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8 of the richest comedians in 2024 – net worths, ranked: from creators of The Simpsons and South Park, Matt Groening, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, to talk show hosts Ellen DeGeneres and Jay Leno

From Ellen DeGeneres and Jay Leno to Kevin Hart, who are some of the richest comedians in the world? Photos: Getty, Images, AP

They’re might be used to entertaining a crowd, but when it comes to money they aren’t joking around.

From impressive property portfolios to car collections, these comedians have made big bucks through streaming deals and other TV work. But who is among the richest of them all? We take a look at some of the wealthiest comedians on the planet, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

7 and 8. Kevin Hart and Jay Leno

Estimated net worths: US$450 million

Kevin Hart made between US$25 million to US$30 million just for Jumanji: The Next Level, and takes sixth place on the list of richest comedians. Photo: @kevinhart4real/Instagram

Kevin Hart, 44, has appeared in over 50 films, winning the hearts of fans globally with his funnyman antics. Some of his career highlights include Central Intelligence, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Upside, plus a host of stand-up comedy tours – all of which have added to his wealth.

In an interview with James Corden, he revealed that his contract negotiations for Jumanji: The Next Level made him between US$25 million to US$30 million. Per Forbes, lucrative partnerships also add cash to Hart’s bank account, with the publication reporting Fabletics and Chase endorsements back in 2020.

TV host Jay Leno, one of the richest comedians in the world, has an impressive collection of cars. Photo: AP

Tied with Hart on our list at No 7 is stand-up comedian Jay Leno. The former host of NBC’s The Tonight Show is known for his well-documented love affair with cars. Per reports on DuPont Registry, his collection consists of over 181 cars and more than 160 motorcycles. The value of his cars alone is estimated to be around US$52 million, reports the publication.

Talking about money, Leno told CNBC that he has always been “conservative” financially: “Even today, I barely use credit cards. I don’t carry any debt. I don’t write checks at the end of the month for anything.”

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6. Ellen DeGeneres

Estimated net worth: US$500 million

Ellen DeGeneres’ fall from grace came in 2021, after reports surfaced of a toxic work culture on her show, but she remains one of the richest comedians in the world. Photo: Handout
The popular comedian and host of the Ellen DeGeneres Show faced backlash in 2021 after reports about toxic work culture, discrimination and sexual harassment on the production. And, while the show may have ended, it hasn’t stopped DeGeneres from being one of the wealthiest entertainers in the world.

DeGeneres also owns A Very Good Production company, which signed a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. She is also an avid house flipper, buying, renovating and re-selling homes. Per Hello!, DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have a property portfolio worth a whopping US$450 million.

 

4 and 5. Trey Parker and Matt Groening

Estimated net worths: US $600 million

South Park co-creator Trey Parker has a lucrative deal with Comedy Central, making him one of the richest comedians. Photo: AP

Trey Parker, the creator of South Park, is known for his highly lucrative deal with Comedy Central. He and co-creator Matt Stone sold the streaming rights to the animated series valued at US$935 million, per The Hollywood Reporter. Parker is also the voice of well-known characters on the show such as Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman and Mr Garrison.

Parker and Stone also enjoyed success with their Broadway production The Book of Mormon, which broke revenue records on opening night, reports The Guardian. Parker and Stone also bought Casa Bonita, a restaurant in Lakewood that appears in season seven of South Park.

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Simpsons creator Matt Groening is infamous for “predicting the future”. He also owns properties in Santa Monica and Malibu. Photo: AFP

Meanwhile, Matt Groening, Simpsons creator, cartoonist, writer, producer and animator, is among the world’s richest in entertainment. While the cartoonist is infamous for “predicting the future”, with series episodes often depicting things that seem to later happen in real life, his comic strip Life in Hell led to animated shows such as Futurama and The Simpsons.

Groening has reportedly amassed an impressive property portfolio over the years, with homes in Santa Monica and Malibu.

3. Matt Stone

Estimated net worth: US $700 million

Matt Stone, co-creator of South Park, has made big money from the TV series alone. Photo: Getty Images

The co-creator of South Park also ranks high on our list. His wealth stems from the rights to the animated series, reports Business Insider. Stone and co-creator Parker negotiated the digital rights to the show, earning big when the series was aired on other platforms such as YouTube. Additionally, they struck high-earning deals for the back catalogue of the popular series, per CNBC.

2. Byron Allen

Estimated net worth: US$800 million

Byron Allen is much more than a comedian. He’s also earned big from his businesses. Photo: @allenmgroup/Instagram

Byron Allen is not only a comedian, he’s also established himself as a high-earning businessman over the years.

He first appeared on The Tonight Starring Johnny Carson when he was just 18, making him the youngest to perform on the show at the time. He then hosted Real People, a reality TV show featuring, well, “real people” as opposed to celebrities.

Allen’s true success, however, comes from studying TV production and networking in the industry. He launched Entertainment Studios in 1993, a media production and distribution company. The Allen Group made a bid for US$10 billion to buy Disney’s linear TV assets in 2023, with Allen saying he thought it was a “phenomenal business”, per Variety.

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1. Jerry Seinfeld

Estimated net worth: US$925 million

Jerry Seinfeld made US$267 million in 1998 alone from the TV series. Photo: @jerryseinfeld/Instagram
With an enviable car collection, TV career and bank account, Jerry Seinfeld remains the richest comedian on our list after numerous syndication deals for the hit 90s comedy series, Seinfeld. Per reports in Time magazine, Seinfeld earned US$267 million for the series in 1998 alone. His contract with Netflix, however, was worth US$500 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

In an interview with ABC, Seinfeld said that accepting frustrations and enjoying accomplishments were key to staying productive: “Success is the enemy of irritability and crankiness. Because now you have money, and you can remove the difficulties from your life and that’s not good.”

  • Kevin Hart made between US$25 million to US$30 million from Jumanji: The Next Level, while Matt Groening earned big from his work with Futurama and The Simpsons
  • Jerry Seinfeld’s 90s sitcom is still bringing in big bucks today with its Netflix streaming contract, while Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have an impressive property portfolio