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Rosie O'Donnell - Known for talk shows like 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show' and 'The View,' she also starred in movies like 'A League of Their Own' (1992), 'The Flintstones' (1994), and 'Harriet the Spy' (1996).
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Ellen DeGeneres
- She's had her own sitcoms and stand-up specials, but these days the comedian is best known for 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'
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Graham Norton - 'The Graham Norton Show' has been a hit since premiering in 2011.
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Wanda Sykes - Her stand-up specials are hilarious, but Wanda Sykes has also enjoyed an acting career in series like 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' and 'Black-ish.'
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Kate McKinnon - Kate McKinnon has been one of the brightest additions to 'SNL' in recent years. She's also gone on to star in comedies like 'Ghostbusters' (2016) and 'The Spy Who Dumped Me' (2018).
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Alan Carr - His talk show, 'Alan Carr: Chatty Man,' aired from 2009 to 2016. He's gone on to appear regularly on other talks show and reality programs in the United Kingdom.
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Margaret Cho - She rose to fame in the mid-90s as the star of 'All-American Girl,' but these days it's Cho's stand-up specials that you don't want to miss.
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Hannah Gadsby - Hannah Gadsby's Netflix special 'Nanette' was an overnight success in 2018. She has also written and starred in the hit Australian comedy series 'Please Like Me.'
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Stephen Fry - This Brit has enjoyed major success at home and overseas since the early '80s. His body of work is incredibly long, but it would be a disservice not to mention he was the host of 'QI' from 2003 to 2016.
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Tig Notaro - During a stand-up routine in 2012, Tig Notaro revealed she had cancer and suddenly people took notice of this brilliant comic. She's gone on to star in her own show, 'One Mississippi,' and has made notable appearances in 'Transparent' and 'Star Trek: Discovery.'
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Lily Tomlin - If you're under the impression that Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell put funny lesbians on the map, think again. Lily Tomlin had her own show in the early '70s, and has continued to be a mainstay of Hollywood. These days, you can check her out on 'Grace and Frankie.'
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Matt Lucas - Matt Lucas has been doing his thing since the mid-90s, but, for many, he became a household name with 'Little Britain.' He was also a favorite on 'Doctor Who' from 2015 to 2017.
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Jane Lynch - Working in Hollywood since the early '90s, for many fans it was no surprise to see Jane Lynch really break through with 'Glee.' Her acting roles have continued to grow, and she's also hosted 'Hollywood Game Night' since 2013.
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Paula Pell - Paula Pell is more of a behind-the-scenes kind of gal. She wrote for 'SNL' from 1995 to 2013, but now you can see her in movies like 'Wine Country' (2019) and shows like 'Girls5eva.'
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Billy Eichner - Best known for 'Billy on the Street,' the comedian has since turned to acting, perhaps most famously in the series 'Friends from College.'
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Fortune Feimster - For years, Fortune Feimster was known for her appearances on 'Chelsea Lately.' Since then, she's come into the spotlight on shows like 'The Mindy Project' and 'Champions.'
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Sandra Bernhard
- Sandra Bernhard started carving out a name for herself in Hollywood in the early '80s. She's got a long body of work, but no doubt she's most famous for her role as Nancy Bartlett on 'Roseanne.'
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Guy Branum - Guy Branum is another comedian who owes his fame to appearing on 'Chelsea Lately.' He's gone on to work on 'The Mindy Project,' and to host 'Talk Show the Game Show.'
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Lea DeLaria
- If you only became aware of Lea DeLaria after 'Orange Is the New Black,' you should note that she's been working in Hollywood since the mid-90s.
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Carrie Brownstein - Carrie Brownstein gained fame as a musician first, notably with Sleater-Kinney. Since then, she's gone on to co-create and star in the sketch comedy series 'Portlandia.'
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Paul O'Grady - Paul O'Grady first came to fame with a drag queen character, Lily Savage, in 'The Lily Savage Show,' which aired in 1997. He went on to host 'The Paul O'Grady Show' from 2004 to 2015.
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Aubrey Plaza - One of the funniest actresses of her generation, she is, without doubt, most famous for portraying April Ludgate on 'Parks and Recreation.'
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Abbi Jacobson
- Along with Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson is one half of the comedy duo behind 'Broad City.'
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Rick Mercer - He's a household name in Canada thanks to 'The Rick Mercer Report' and 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes.'
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Sue Perkins - Working on shows like 'French and Saunders' since the mid-90s, she found widespread fame as the presenter of 'The Great British Baking Show' from 2010 to 2016.
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Lilly Singh
- From YouTube elite to at one point the only female late-night host on broadcast TV, Lilly Singh is a rising star.
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Mo Rocca - Mo Rocca has been a 'CBS News Sunday Morning' correspondent since 2008, regularly appeared on 'The Daily Show' from 1998 to 2003, and was a frequent face on VH1 in the 2000s. We could go on!
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Cameron Esposito - Cameron Esposito worked the comedy circuit hard for years before getting her own show, 'Take My Wife.' She's since appeared in 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine.'
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Rhea Butcher - Rhea Butcher, who uses they/them pronouns, starred with then-wife Cameron Esposito in 'Take My Wife.'
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Scott Thompson - Scott Thompson is best known for his time with comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall. He went on to appear in 'The Larry Sanders Show,' 'Hannibal,' and many other shows.
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Liz Feldman - Liz Feldman is another behind-the-scenes type. She's written for 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' '2 Broke Girls,' and, impressively, the Oscars. She's also created two of her own shows: 'One Big Happy' and 'Dead to Me.'
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Carol Leifer - You might have missed it, but Carol Leifer had her own sitcom in the mid-90s ('Alright Already'). But she's definitely better known for her work as a writer and producer, where her credits include 'SNL' and 'Seinfeld.' She also co-created 'The Ellen Show,' which was Ellen DeGeneres' second, less successful, sitcom.
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Alec Mapa - Alec Mapa has been a regular at the round table of many talk shows and specials since the early 2000s. When it comes to acting, he's been at it since the late '80s, with highlights including 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Ugly Betty.'
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Judy Gold - She may not be a household name, but she's worked with the big wigs, notably as a writer and producer on 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show.' She was also a regular on 'Hollywood Squares.' As for acting, she's perhaps best recognized for her time on 'All-American Girl.'
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Carolyn Taylor - This Canadian comedian found success later on in her career, starring on the 'Baroness Von Sketch Show.'
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Josh Thomas - Josh Thomas was the creator and star of 'Please Like Me,' also writing and directing for the show.
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Hannah Hart - Another YouTube sensation, Hannah Hart has also turned to acting—notably with fellow YouTubers Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart in 'Camp Takota' (2014) and 'Dirty 30' (2016).
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Geri Jewell - She came to fame on 'The Facts of Life' (she's the first actor with cerebral palsy to appear on a TV show) in the early '80s, working on and off in Hollywood before returning in fine form in the mid-2000s with 'Deadwood.'
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Leslie Jordan - This little ball of funny has appeared on a bunch of your favorite TV shows since the mid-80s, but it's as Beverley Leslie on 'Will & Grace' that he's really left his mark.
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Magda Szubanski - She's a household name in Australia, but overseas she's perhaps best known for the mid-90s 'Babe' films (yup, the movies about that cute pig).
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Bianca Del Rio
- Having won the sixth season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' Bianca Del Rio has gone on to enjoy a career in stand-up comedy and acting, including in the film 'Hurricane Bianca' (2016) and its sequel, 'Hurricane Bianca: From Russia with Hate' (2018).
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Paul C. Vogt - Best known for his time on 'MADtv,' he would later appear on 'The Big Gay Sketch Show' (Kate McKinnon was also part of the cast).
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Julie Goldman - Another alum of 'The Big Gay Sketch Show,' Julie Goldman has since regularly appeared as herself on several Bravo reality shows.
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Sabrina Jalees - She became widely known in Canada in the 2000s for appearing on 'Video on Trial,' where she hilariously judged music videos. She went on to work on projects like 'Baroness Von Sketch Show' and 'Powerless.'
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Daniel Franzese
- After his hilarious turn as Damian in 'Mean Girls' (2004), Daniel Franzese regularly dabbled in comedy. However, he was still better known for series like 'Looking' and 'Conviction.'
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Stephanie Miller - This comedian has been the host of 'The Stephanie Miller Show,' a liberal talk radio program, since 2004.
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Fawzia Mirza - The Pakistani-Canadian comedian has been a regular face on LGBTQ web series, and starred in her own movie in 2017 ('Signature Move').
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Randy Rainbow - Randy Rainbow is known for his viral videos, in which he spoofs interviews with famous figures, notably politicians. He's gone on to make special appearances, including on 'RuPaul's Drag Race.'
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Suzanne Westenhoefer - Suzanne Westenhoefer is a comedy-circuit type of comedian, beloved among many lesbian audiences.
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Kate Clinton - Specializing in political commentary, Kate Clinton is also better known for her stand-up routines as opposed to TV and film work.
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ANT - ANT is that face you've seen everywhere but can't quite pin down. He's been working regularly in Hollywood since the mid-90s, but he's perhaps best known as the host of 'Celebrity Fit Club.'
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Julia Scotti - Julia Scotti is one of the most successful transgender comedians around. She was a quarter-finalist on season 11 of 'America’s Got Talent.'
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Mario Cantone - Mario Cantone is best known for appearing in the 'Sex and the City' series and movies, as well as on a bunch of panel shows.
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Patti Harrison - Transgender comedian Patti Harrison made waves in 2017 when she appeared on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' and spoke out on Donald Trump's transgender military ban.
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Nico Santos - Best known as a main cast member on 'Superstore,' Nico Santos was also in the 2018 hit film 'Crazy Rich Asians.'
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Jordan Raskopoulos - This Australian comic came out as transgender later in her career. She's best known for appearing on the sketch comedy show 'The Ronnie Johns Half Hour,' and as a member of musical comedy act The Axis of Awesome.
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Ross Mathews - Formerly known as Ross the Intern, he made a name for himself on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' and 'Chelsea Lately.' He's since appeared on 'Celebrity Big Brother,' 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' and much, much more.
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Ian Harvie - Ian Harvie is perhaps the best-known transgender male comedian around. He's also gone on to enjoy an acting career, appearing in shows like 'Mistresses' and 'Transparent.'
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Chanty Marostica
- The Canadian stand-up comedian, who came out as non-binary and uses gender-neutral pronouns, has also dabbled in acting, including on 'Workin' Moms.' See also: Milestone LGBT moments in TV history
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The funniest LGBTQ comedians on the planet
No, it doesn't start and end with Ellen DeGeneres
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There must be something in the water, because many of the best comedians of the last several decades just so happen to be members of the LGBTQ community. Think about it—do some of the best talk shows, Netflix specials, sketch shows, and even YouTube channels tend to feature LGBTQ comedians? Yes, yes they do. That's not even mentioning comedy movies and shows.
Need more convincing? Click through this gallery for a comprehensive list of the funniest LGBTQ comedians on the planet.
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