Bill Murray. Christopher Guest. Jim Carrey. Tina Fey. Larry David. Fred Willard. Will Ferrell. Ricky Gervais. Trey Parker. What do these select human beings have in common? That’s right: they’re naturally, balls-to-the-wall, unashamedly funny people. And not just on TV, in films, or on the stage during stand-up routines, but all-together hilarious. They feel funny to their very cores, and no matter what it is they do or say, it’s always – at the very least – amusing.
Many great comedians don’t inhabit the gift of funny quite like that, but it’s enough that they know how to be funny when they need to be. And that’s the most basic requirement of a comedy actor, isn’t it? Be funny, and make the audience laugh. And yet somehow a whole bunch of people have slipped based the hilarity censors and have launched successful “comedy” careers in the movies, despite remaining painfully unfunny in almost every way. How have these select few managed such a feat? Your guess is as good as ours. Here’s our picks for 10 comedy actors who have never been funny.
10. Vince Vaughn
Don’t get me wrong: Vince Vaughn can play likable successfully enough and has been in his fair share of funny movies, but ask yourself a couple of questions. Have those movies ever been particularly funny because of him? Could somebody else have been cast instead? Uh-huh. I’m not suggesting the man hasn’t ever delivered a funny line or made anybody laugh, because, hey, even normal people do that when they’re at work goofing around at lunch or by the water cooler (if that even does happen).
So stating Vince Vaughn isn’t capable of “saying something amusing” would be both obtuse and inaccurate. As far as leading man comedy actors go, though, Vaughn just isn’t up to standard, nor is he a particularly fun person to spend 90 minutes laughing along with. The thought of even going for a beer with Vaughn doesn’t even seem that appealing. I mean, he’s usually set on delivering his dialogue cues with the same, blunt drollness, leaving audiences to straddle that uncomfortable line between “not really liking this guy” and “this guy is all right, I guess.” He’s just kind of… without identity. And isn’t that probably the worst trait that a comedy actor can inhabit?
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30 Comments
I’ve never even heard of most of these. Is that a good thing?
Good list; no one is undeserving of their place. Adam Sandler was lucky to be omitted.
Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher were funny in their respective sitcoms, MARTIN and THAT 70′S SHOW.
I agree with all of these but I would’ve put Martin Lawrence at number one as I’ve never understood his appeal. I think that Kevin James is always well suited to the ‘nice guy’ character but shouldn’t be the centre of any film.
Great list and I couldn’t agree more, and I too would have let Adam Sandler escape as he did make some decent comedies in the late 90′s.
Throw in the entire cast of The Big Bang Theory too and Kevin from The Office.
Marin Lawrence should not be anywhere near this list, He is hilarious
I agree that Martin Lawrence’s movies leave a lot to be desired in the comedy department, but just like the man he is “mimicking” I feel they were both at their best doing stand-up not movies. I think some of the fault is on Hollywood, more than a few comedians have said that once Hollywood sees that some people find you funny they then what you to do everything else like write and act. Yeah they could’ve turned down those offers, but I’m pretty sure that is easier said than done when your struggling and Hollywood is ready to cut you a check.
This is perhaps the single greatest list Whatculture ever has or ever will have posted. This is so accurate it’s scary- not a single man listed has caused me to raise a whisker of a smile.
Well written, sir!
Billy Crystal would have been all ten entries on my list.
Oh my sweet lord thank you, I hate that man.
I suppose being simple minded is bad, but with one or two exceptions I find everyone on here hilarious.
I will always love Rob Schneider as Iggy.
It I will have to look over the list again, but looks like the less vulgar they are, the less you like them.
I agree with everyone other than Schneider, Vaughn, and Lawrence. Those three are each very funny people that have been funny in various roles. Schneider, in particular, got negatively caught in the web of the behemoth known as South Park, which has pretty much killed his career. The same can be said for Adam Sandler, who has taken a hit for one poor movie (Jack & Jill) and now people feel the need to bash him non-stop, despite his most recent two offerings both being very funny and/or a good family film.
Adam Sandler – ‘ONE poor movie’?!
I googled not funny actors because tonight I watched two dreadful movies, one with Vince Vaughn and one with Roy Schneider, and was wondering about the fact that people think they are funny. I thought I check it out on the web and found this list. So I couldn’t agree more with this list, although I would have put these two on the number one and two spots. They play in bad movies, the humor is soooo predictable and not funny and they deliver it badly. I think it is too late for Schneider, but Vaughn should take on beter moviescripts.
Agreed with some of these, but using your requirements I have to disagree with Vince Vaughn. I dont think anyone would have done better in Wedding Crashers than Vince was able to. That may have been the perfect movie for him
Vince Vaughn was in Swingers and Charlie Sheen was in Hot Shots, both funny.
I’m with you on a lot of these people, but Vince Vaughn and Martin Lawrence shouldn’t be on that list. I give you that these two haven’t been funny lately but in the day they were very funny. Vaughn in Swingers was extremely funny as he was in both Old School and Wedding Crasher. Lawrence was very funny on his own show Martin and the first Bad Boys movie.
A pretty good list.
I disagree with Martin Lawrence but the others are perfectly good examples. Rob Schneider has had his moments to be fair. Vince Vaughan is painfully unfunny.
Two and a Half Men is one dimensional without a doubt but the jokes in the script are funny and rather witty. I like most of your list though. Especially Martin Lawrence
Martin Lawrence shouldn’t be anywhere on this list, ha he down poor movies, yes, but we all remember him for “You So Crazy”, his sitcom “Martin”, and Def Comedy Jam. I will say though, “Bad Boys” and “Life” were 2 funny and good movies, but lets not make it seem like Hollywood doesn’t try to reign on a comedians material to make him more family friendly or what I like to call it white friendly
I agree with everything on this list. Oh my god I really can’t stand kevin james. Like you say he’s probably a nice person, but he is just soo unfunny it hurts. Two and a half men is the worst programme I’ve seen since king of queens or rules of engagement. Not once has it ever raised a smile; I actually can’t fathom why people like it? I do like Rob Schneider in the hot chick, but that’s about it.
I agree with all of these, mostly Tyler Perry. His pretentious “I’m going to name every movie I make after myself” irritates me, especially considering the fact that nothing he has ever done or said has been remotely entertaining. I do like Vince Vaughan, however I can agree that he is easily replaceable in most of his films.
This only proves more why Vince Vaughn is underrated.
I agree, all are rubbish.
Great article
Creepy sick
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How did you manage to keep Adam Sandler off this list?
Is he blackmailing you with something you don’t want
the public to see? Adam Sandler should have been #1!!!
None of his films have been particularly funny & I am
at a loss to explain why they made so much money.
Usually I wait until they are available at RedBox &
even then I feel I have been cheated out of money.
The best description I can give of his acting style
is “mugging for the camera.” I did enjoy “Punch Drunk
Love” but that wasn’t a comedy. He needs to follow
Bill Murray’s example & do more dramatic roles. I feel
he be much more successful although he wouldn’t be
getting tens of millions of dollars for doing that.
Maybe that’s the answer . . . he’s doing these so-called
comedies for the obscene amount of money he’s getting.
The thing about Katherine Heigl though, is despite being the most unlikeable person in real life she is a surprisingly appealing and charismatic screen presence. If she’d chosen her sripts a tad better, she’d have made something of herself.
Tyler Perry was funny in Diary of a mad black woman
WH IS ROB SCHNEIDER THERE!
love to a actor one day in be funny cedric are funny if you watch that movie call johnson’s family vacation sooo funny lol….. and hit me back up LOL…. in have a great Day in love to out with you If you comment me…LOL…!!!!love boyz