $200 Million
Like Drew Carey, Steve Harvey transitioned from a sitcom based on his stand-up to being a game show host. From 1996 until 2002, he starred in The Steve Harvey Show. When it ended, he continued to act until 2010, when he became the host of Family Feud.
Harvey's vocal delivery and look of shock at contestant responses re-energized the long-running game show. Today, Harvey is worth an estimated $200 million.
Kevin Hart - $200 Million
Kevin Hart hasn't been in the comedy game nearly as long as other funny people on this list but is already worth an estimated $200 million. No doubt that it comes from the movies he has starred in and the massive live shows he has sold out.
Most recently, Hart reprised his role for Jumanji: The Next Level. His 2013 performance at Madison Square Garden made him the ninth stand-up to ever sell out the massive arena. In 2016, Hart earned $87.5 million, twice what Jerry Seinfeld made that same year.
Seth MacFarlane - $250 Million
From humble beginnings as a staff writer on Johnny Bravo to creating Family Guy and Ted, Seth MacFarlane has done it all in the comedy world of Hollywood. His stage presence might not be as large as other comedians we've discussed so far, but his success is undeniable.
Not one to take a break, MacFarlane currently has several projects he's working on. In 2017 he launched his most ambitious show yet with The Orville, which moved from FOX to Hulu in 2020.
Jay Leno - $400 Million
From 1992 until 2009, Jay Leno hosted The Tonight Show. The program was the perfect platform for his sense of humor and helped him amass a net worth of nearly $400 million.
Since leaving the late-night spotlight, Leno has continued to work, blending his passion for vehicles with his comedy. Since 2014, he has hosted Jay Leno's Garage, a show that has aired 60 episodes over five seasons on CNBC. A sixth season has not yet been announced.
David Letterman - $400 Million
For stand-up comedians, late-night talk shows are big business. David Letterman, who hosted The Late Show from 1982 until 2015, is worth an estimated $400 million today thanks to what at one point was a $40 million a year salary.
And like Jay Leno, Letterman has an affinity for cars and is reported to have a massive collection that includes ten Ferraris. Unlike Leno, Letterman did not build a post-Late Show career around his collection.
Adam Sandler - $450 Million
Adam Sandler is one of the comedy world's most unstoppable forces. After transitioning from Saturday Night Live to the big screen, it seemed like no matter what Sandler touched turned to gold. From The Waterboy to Hotel Transylvania, his resume continues to impress today.
If there is one thing that has evaded Sandler in his career it has been major awards recognition. It 2020, film critics believed he should have earned an Oscar nomination for his dramatic turn in Uncut Gems but he was snubbed by the Academy.
Larry David - $400 Million
Larry David rose to prominence as one of the creators of Seinfeld in 1989. When the iconic series ended in 1998, he moved onto Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO. Overall, David is worth an estimated $400 million, not that he cares.
In an interview with Charlie Rose on 60 Minutes David said, "the figures that I read about the amount of money that I've made are so ridiculous, and it's absurd. It's unseemly, I don't have that kind of money!"
Ellen DeGeneres - $490 Million
Before becoming one of the most popular day time talk show hosts in the history of television, Ellen DeGeneres was a stand up comic. In 1994, Ellen created and starred in Ellen, a sitcom based on her comedy that ran for four seasons on NBC.
DeGeneres, along with her daytime show, is known today for voicing Dory in the Finding Nemo film franchise. For everything she has accomplished, Ellen is worth an estimated $490 million.
Matt Stone - $500 Million
Matt Stone, along with his writing partner Trey Parker, is most famous for creating the animated satire South Park. The show has been on the air for 20 years and has even had one feature film made.
On top of working on South Park, Stone and Parker also wrote The Book of Mormon, one of the most critically praised Broadway shows of the last decade. There's even talk of adapting the show into a movie!
Matt Groening - $600 Million
Matt Groening created The Simpsons in the '80s and has been living off the show's success ever since. Thanks to the popularity of that show, Futurama, and Disenchanted, Groening is worth an estimated $600 million today.
Before his big breakout, Groening worked several back-breaking jobs in Los Angeles. Some of the lowlights included chauffeuring, landscaping in a sewage treatment plant, and washing dishes at a nursing home. He turned those experiences into his first comic, Life in Hell.
Jerry Seinfeld - $950 Million
It comes as no surprise that Jerry Seinfeld has an estimated net worth of nearly $1 billion. The co-creator and star of Seinfeld, the legendary comic is also a savvy businessman. During the final season of the show he was earning $1 million per episode, and reportedly turned down $5 million an episode to produce a tenth season.
Today, Seinfeld still works, staying fresh with Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. The web series has Jerry pick up his friends in one of the cars from his collection to drive around the neighborhood, talk about things, and drink coffee.