Hear ye, hear ye. On April 10, Entertainment Weekly scribe Adam Markovitz penned an article crowning "The Current (and Future) Kings of Comedy."
In this article, he listed the top five comedic actors in show business today (the "Reigning Kings"), as well as five comedy up-and-comers (the "Future Kings"). Instead of making my own list, I've decided to criticize his. I will, however, conclude with a few additions of my own.
Markovitz's Reigning Kings of Comedy:
Will Ferrell — I agree. Every time I go to see one of Ferrell's movies, I expect the worst. I am waiting for the day that he no longer makes me laugh. That day has yet to come. Ferrell is able to place even the most inane, simplest concept into his hand, give it a squeeze and just like that, a diamond emerges. Recently, he has expanded his kingdom to the Internet with a hilarious short film on FunnyOrDie.com. If you have yet to see this video, go straight to the website and watch it. I won't ruin it for you.
Adam Sandler — I disagree. Sandler lost his crown a long time ago. He put the crown in jeopardy with "The Waterboy," held onto it momentarily with "Big Daddy," then smashed it beyond recognition with "Little Nicky." With the exception of "Punch-Drunk Love," which wasn't a Sandler-esque film anyway, he has not made a great comedy in more than a decade. A reigning king of comedy he is not.
Ben Stiller — I agree. However, I disagree with Markovitz's reasoning. He seems to equate high box-office figures with comedy royalty. "Meet the Fockers" and "Night at the Museum" may have grossed more than $500 million worldwide, but these movies are not why he reigns. He is simply funny in everything he does, whether it is a television appearance, a movie cameo or a leading role.
Eddie Murphy — I respectfully disagree. Murphy has had his ups and downs in comedy. Currently, he is experiencing a down. This may seem odd to say after his recent Oscar nomination, but I can defend my argument with one word — "Norbit." With "Norbit," Markovitz again equates box office returns with comedy success, a claim so ridiculous that only Stephen Colbert (in character) would agree with it. Plus, "Norbit's" $95 million domestic gross is less than extraordinary by today's standards. Perhaps an up is on the horizon, though. Murphy has been hilarious as Donkey in "Shrek," which has its third installment coming this summer, and he is starring in the upcoming outer space comedy "Starship Dave." Then again, need I remind you what happened the last time Murphy traveled into space for a movie?
Vince Vaughn — I agree, for the most part. He is a great actor, but I'm not sure he's a "king of comedy." He is funny, but his comedy comes primarily from saying his lines quickly and angrily. It works great for him, but he lacks the versatility a king of comedy ought to possess. Surely there is someone more deserving. In fact, I can think of a few people. Read on.
Markovitz's Future Kings of Comedy:
Sacha Baron Cohen — I cautiously agree. He accomplished something outstanding with "Borat," but his popularity may become his downfall. After huge critical and box-office success, there is almost nowhere to go but down. Expectations will be high for his future projects, and if he can live up to them, then he truly deserves the throne.
Will Arnett — I wholeheartedly agree. Ever since his genius portrayal of Gob on "Arrested Development," Arnett's comedy career has skyrocketed. His upcoming movies are too many to list here, but I'm most looking forward to "The Brothers Solomon," a film written by and costarring SNL's Will Forte and directed by Bob Odenkirk of the TV series "Mr. Show with Bob and David."
Steve Carell — I disagree with his placement on the list. Carell is not a future king of comedy. He is reigning. He stole the show in "Bruce Almighty," scored huge success with "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," turned out a darkly humorous performance in "Little Miss Sunshine" and stars in one of the best shows on television, "The Office." What does a comedian need to do for a crown?
Tyler Perry — I completely disagree. Tyler Perry is a joke (and not a funny one). He has only one noteworthy film character, and that was in a one-dimensional comedy cliché. No more needs to be said about him.
Seth Rogen — I could not agree more. His often monotone, deep delivery of one-liners in "Freaks and Geeks," "Undeclared" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" have given this guy a solid fan base. This summer, he'll be expanding his repertoire by moving into a starring role for the first time in "Knocked Up." If "Knocked Up" doesn't make him into a comedy superstar, I don't know what will.
My Additional Reigning King of Comedy:
Jack Black — Black is one of the most talented modern comedic performers. From "High Fidelity" to "School of Rock," Black infuses energy and heart into his characters. Still, Tenacious D alone makes him a king. To quote their song "History," "Kyle's fingers be silver, Jack's voice then be gold/ But lest you think we're vain/ We know you're all robots, and we don't care!/ Tenacious D, we reign!"
My Additional Future Kings of Comedy:
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost — America was introduced to this comedy team with the zany zombie parody "Shaun of the Dead." This weekend, the duo will be taking on the cop and action genres with "Hot Fuzz." I look forward to seeing what they come up with in the future.
My Reigning Queen of Comedy:
Tina Fey — Ex-head writer for "SNL," former co-host of "Weekend Update," writer and actress for "Mean Girls," and now her own NBC sitcom, "30 Rock," which has thankfully been picked up for another season. Her résumé speaks for itself.
My Future Queen of Comedy:
Sarah Silverman — Speaking of sitcom success, I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of Silverman now that her hit Comedy Central series "The Sarah Silverman Program" has been signed on for a second season.
Now future kings and queens of comedy, the only way to rightfully gain your deserved position is to overthrow the reigning royal family. Have at it!
Mike Peters is a senior focusing on communication arts, film and business. Do you have different ideas about today's best comics and wonder who made Mike the kingmaker? Let Mike know at [email protected].
