It may be Obama’s birthday but just as many people are honoring today for the fact the TV series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia turns 15 today. The show quickly became a cultural phenomenon thanks in part to it’s unique brand of humor and it’s great cast including Danny DeVito, Howie Day and Kaitlin Olson among others. Twitter users are tweeting out birthday wishes to the show and I thought it’d be fun to take a look at some of them, so without further adieu let’s get started.
15 years ago Always Sunny in Philadelphia aired and is by far the funniest show made pic.twitter.com/fomjvBE4p0
It was part of our lives for many years and people are sharing their favorite episodes.
“Always Sunny” yields a lot of great GIFs but I’ve never even finished the first or second episodes, they were so boring. Is there a particularly good intro episode to decide if it’s worth the hype? https://t.co/5NvpQVT5h2
Some people are just tweeting their version of a happy birthday song.
i love its always sunny so damn much and since it’s been airing since 2005 there are so many offensive jokes in there but i love them so much 😭 charlie is forever my fav https://t.co/XfxoxYUptr
It was certainly made when there were a lot fewer snowflakes in the world.
Last Week Tonight Better Call Saul Rick and Morty Bob’s Burgers Brooklyn Nine-Nine Better Things It’s Always Sunny BoJack Horseman Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Parks and Recreation Modern Family The Good Place Jane the Virgin Crazy Ex-Girlfriend You’re the Worst Arrested Development https://t.co/R70pTmMHDp
— You Can’t Disappoint a Podcast (@youcantdisappod) August 4, 2020
Man that’s a lot of TV watching…
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has now been around for 15 years, I remember watching the premiere on FX back in ‘05. To this day… The funniest show on television. Here’s to many more seasons. pic.twitter.com/LEhbAyD98B
Born as John William Ferrell on July 16, 1967 in Irvine, California Will Ferrell would first become known for his 7 year stretch on Saturday Night Live and even that alone would have been enough to make him a household name but he has starred in countless films and was part of a group of comics that came along in the 90’s and really changed how comedy movies were approached. Will Ferrell hosted Saturday Night Live last night and it reminded me just how hilarious he really is, so I figured it’d be a great time to go over some of his films. As usual sequels will be included in wit the original movie so the list doesn’t repeat too much.
Will Ferrell
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Released in 1997 and directed by Jay Roach the comedy film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery would be the first film in the series of Austin Powers movies and featured Will Ferrell as Mustafa, one of Dr. Evil’s henchmen and although it wasn’t a large role it was a memorable one and was fun to see Ferrell cameo in anything at the time. The movie also starred leading man Mike Myers as the titular character and Elizabeth Hurley, Seth Green and Robert Wagner. The James Bond spoof movie was well received and grossed $67 million at the box office as well as spawning two sequels.
Released in 1998 and directed by John Fortenberry the comedy film A Night at the Roxbury was based on one of Will Ferrell’s recurring sketches on Saturday Night Live and featured many other SNL alumni such as Colin Quinn, Christ Kattan, Molly Shannon and Mark McKinney. The film was a commercial and critical bomb but still, it was Will Ferrell’s first leading role and there are people who love this movie so I felt it needed to be included.
Released in 1999 and directed by Bruce McCulloch the comedy film Superstar was once again based on SNL sketches and starred Will Ferrell alongside fellow SNL cast member Molly Shannon. The film wasn’t very well received but once again I felt it needed to be part of the list as it was one of his first roles early on in his career.
Released in 2001 and directed by Ben Stiller as well as starring him the comedy film Zoolander is a satire on the fashion industry and had Will Ferrell playing fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu alongside Owen Wilson, Jerry Stiller and Milla Jovovich. The film wasn’t loved by critics but did decently at the box office grossing $60 million as well and did well enough to spawn a sequel in 2016.
Released in 2003 and directed by Todd Phillips the comedy film Old School would be Will Ferrell’s first leading role not based on something from SNL and has him portraying a thirty-something that tries to relive his college years by starting a fraternity. The movie also stars Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn and grossed $87 million worldwide as well as being nominated for two MTV Movie Awards.
Released in 2003 and directed by Jon Favreau the holiday comedy film Elf has Will Ferrell in the role of a human that was adopted and raised by Santa’s elves. The movie is one of my favorites from Will Ferrell and for me at least was an instant holiday classic. The movie also stars Zooey Deschanel, James Caan and Bob Newhart and grossed $220 million worldwide as well as inspiring Elf: The Musical . the movie is considered one of the greatest Christmas films of all time by many.
Released in 2004 and directed by Adam McKay the comedy film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy features Will Ferrell as news anchorman who constantly competes with his female co-star. Also starring Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, and steve Carell the movie was a huge hit and grossed $90 million worldwide as well as spawning a sequel in 2013.
Released in 2005 and directed by Susan Stroman the musical comedy film is based on the Broadway musical of the same name which is in turn based on the 1967 film of the same name.Will Ferrell plays Franz Liebkind and is joined by an ensemble cast including Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman and Jon Lovitz. The film was a commercial failure only grossing $38 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics.
Released in 2005 and directed by Nora Ephron the romantic comedy fantasy film Bewitched is inspired by the old TV series of the same name and stars Will Ferrell as a down on his luck actor who discovers that his co star is an actual witch. Also starring Nicole Kidman, Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine the film was both a critical and commercial failure but still isn’t all that bad in my opinion.
Released in 2006 and directed by Marc Forster the fantasy comedy-drama film Stranger than Fiction stars Will Ferrell as a man who starts hearing a voice narrating his entire life. Also starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah and Emma Thompson the movie received positive reviews but ended up being a box office failure not even making it’s budget back.
Released in 2006 and directed by Adam McKay the sports comedy film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby has Will Ferrell portraying an aging Nascar driver trying to hold onto his greatness and his failing marriage. The movie also stars John C. Reilly, Sasha Baron Cohen and Amy Adams and grossed $163 million worldwide.
Released in 2008 and directed by Adam McKay the comedy film Step Brothers puts Will Ferrell in the role of Brennan, one of two grown men forced to live together when their single parents marry each other. The movie also stars John C. Reilly and Mary Steenburgen and grossed $128 million worldwide as well as receiving mixed reviews from critics.
Released in 2009 and directed by Brad Silberling the adventure comedy film Land of the Lost is based on the 1974 TV series of the same name and features a great cast including Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel. The film was considered a total failure commercially and critically but is a fun little movie and s stupid and bad at time it makes it great.
Released in 2010 and directed by Adam McKay the action comedy The Other Guys stars Will Ferrell as one half of a team of New York City Detectives alongside Mark Wahlberg. The movie also stars Eva Mendes, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton and Steve Coogan and grossed $170 million worldwide.
Released in 2015 and directed by Sean Anders the comedy film Daddy’s Home has Will Ferrell in the role of a step-dad who finds it difficult to bond with his step-children once their real father returns. The film also stars Mark Wahlberg and Linda Cardellini and did great at the box office grossing $242 million worldwide as well as spawning a sequel in 2017.
Although Will Ferrell has had a few films come out since Daddy’s Home none of them have been the huge hits some of his past films were. He has two films coming up that are both in post production with release dates to be announced the first being the comedy film Downhill and the second being the comedy film Eurovision.
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There’s nothing quite as fun as sitting down with your significant other or friends and family and watching a good stand-up act but with so many comedians out there it can be easy to miss out on some of the amazing ones. This is by no means a definitive list, just some of my personal favorites and legends that have left a huge impact on the comedy world to this day.
George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was born on May 12, 1937 in New York City and would have a very long successful career. In my personal opinion he is not only the best comedian of all time, he is the most important one. More like a philosopher or prophet than a comedian he would often leave you thinking and thinking after hearing his views on everything from politics to religion. George Carlin has had 14 HBO specials, has appeared on countless talk shows over the decades and hosted the first ever episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975. Carlin passed away on June 22, 2008 of cardiac arrest but left a lasting mark and will always be the best in my book.
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was born on December 1, 1940 in Peoria, Illinois. He would become known for his highly offensive yet highly intelligent humor, touching on subjects such as racism and politics. Comedy Central gave him the number 1 spot on their all time greatest stand-up comedians list and in 2017 Rolling Stone listed him as number 1 on their list of the 50 best stand-up comics of all time. Pryor passed away in 2005 at the age of 65 from a heart attack.
Edward Regan Murphy was born on April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York and would go on to find huge success as a stand-up comedian. He would be a regular cast member on SNL in the early 80’s and comedy specials such as RAW made him a household name by the time the 90’s rolled around and he would also star in countless movies including 48 hours, Beverly Hills Cop and The Nutty Professor. If you’ve ever seen him play Buckwheat from The Little Rascals on SNL then you know why he’s on this list, regardless of some troubles he’s had in years past the man is a comedy genius.
Samuel Burl Kinison was born on December 8, 1953 in Yakima, Washington and would eventually become a comedy legend. One thing not a lot of people realize about Sam Kinison was that he was a Pentecostal Preacher before he was a comedian and he brought some of that preaching type intensity into his comedy and made it his brand. He was loud and intense and screamed a lot and people loved him for it. Kinison would pass away in 1992 due to a vehicular accident but would leave behind a lasting legacy.
Born Jacob Rodney Cohen on November 22, 1921 in Deer Park, New York he would later be known by his stage name Rodney Dangerfield. The comedy legend would become known for his self hatred and one liners such as “I get no respect” and would become a frequent guest on many talk shows. He also found his way into the movie business with roles in films like Caddyshack and Natural Born Killers. Dangerfield passed away on October 5, 2004 due to complications from a surgery.
Andrew Clay Silverstein was born on September 29, 1957 in New York City, New York and would become known by his stage name and on-stage tough guy persona Andrew Dice clay. He was the first ever comedian to sell out Madison Square Garden two nights in a row and would even star in his own movie The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. He is still active in the stand-up world today and recently released his own podcast titled I’m ova’ Hea, Now.
William Henry Cosby Jr. was born on July 12, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and for most of his career would be known for his role on The Cosby Show and would be loved by many right up until the point where he was convicted of sex crimes and put in jail for them.He started his career as a stand-up comedian and I questioned whether I should even add him to this list but felt it would be wrong to leave him off of it as he had such a huge impact on so many other comedians and the comedy world in general and regardless of the man he really is, The Cosby Show was such a big part of so many people’s lives.
Phyllis Ada Diller was born on July 17, 1917 in Lima, Ohio and although not as many people know who she is these days she is very important as far as stand-up goes as she was the first female stand-up comedian in history, paving the way for many more hilarious women. she had a long and successful career , working on over 40 films over five decades in the business Diller passed away in 2012 from natural causes.
Christopher Julius Rock was born on February 7, 1965 in Andrews, South Carolina. He found great success in the stand-up comedy world and was probably responsible for the resurgence of stand-up fans back in the 90’s. On top of his hilarious stand-up specials he was also a cast member of SNL in the early 90’s and would end up being in numerous movies including Down To Earth and Dogma. He also wrote and starred in his own sitcom Everybody Hates Chris from 2005-2009. He has won 4 Emmy Awards and 3 Grammys and recently released a new stand-up special on Netflix titled Tamborine.
Sarah Kate Silverman was born on December 1, 1970 in Bedford, New Hampshire. Known for her comedy focusing on taboo and controversial topics. she’s probably my favorite female comedian as of right now, she did the voice for the little girl in Wreck It Ralph and it’s one of the movies me and my son watch together most. Apart from her awesome stand-up act she was also a writer and performer on SNL and starred in her own series The Sarah Silverman Show, which ran for 3 years. She has won 2 primetime Emmys and wrote an autobiography in 2010 titled The Bedwetter.
David Khari Webber Chappelle was born on August 24, 1973 in Washington D.C. and would end up taking the comedy world by storm at a young age. I feel like although his stand-up was great all along that it was the movie Half-Baked that really put Dave Chappelle on the map. He would go on to star in his own comedy series Chappelle’s Show which was wildly successful and put him at the very top of the comedy industry. He took a break after his show ended but has returned with a vengeance and is back on top with two new recent Netflix specials.
Caryn Elaine Johnson was born on November 13, 1955 in New York City, New York and would later be known by her professional name Whoopi Goldberg and although these days she is mostly known for her roles in film and as a talk show host she started her career as a stand-up comedian and a really good one at that. She is one of few entertainers that have won an Emmy,Grammy,Tony and Academy Award and was the second black woman to win an Academy Award for acting. She is currently a host on the talk show The View and has been since 2007.
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Steven Wright
Steven Alexander Wright was born on December 6, 1955 in Cambridge, Massachusetts and is not known anywhere near as much as he should be. His unique deadpan delivery has a certain perfection about it and I could literally listen to him tell jokes for hours on end and be entertained. He was ranked the 15th best comedian of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
Ellen Lee Degeneres was born on January 26, 1958 in Metairie, Louisiana and is perhaps best known for her talk show but she started out as a stand-up comic and was known for her clean and family-friendly style of comedy which was quite different from most comedy styles at the time. she has hosted the Emmys, Grammys and Academy Awards and has won 30 Emmys and 20 People’s choice Awards.
Mitchell Lee Hedberg was born on February 24, 1968 in Saint Paul, Minnesota and would end up known for his surreal and deadpan humor and delivery. He was kind of like watching that one stoner friend everyone has that thinks they’re funny except Hedberg was a genius when it came to comedy. Tragically he would die from a drug overdose in 2005 cutting short what certainly would have been a brilliant career.
Lewis Niles Black was born on August 30, 1948 in Washington D.C. and is known for his anger fueled comedy and his unapologetic views on politics. He had his own series on Comedy Central titled Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil and has made regular appearances on The Daily show for years now.
I could probably go on forever with this list as there are so many talented comedians out there but I’ll stop here and write a part 2 at some point to include some of the comedians I missed. A few other really talented stand-up comics worth checking out are Jim Gaffigan, Whitney Cummings, Kevin Hart and Bill Burr, If I left your favorite off the list I apologize but these are just my personal picks.
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