There’s a long tradition of great “fat guy” comedians. In fact, often times the big men of comedy are some of the funniest and most popular comics of their time. The best skills of these comedians have varied. Whether it was stand up, sketch, or movie comedy, though, these guys have combined to make millions of fans laugh. So this brings up a great question: who are the ten greatest funny fat guys of all time?
This is a hard list to make because some were movie stars, some slap stick, some stand up comics – so a lot will depend on individual tastes, but here’s a list for ten of the funniest “big guy” comics ever. In no particular order:
Chris Farley shot up through the world of improvisational (improv) comedy, and ended up becoming a huge star on Saturday Night Live. This was followed by a short but successful movie career before his tragic death. Farley was known for loud intense characters with a lot of physical comedy, harkening back to the old slap stick days, and his “Best of Chris Farley” SNL DVD was one of the highest selling of all the SNL DVDs.
One of the classic big man comics, straight man Costello would always be paired with thin joking Abbott, and the pairing made comic gold. They were wildly popular, and their most famous verbal gag, “Who’s on First?” regarding a baseball team filled with an infield of oddly named players, is famous to this day and used as an example of miscommunication through fancy word play.
Cedric the Entertainer is not only a great big man, but he’s also one of the most popular African-American comics around. Aside from an incredible stand up career that includes several major shows at the famously fickle Apollo Theatre, and several HBO specials, Cedric also has some great film roles. One of the most notable characters is the elder barber Eddie from “Barbershop.”
Anyone who grew up without seeing “Uncle Buck” or “Trains, Planes, & Automobiles” is a poor deprived child who needs to make amends by renting the classic Candy movies. John Candy was a fantastic big man comic, who also had a major role in “Space Balls” and many other extremely popular movies that made him a comic legend on the big screen.
Ralphie is the epitome of a “fat guy comic.” A great stand up comedian, at one point Ralphie weighed nearly 800 pounds. He was first runner up in the reality show “Last Comic Standing,” and also participated in “Celebrity Fit Club.” Ralphie has since had two different specials on Comedy Central and a platinum selling DVD. He’s still a big man, but continues to lose weight to try and get into shape, often joking, “Don’t applaud, I lost an entire fat man and I’m still fat as h–l!” Only in his early thirties, this is a comic who may have many good years left ahead of him.
John Belushi was an absolute star when Saturday Night Live was just beginning, and was the inspiration for later comics such as Chris Farley. His ability to play straight man or crazy slapstick made him a legendary performer, and literally a living legend among movie comics and sketch comedians alike. Famous from Saturday Night Live and a hilarious impromptu imitation of Joe Cocker (while Joe Cocker was singing live) cemented Belushi as one of the great funny men of all time. So which famous Belushi role do you prefer: “Joliet” Jake Blues of the Blues Brothers, or Bluto from “Animal House?”
Iglesias is a young stand up comic who is wildly popular and whose specials have made him famous. He is known for having an incredible range of voice impersonations, as well as for the term “fluffy,” referring to the second highest level of being fat you can get, right before “damn!” So far Iglesias is only a stand up comedian, but his act is fantastic, and given the right situation he may have a shot at more in the future.
Before Abbott & Costello, before Chris Farley & David Spade, there was the all time duo of Laurel & Hardy. The brilliant duo starred in dozens of films, the most lasting being “Babes in Toyland.” The famous catch phrase “Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into!” comes from their acts, although the catch phrase is often misquoted.
How can you have a top funny fat guys list without perhaps the most famous of the stooges? The Three Stooges were the epitome of slap stick comedy with three morons who could never get it right. Sadly, success destroyed Curly. He began to drink, smoke, and eat excessively, feeling that his shaven head robbed him of his sex appeal.
It’s long past time this man gets the respect he deserves. One of the most well known stand up comedians of all time, Dangerfield also had a fairly impressive movie list. Of course above everything else, Dangerfield was known for never being able to get respect and he built an amazing career off of self deprecating humor. At the top of the list is the best fat guy comic of them all, the very respected Rodney Dangerfield.
Contributor: Shane Dayton
big ski: Kudos for seconding my Fatty Arbuckle. I was beginning to think that I was the only one with that vote. He was the original funny fat guy. Keystone Cops anyone? They invented sight gag comedy.
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83. WarningDontReadThis
I think there should be some british comedians on this list..
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I totally agree! I even have one to nominate:
Clive Swift.
He is the husband on a show called “Keeping Up Appearances”. His “wife”, Patricia Routledge, is a bit hefty herself, and is also a *very*fine comedian.
Her name, on the show, is Hyacinth Bucket, which she insist everyone pronounce “Bouquet”.
The show is a screamer, if you understand British humor.
I’d love to add John Cleeves, but he’s just tall and big boned, not fat.
Segue: Surley you mean Cleese? And at his prime he wasnt fat at all, and I wouldnt say he is fat now. He just has a bit of a tummy :3
Phil Jupitus is very funny and Mel Smith is hilarious.
pretty good list,don’t like the ordering though
a couple of notables:
Will Sasso, Frank Caliendo
Trojan_man:
Yeah, that was the speech I was talking about. Fantastic.
Hey MPW hows your mother DOIN!
Stupid List, Fat people Suck, and Rodney Dangerfield wasn’t fat.
Yep, you’re all *****s. Not one mention of George Carlins (Thin but Funny) recent demise. June 22, Heart failure. At least give a nod people, Damn.
Never found Chris Farley funny in the slightest. He was a one joke performer who wasn’t particularly funny the first time. I just don’t get it.
Chris Farley should be replaced by Jackie Gleason (who should also be higher than #10), Lou Costello should be #1, and I never thought of Rodney Dangerfield as being particularly fat so I might replace him with Louie Anderson, but that’s a judgment call.
Otherwise great list.
Tony: Nah, it’s a good list. Giving some recognition to some of the funniest comedic heavyweights of all time. I would have liked to see Jackie Gleason on here (as most other people would) but overall, not a stupid list. Rodney Dangerfield *was* portly, but I wouldn’t call him a “funny fat guy.” He didn’t use his size to make people laugh. Oh, and Tony…fat people don’t suck any more than your mother does. Have a nice day.
Yun:
That you have a low opinion of Chris Farley indicates that your taste is at least somewhat… skewed.
That you’d place Lou Costello (LOU COSTELLO! for god’s sake!) at number one is clear proof that you are a philistine.
MPW: I don’t think Frank Caliendo holds a candle to any of the guys on this list. He only has 6 impersonations he does really well, and there is only so many times you can hear the same half-dozen jokes and laugh at them. The other problem is when he realizes the problem with trying to keep 6 jokes fresh and funny, and starts going outside his comfort zone. It usually ends in flabby, uninspired impressions that are neither very funny, nor very good. Every single episode of his short-lived TV show failed to garner a laugh from me, because I’ve already seen his stand-up.
Will Sasso is good though. At least an honorable mention.
farley should have been farther up there and ralphie may just kinda weirds me out but other than that, badass list, i looooooooooove gabriel iglesias!!!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
*breathe*
pepsi.
Slickwilly, true that, but he is fat:)
Crimanon: visit the forums, there is a RIP thread for George Carlin
God, she is well, thank you
crimanon has rightly called us all to task.
Let’s have a moment’s silence for the elder statesmen of comedy, George Carlin.
Goodbye Al Sleet, Hippy Dippy Weatherman…
“Tonight’s forecast… DARK. Continued mostly dark until morning, with some scattered light.”
Good list. I don’t agree with all the choices and the order, but I enjoyed it.
Rodney Dangerfield is probably the least funny person on the face of the earth. PERIOD.
rushfan – “The late Louie Anderson?” He may be late for dinner, but he’s not dead.
Maybe you’re getting him confused with the other host of Family Feud, Ray Combs, who committed suicide.
Ahh, I see, its not that everybody says great list, its that the moderator deletes any comments that don’t shower each list which complements. I just posted a negative comment, and sure enough it was promply deleted, probably like this one is going to be.
“If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?”
George Carlin
To all: I assumed that I could come back to ListVerse where people welcomed others and were a little open-minded. It disappoints me that comments from other threads/forums have carried over onto lists. I ignored it on my recent list, but it seems as though it has become out of control.
I suppose that assuming was my problem in the first place.
I returned to this website because I thought that it was mature, but a lot of you have proven me wrong.
BrotherMan: By and large, the regulars around here *are* welcoming and open-minded. In general, it is the one-timers that come around and start pushing and shoving. It is irresponsible to let those people slide by without admonishing them for their poor taste and/or willfull ignorance. It is a shame that conversation topics end up spilling over from other lists, I’ll agree with you there, but are we not allowed to engage in debate in the list comments? Not everyone posts in the forums, but those that post in the lists raise some very intereting topics from time to time that beg to be commented on. Of course not everyone agrees, and nature takes its course. I too lament how caustic and polarized the discussions become at times, but is that any reason to stifle debate? Or insult those of us who engage it with no small amount of spirit?
This website is my regular haunt, and for the most part I conduct myself in a mature and respectful manner (though I’ll be the first to admit I occasionally let my emotions get the better of me – however I never cross the line into open and intentional insult). Most of the other regulars do too, with varying degrees of bravado. I visit everyday, read the same posts that you read…and I still feel like I can discuss controversial topics here on this site unlike anywhere else on the web, while maintaining a high standard of diplomacy and mutual respect. On the whole, this website *is* still more mature than most other similar places on the web. There are a lot of immature people who post, which has become more frequence as the site becomes increasingly mainstream (remember what happened to eBaums?), but those of us who go out of their way to try to maintain some degree of dignity might be more than a little uncomfortable being lumped in with the fly-by-nighters.
All that aside, please don’t leave BrotherMan. We need your lists…hell, *I* need your lists to keep me going from day to day. If you leave and stop writing lists, I may very well have nothing else to live for and take the big plunge. Can you live with yourself knowing that you indirectly caused the death of another human being?
Tony: No, your derogatory comment, while ultimately pointless and mean-spirited, is still up at post #127.
brotherman: what are you talking about?
Jonathon Winters should have been #1. He was absolutely brilliant at improvisation, and just looking at his different facial expressions made me laugh and laugh. I miss him.
What DiscHuker said. O.O
BrotherMan: What did “we” do wrong to make you say that ?
Yeah, while someone has posted a stupid remark, the “other” list only spilled a little into yours. It was still a raw time for some and an innocent comment just spurred a little uproar. But I don’t see that happening here.
BooRadley, Jonathan Winters is still with us.
I just want to say…that pic of Chris Farley must be from near the end of his life. He is looking *horrible* in that picture. Poor guy.
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#122. segue
I’d love to add John Cleeves, but he’s just tall and big boned, not fat.
#123. WarningDontReadThis
Segue: Surley you mean Cleese?
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Yes, indeed, WarningDontReadThis, I do mean Cleese. Thank you. I’d say it was a typo, but obviously, I just wasn’t paying attention.
Truth to tell, I’d like to recognize the entire Monty Python ensemble. Brilliant comedians all, but not a fatty amongst them.
SlickWilly: Thank you! It was rather discouraging when the parasite list went from parasites to Biblical quotes and discussions about God and spirituality and the history of the universe and….Everyone points to everyone else. It is all reciprocal.
Keep on feeding the fire on one another’s comments. It is cyclical and nothing ever becomes solved.
Agh! More cultural imperialism!
As a number of people have noted: the word ‘American’ is missing from the title of the list.
Less fighting, More Laughing!!! Since when was God considered a Funny Fat Man?
S_R: You are more hateful than most of the Christians that I know.
(this will encourage him even more)
BrotherMan: and what does that have to do with THIS list?
What about Jack Black?
Brotherman; I second SlickWilly’s comment, and please don’t leave. I’m a regular, and I try to be civil and helpful and not nasty. (I fail occasionally). To be honest I was a little disappointed not to see Jackie Gleason, but I’m old so you’ll have to excuse me.
Segue: Hyacinth Bucket is a hilarious show. I love the brother and sister-in-law’s reactions when Hyacinth comes to visit. They usually try to hide, ignore the door, etc. etc. and always fail. Worthy mention.
Randall; Love the Farley/Belushi comments and quotes. My favorite skits on SNL were the week-end updates, but the broad physical humour was superb as well. By the way imho the early years of SCTV beat the hell out of SNL.
nice list tho i wouldnt have put Rodney Dangerfield first, tho he would still be in the list and i wouldve put Farley higher,
and well other chubby comedians could include jack black and mencia…. well ok mencia lost a bunch of weight so he yeah
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158. Mom424
Segue: Hyacinth Bucket is a hilarious show.
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Mom424: do you know that every episode of “Keeping Up Appearances” is on UTube?
Hyacinth Bucket’s famous line, “I just detest it when people brush up against my walls.” slays me.
BrotherMan: Please don’t let a few incidents sour you on your return to the List.
Please.
BrotherMan: I will be keeping a close eye on things (when I am in the land of the living) to try to make sure that we stay on topic. A few lists recently have not done so and I agree that it can be annoying.
Oh – btw, this is in no particular order – a fact I omitted to mention
Chris Farley’s death “tragic”? Yes – three cheap hookers, speed-balls and fifteen cheeseburgers broke into his house and overpowered him. I am sure he struggled. Give me a tragic death any day!
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Segue 122: The Cleese spelling error was one thing, but Clive Swift fat? Surely you jest? He is a very trim gentleman.
Perhaps you were thinking of Geoffrey Hughes, the brilliant and overweight actor who played Onslow?
really, no John Goodman?
Speaking of SNL Jfrater’s last comment prompted me to remember one of Gilda Radner’s characters.
Jfrater: – “Oh – btw, this is in no particular order – a fact I omitted to mention”
Everyone that that complained about the order of this list: “Oh that’s different never mind”
Sam Kinison!
But, anyways…great list! I don’t mind having some new blood there: because Iglesias and May are awesome.
Yeah I agree that Jackie Gleason should have definatly been on the list.
Just want to put in another word for John
Goodman: The Big Lebowski. How about all those years on Roseanne? Maybe the problem is that he’s not *only* a comedian. BTW this is my first submission.
Gabriel Iglesias? not yet a great.
Ralphie May? not yet a great.
Cedric the entertainer? not even close to a great, and not even close to funny.
RALPHIE MAY over ARTIE LANGE??? A reality show freak over Stern’s right hand man and one of the most popular touring comedians there is?
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163. Wally
…Clive Swift fat? Surely you jest? He is a very trim gentleman…
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No, I meant Clive Swift. I will agree that Swift isn’t *fat* in the same way as , say, Chris Farley was fat, but he does have a bit of a paunch in a slightly too tight suit.
He’s soooooo funny. I totally love KUA.
Now, as to trim…Johnny Depp is trim.
But, you see, here’s the rub. What’s trim to one eye is a bit of a paunch to another.
None of this matters though. The List was wonderful. Great.
All of the choices were perfect in and of themselves. We’re just discussing alternatives.
lomez: read the last sentence of the introduction – these are not in any particular order
Randall:
I’m a philistine for preferring a man who became famous for clever wordplay, including quite possibly the greatest comedy routine in history (Who’s on First) over a guy who is famous for slapping himself in the face and yelling “Stupid”?
Blogball:
I didn’t mean to imply that Jonathan Winters is dead, just that I never get to see him perform anymore.
“Oh, that’s different. Never mind!”
HEY, where’s Fatty Arbuckle and Horatio Sanz ???
First off: great idea for a list. Can’t speak to Cedric, May, or Iglesias, as I haven’t seen them.
First thoughts: W.C. Fields, Gleason- yep, where are they?
Second thoughts: Sydney Greenstreet. Just for the timing and precision in Casablanca and the Maltese Falcon, he should be considered (if not actually included). The man didn’t do standup, but his timing could not be gainsaid.
I second/third Sam Kinison. One of the funniest standups of all time, IMO. And fat as an 8-ball.
Quote from one of Farley’s last sketches: “I am El Nino!!! El Nino is spanish for… the Nino!!!”
Farley was 90% performance, 10% writing. It’s not what he said, but how he said it.
Even after Rodney Dangerfield’s death he gets no respect, I tell ya, story of his life. He was funny, but he isn’t remembered for his weight
rushfan, were you talking about Louie Anderson’s career rather than his life.
I tell ya, I get no respect. Take my wife… Please!
mpw, i have no earthy idea why i thought he was dead. but i would have bet money on it.