 |
| Photo by Alan Light / Flickr |
Jerry Seinfeld, co-creator and star of the '90s TV classic "Seinfeld", is currently the highest-paid comedian in the world, according to Forbes magazine.
The 63-year old standup star topped the finance publication’s recently released list of top-earning active comedians after having made $69 million between June 2016 and June 2017.
Forbes based its rankings on pre-tax income earned from projects like tours, films, TV shows, and endorsements, but it did not take into account money spent to pay the people who keep Hollywood spinning: managers, lawyers, agents and the like.
Seinfeld’s financial profile consisted partly of syndication paychecks for his 90s comedy show on TV as well as on Netflix.The comedian inked a production deal last January with the streaming service that includes two exclusive stand-up specials in addition to new episodes of "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee."
Named the second-highest paid comedian on the planet was Chris Rock, with estimated earnings of $57 million in the past year.The 52-year old has become known as a prolific actor, producer, and writer with films and TV, but lately, he's been earning his paycheck doing standup comedy.
Louis C.K.came in third on the list. Forbes estimated that more than 50 percent of C.K.'s $52 million earned between June 2016 and June 2017 is due to his deal with Netflix for a pair of comedy specials.
Although C.K.'s critically acclaimed series.Louie is on hiatus, he's still making money behind the TV scenes, serving as a writer/producer on the Baskets and Better Things comedy series, and as an executive producer on the Tig Notaro-starring "One Mississippi."
C.K.also provided the voice of the Jack Russell Terrier named Max in last summer's G-rated blockbuster, "The Secret Life of Pets.” That film earned $368 million at the US box office.
The lone comedienne on the list is Amy Schumer, ranked No. 5 with an estimated $37.5 million earnings between June 2016 and June 2017. Forbes noted that 30 percent of Schumer's earnings in the past year came from her standup show "The Leather Special" that debuted March on Netflix.Schumer’s 2016 book, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, is still paying dividends, as are her endorsement deals with Old Navy and Bud Light.
Last year’s numero uno funnyman, Kevin Hart, is now at No. 6, having made an estimated $32.5 million in the past year. Hart is busy preparing to launch his own streaming service; appearing in 2017 movies like Captain Underpants and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and releasing a book called I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons.
Rounding up the Top 10 most lucrative comedians in the world are: David Chappelle on the 4th slot; Jim Gaffigan, 7th; America's Got Talent winner Terry Fator, 8th; Jeff Dunham, 9th; and Sebastian Maniscalco, a newcomer, 10th.
