Female Comedians

Kate McKinnon is a popular American actress and comedian known for her work in sketch comedy series, such as Saturday Night Live and The Big Gay Sketch Show. She is also famous for co-creating a web-series called Notary Publix and an audio series titled Heads Will Roll. An openly gay actress, McKinnon serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community.

African-American comedian and actress, Tiffany Haddish, gained fame with the ensemble comedy film Girls Trip. Earlier, a difficult childhood turned her towards comedy. After appearing in a comedy competition, sketch comedies and numerous minor roles in films and television, she made the heads turn with her brilliant performance in television series, Real Husbands of Hollywood, If Loving You Is Wrong and The Carmichael Show.

Carol Burnett inspired a lot of women and set off a chain reaction by hosting her groundbreaking show The Carol Burnett Show. Regarded as one of USA's most cherished entertainers, Carol continues to enhance the lives of millions, for which she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She has also won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

American actress Bea Arthur worked extensively in television and was hailed for her comic timing. All in the Family, Maude and The Golden Girls are some of her acclaimed series. In her long career, she also worked in films like Lovers and Other Strangers, History of the World 1 and For Better or Worse. She won many accolades, including two Emmy awards.

Lily Tomlin is an American comedian, actress, singer, and writer. Tomlin has earned several award nominations for her performance in films and TV series, such as Nashville and Grace and Frankie. An openly lesbian actress, Lily Tomlin serves as an inspiration to the LGBTQ community.

Kathie Lee Gifford achieved celebrity status by working as a television presenter. She then became a singer-songwriter and author, cementing her place in the entertainment industry. Also known for her charity work, Kathie serves as an ambassador for Childhelp, a non-profit organization working towards preventing child abuse.

Accomplished American comedian, actress, singer and Broadway star, Whoopi Goldberg is amongst the select few who have won all the four awards—Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. Moreover, she is also a political activist, author and talk show host. Her notable work include films Ghost, Sister Act and The Color Purple; Broadway show Thoroughly Modern Millie and talk show The View.

Fran Drescher is an American actress and comedian. Characterized by her thick New York accent and nasal voice, Fran Drescher serves as an inspiration to many cancer patients as she successfully fought off the disease after suffering from uterine cancer. She is also an outspoken LGBT rights activist and healthcare advocate.

Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress. She is known for playing Jeanine Stifler in the sex comedy film series American Pie. Also known for her charity work, Coolidge has had a major impact working with organizations that support animal rights and AIDS assistance. Thanks to her performance in Legally Blonde, her voice has been the subject of a famous impression.

Cloris Leachman is an actress and comedian. One of the most decorated American actresses of all time, Cloris Leachman has won several prestigious awards in an illustrious career spanning more than seven decades; she is the most awarded actress in the history of Emmy Awards, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She has also received an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award.

Primetime Emmy-winning Canadian-American actor and comedian Catherine O'Hara soared to fame with the sketch-comedy show SCTV. She is known for her frequent appearances in the films of Tim Burton and Christopher Guest. She is the sister of singer Mary Margaret O'Hara and is herself a fairly decent singer.

An actress and comedian, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has won more Screen Actors Guild Awards and more Emmy Awards than any other artist in American television history. In 2016, she was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list. In 2018, she was presented with America's highest comedy honor - The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Betty White, American actress and comedian, is considered as the pioneer of television and has had the longest television career of any entertainer, straddling more than 80 years. She’s known for her award-winning performances in shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland. 

Wanda Sykes is an American actress, writer, and comedian. In 2004, Sykes was named in Entertainment Weekly magazine's list of 25 funniest people in America. Also known for her role as an activist, Sykes has been emceeing fundraisers and hosting events to tackle issues concerning same-sex marriages. She is also an ardent supporter of the Ruth Ellis Center.

Queen Latifah is an American musician and actress whose song U.N.I.T.Y. played a major role in raising awareness about women's rights worldwide. Dubbed Queen of Jazz-Rap, Latifah has influenced several soul, R&B, and hip-hop artists like Remy Ma, Lil' Kim, Ivy Queen, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Eve among other artists. As an actress, Latifah has won several prestigious awards.

Famous for her controversial comedic persona, Joan Rivers was a television host and comedian. She broke stereotypes by hosting a late-night television talk show titled The Late Show with Joan Rivers, becoming the first woman to do so. Also an author, Rivers wrote 12 best-selling books. In 2017, she was posthumously inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. 

Like many American comedians, Kristen Wiig is also a product of the television show, Saturday Night Live. She then became a successful writer and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for her work in the film Bridesmaids (2011). An influential woman, Kristen was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World list in 2012.

A multi-talented personality, Maya Rudolph is known for her acting, singing, and comedic skills. Apart from playing supporting roles in popular films, such as 50 First Dates and Grown Ups, Maya played a crucial role in Saturday Night Live from 2000 to 2007, during which she impersonated personalities like Kamala Harris, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award.

Comedian, television host and actress Ellen DeGeneres is the first actress to win a Saturn Award for a voice performance, winning the accolade for her role in the film Finding Nemo. She has hosted the Academy Awards and has published four books. She is openly lesbian and supports LGBTQA+ rights. She has been accused of workplace harassment.

Kristy McNichol is a retired American comedian, singer, and actress. After being born into a middle-class family, McNichol started acting at a young age and went on to become one of the most popular teen stars of her generation. After her retirement, Kristy McNichol devoted her time to charity work and taught acting in Los Angeles.

Spanish-American actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco-guitarist Charo, whose birth year remains a subject of dispute for several years, is known for her seductive deep voice with Spanish accent, unrestrained and exuberant manner, and the catch-phrase cuchi-cuchi. She has released albums like Guitar Passion, featured in films like The Concorde...Airport '79 and guest starred in TV series like The Love Boat.

Natasha Leggero hosted the MTV reality series The 70s House. She has also been a panelist on Chelsea Lately. She is known for her satirical stance on celebrity culture and gained fame with the period sitcom Another Period. She has also voiced Shannon in Netflix's animated sitcom Hoops.

Kathy Griffin is an American actress and comedian who has won a couple of Primetime Emmy Awards for appearing in her own reality television series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. Apart from being a comedian, Kathy Griffin is also an avid supporter of LGBT rights.

Multi-talented English comedian, Victoria Wood was also an actress, lyricist, singer, composer, pianist, screenwriter, producer, and director. Wood started her career with the TV show That's Life! and established herself as one of Britain's greatest stand-up comedians. She wrote sketches, dramas, and popular sitcoms and her self-deprecating humor got her 14 BAFTA nominations of which she won four.