Actors Who Are Naturally Funny

[klunderbunker]

With nothing else to do before the NFL Playoffs start, I turned on Father of the Bride and then Father of the Bride Part II, both starring Steve Martin. I hadn't seen the second in years and I had forgotten how genuinely funny Martin can be. The way he looks, the way he sounds, the way his voice changes, the way he moves all are amusing no matter what he's doing or saying. We talk in wrestling terms about how someone could read the phone book and make it entertaining. Martin falls into this category: a guy who is just naturally funny no matter what he's doing.

Therefore I ask you: who else would be on the list of people who are funny no matter what they're doing or saying? I'm not asking about what movies are funny, but the people in general.

Go.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

This is subjective I guess, as I know people who don't like him, but I'd say Steve Carell.

First time I saw him was in Bruce Almighty, the scene where Jim Carrey controls his mind to screw up and blurt out random sounds and dialogue was brilliant to me. His performance in 40-Year-Old-Virgin was funny but in a different manner, portraying a pretty pathetic character can be hard but he makes it seem so easy and comfortable. Especially in the scene with Elizabeth Banks where hes told to play it cool, walks up to her and straight out says he wants to fuck her. Clueless but brilliant.

Anchorman is probably the comedy performance of his career; kind of backhanded compliment given the nature of the character, being basically a ****** and all, but there are so many Brick quotes from that film and they've really asserted themselves into pop culture. The Office is probably what hes most known for though, and again, his character is so cringeworthy, but because it's him its just funny. Even in Dan in Real Life, he was hard to not laugh at, and that is the definition of a dark comedy.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Off the top of my head, I probably would go with Jack Nicholson. He's so over the top and intense in 80% of his roles, it's just hard not to laugh at his antics most of the time. The bathroom scene in Wolf is a prime example of this, and some of his tirades in The Departed.

[YOUTUBE]JXq3CtfwIkQ[/YOUTUBE]

I'd also throw Jesse Eisenberg in there. His quirky and nerdy persona is hilarious, especially in Cursed.

 

[jmt225]

Jason Segel.

To know this, you only have to see one scene he's done to realize the guy's brilliance. Unfortunately the scene isn't on Youtube so I can't post it, but there's a moment in Forgetting Sarah Marshall where all Segel does is walk to the next room and it's hysterical. This came after a pretty serious scene, and when he made that simple walk, the crowd I saw the movie with up roared with laughter. I remember Roger Ebert's review pointing to the same scene and praising Segel's ability to make what otherwise should be a pointless moment funny.

And that's just one scene out of dozens and dozens that the brilliant Jason Segel has been apart of that makes you burst with laughter. Pretty much anything he does is terrific.

 

[The Crock]

Will Arnett is pretty funny. He's one of the (many) highlights of Arrested Development, to me. Any time he shows up on screen, you're bound for some laughs -- he can make the simplest of scenes into something hilarious. Not to mention, what he did with the Gob character is just spectacular. He's just a funny guy; he can make you laugh through his dialogue, his mannerisms, you name it. Very underrated actor, in general.

 

[Miko]

We talk in wrestling terms about how someone could read the phone book and make it entertaining. Martin falls into this category: a guy who is just naturally funny no matter what he's doing.

Unless of course he's taking a giant, messy shit on the good work of Peter Sellers.

Leslie Nielsen, think Steve Martin but funnier.

Peter Sellers, watch Dr. Strangelove, the final scene with the German scientist talking to the President was improvised, hysterical. Apparently Kubrick just let the camera roll and tried not to hysterically laugh over what Sellers was doing.

 

[Piss Bucket]

Definitely Brendan O'Caroll aka Mrs Brown IMO.

Go to www.bbc.co.uk/mrsbrownsboys for info if you don't know it.

 

[Nate DaMac]

Steve Martin is a comedian, of course he's funny. If he wasn't funny, he never would have been famous.

Jason Segel and Steve Carell are the only ones I'm buying so far. A good actor can be funny with someone else's writing. Those guys took their own material and made it funny on the big screen. Much more impressive. To be naturally funny, youd have to show me that you're still funny when you're not reading someone else's work.

 

[Miko]

Steve Martin is a comedian, of course he's funny. If he wasn't funny, he never would have been famous.

Jason Segel and Steve Carell are the only ones I'm buying so far. A good actor can be funny with someone else's writing. Those guys took their own material and made it funny on the big screen. Much more impressive. To be naturally funny, youd have to show me that you're still funny when you're not reading someone else's work.

You're not buying Peter Sellers? I mean, I guess I can forgive you if you dont know who he is, but I cant forgive you if you do know who he is and then not consider the man naturally funny.

Actually fuck that, I am not sure I can forgive you either way. Until you state otherwise I'll just assume that you forgot to include him, which while better is also an act itself which is unforgivable. Sort it the fuck out, Nate.

 

[Nate DaMac]

You're not buying Peter Sellers? I mean, I guess I can forgive you if you dont know who he is, but I cant forgive you if you do know who he is and then not consider the man naturally funny.

Actually fuck that, I am not sure I can forgive you either way. Until you state otherwise I'll just assume that you forgot to include him, which while better is also an act itself which is unforgivable. Sort it the fuck out, Nate.

Totally meant to exclude your post in that. I have no idea who Peter Sellers is and I have no idea if Leslie Nielsen had anything to do with the writing in his films.

I'm also not saying that anyone here isn't naturally funny, just that I'd have to see the guys who don't write their lines be funny off screen. Show me a funny Jack Nicholson interview and I'll totally concede that he's a naturally funny guy.