Women have been making us laugh for decades as stand-up comedians, actresses, presenters, and hosts. While female comics are some of the funniest people in the world, comedy is, unfortunately, still a male-dominated industry.
Take a look at the top 50 funniest female comedians who are breaking the glass ceiling one joke at a time…
Mary Tyler Moore
The actress is best known for her work on her sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, as well as The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Lucille Ball
The actress, comedian, model, studio executive, and producer starred in I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Here’s Lucy, Life with Lucy, and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.
Kristen Schaal
The actress, voice actress, writer, and comedian is best known for her voice roles on Bob’s Burgers and Toy Story 3.
Lena Dunham
Dunham is best known for her work on HBO’s Girls. She was the show’s creator, star, and writer and received two Golden Globe Awards for it.
Chelsea Handler
Handler is best known for her comedic commentary on celebrity news and culture on her talk show, Chelsea Lately.
Carol Burnett
The American actress, comedian, singer, and writer is best known for her TV variety show, The Carol Burnett Show.
Alex Borstein
The actress, writer, producer, and comedian is best known for being a cast member on MADtv as well as being the longtime voice of Lois Griffin on Family Guy.
Goldie Hawn
The actress, producer, and singer got her start on the NBC sketch comedy Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.
Ellie Kemper
Kemper rose to fame thanks to her portrayal of receptionist Erin Hannon on The Office. She later played the starring role in Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Kathy Griffin
Griffin has starred in several comedy specials for cable TV and several comedy albums. She won an Emmy Award for her reality show Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.
Ali Wong
The California native is a writer, stand-up comedian, and actress best known for her Netflix specials Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife.
Lisa Kudrow
Kudrow gained international fame for starring in the hit sitcom, Friends.
Natasha Leggero
Leggero is best known for starring in He’s Just Not That Into You, Another Period, and Let’s Be Cops.
Megan Mullally
The actress and comedian is known best for her role as Karen Walker on NBC’s Will & Grace.
Margaret Cho
The stand-up comic, actress, designer, and author is best known for critiquing social and political issues in her routines.
Whitney Cummings
Cummings is best known for creating the CBS’s 2 Broke Girls and NBC’s Whitney.
Lily Tomlin
The actress, comedian, writer, and producer began her stand-up career in the late 1960s.
Roseanne Barr
Barr began as a stand-up comedian at comedy clubs before starring in her sitcom, Roseanne. She won an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award for her work on the show.
Tig Notaro
The stand-up comic, writer, and actress rose to fame thanks to her deadpan style of comedy.
Chelsea Peretti
Peretti plays Gina Linetti in the police comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She has worked on Parks and Recreation, Kroll Show, and has her own Netflix special.
Aparna Nancherla
The comedian and actress wrote for Late Night with Seth Myers and has a comedy special on Netflix. She’s known for her dry and understated delivery style.
Rebel Wilson
The Australian actress, writer, and producer is best known for her hysterical work in Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect.
Rhea Butcher
The stand-up comic, actor, writer, producer, and podcast host has become known for an observational style of comedy. Butcher often focused on topics like feminism, vegetarianism, and experiences as a lesbian.
Jenny Slate
The stand-up comic and actress starred in Parks and Recreation, Bob’s Burgers, Zootopia, and The Secret Life of Pets.
Mary Bamford
The stand0up comedian has become famous for her self-deprecating style of comedy that focuses on her experiences with depression and anxiety.
Betty White
The 97-year-old actress and comedian has had the longest television career of any female entertainer.
Mindy Kaling
Kaling first rose to fame while playing Kelly Kapoor on the NBC sitcom The Office. She has since starred in The Mindy Project and Ocean’s 8.
Iliza Shlesinger
The stand-up comedian was the winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2008. She currently has four comedy specials on Netflix.
Samantha Bee
Bee became famous for her role as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Her late-night show, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, is the only late-night show to be hosted by a female comedian.
Nasim Pedrad
Pedrad was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for five seasons from 2009 to 2014. She went on to star in New Girl, Scream Queens, and will star in the 2019 remake of Aladdin.
Sarah Colonna
The comedian, comedy writer, and actress is best known for being a roundtable regular on Chelsea Lately. She currently stars in Netflix’s Insatiable.
Vanessa Bayer
Bayer is best known for being a cast member on Saturday Night Live. She has also starred in Trainwreck, Office Christmas Party, and Ibiza.
Audrey Plaza
The actress and comedian is best known for her extreme deadpan style. She most famously played April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation.
Molly Shannon
Shannon was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2001. She has starred in countless TV shows and movies like Superstar, Wet Hot American Summer, and A Night at the Roxbury.
Tiffany Haddish
The comedian, actress, and author is best known for her stand-up comedy and her roles in Girls Trip and Night School.
Joan Rivers
The controversial comedian made a name for herself in 1965 on The Tonight Show. She then went on to become an actress, writer, producer, and television host.
Abbi Jacobson
Jacobson is best known for her break-out role in Comedy Central’s Broad City, which she co-created and co-starred in with Ilana Glazer.
Jane Lynch
The actress, author, singer, and comedian is best known for her role as Sue Sylvester on Glee.
Wanda Sykes
Sykes is an accomplished writer, comedian, actress, and voice artist. Her work on The Chris Rock Show earned her an Emmy Award in 1999.
Maya Rudolph
The actress and comedian got her start on Saturday Night Live. She was a cast member from 2000 to 2007.
Ellen DeGeneres
The comedian, television host, actress, writer, and producer found fame while starring in her sitcom, Ellen, from 1994 to 1998. Now, she makes people laugh around the world with her hugely successful talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Sarah Silverman
The stand-up comedian, writer, producer, and actress is best known for her satirical style of comedy that addresses controversial topics and social taboos.
Kate McKinnon
The Saturday Night Live comedian has become famous for her celebrity impressions and character work.
Leslie Jones
The comedian is best known for her work as a Saturday Night Live cast member and writer. She also starred in the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters.
Melissa McCarthy
The actress, writer, producer, comedian, and designer has won two Emmy Awards and has been nominated for countless other awards for her hilarious work.
Kristen Wiig
The actress, writer, comedian, and producer made a name for herself on Saturday Night Live. Since then, she’s starred in films like Knocked Up and Bridesmaids.
Amy Schumer
The stand-up comedian and actress got her start as a contestant on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Since then, she’s been in countless comedy specials and movies.
Tina Fey
Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer best known for her work on shows like Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock as well as movies like Mean Girls and Baby Mama.
Julie Louis-Dreyfus
The actress, comedian, and producer is best known for her antics on Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Veep.
Amy Poehler
The Massachusetts native is an actress, comedian, voice artist, director, producer, and writer. Poehler is best known for her work on Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation, as well as countless films.
