Sarah Silverman

Even before her movie came out and she released the accompanying DVD and soundtrack, Jesus Is Magic, in June of 2006, Silverman was already considered by anyone who follows comedy as not just the finest female comedian but the finest comedian working period. With a resume that includes writing and acting credits on The Larry Sanders Show, Seinfeld, Mr. Show, Crank Yankers, There's Something About Mary, a particularly terrifying performance in School of Rock, and Jimmy Kimmel Live, folks had already either seen her in a cameo or laughed at lines she'd written for years. In February of 2007, she finally landed her own show, The Sarah Silverman Program. Silverman's style of comedy revolves around making extreme jokes about being hot, taking the piss out of racists by acting like one herself, and the sort of bait-and-switch absurdism Steve Martin invented (see "Nana" on the Jesus Is Magic album).