List of humorists explained

A humorist (American English) or humourist (British English) is an intellectual who uses humor in writing or public speaking.^[1] Humorists are distinct from comedians, who are show business entertainers whose business is to make an audience laugh, though it is possible for some persons to occupy both roles in the course of their careers.

List

Notable humorists include:

• Ada Roach^[2]
• Alexander Posey^[3]
• André Franquin^[4] (1924–1997) French comic book author of Spirou & Fantasio and creator of the Marsupilami.
• Anita Loos^[5]
• Anne Roumanoff^[6]
• Aziz Nesin^[7]
• Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), as a newspaper editor and printer, became one of America's first humorists,^[8] most famously for Poor Richard's Almanack published under the pen name "Richard Saunders".^[9]
• Bennett Cerf (1898–1971) one of the founders of the publishing firm Random House, known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearances lecturing across the United States, and for his television appearances on the panel game show What's My Line?^[10]
• Carlos Loiseau^[11]
• Carolyn Wells
• Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) writer for Vanity Fair, Vogue and other magazines, playwright, and a close friend of Benchley, was known for her biting, satirical wit.
• Dieudonné M'bala M'bala^[12]
• Eric Omondi^[13]
• Erma Bombeck^[14] (1927–1996) newspaper columnist and writer of 15 books who specialized in humorously describing midwestern suburban home life.
• Fanny Fern^[15]
• Florence Foresti
• Florence King^[16]
• Fran Lebowitz (born 1950) writes sardonic social commentary from a New York City point of view.
• Frances Miriam Whitcher
• Gary Owens^[17] (1934–2015) was a long-time afternoon radio show host in Los Angeles.
• George Ade^[18] (1866–1944) American writer and newspaper columnist.
• George S. Kaufmann^[19] (1889–1961) was a playwright, theatre director and producer, and drama critic. He wrote two Broadway musicals for the Marx Brothers: The Cocoanuts and Animal Crackers.
• Gina Barreca^[20]
• Grace King
• H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) journalist, satirist, cultural critic and scholar of American English. Known as the "Sage of Baltimore", he is regarded as one of the most influential American writers and prose stylists of the first half of the 20th century. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians and contemporary movements. He is known for dubbing the Scopes trial "the Monkey Trial".
• Helen Rowland^[21]
• Ibn Sukkara^[22]
• Jamel Debbouze^[23]
• James Gillray (1756–1815) father of British political cartoon known for his wit.^[24]
• James Thurber^[25] (1894–1961) cartoonist, author, journalist, playwright, and celebrated wit, best known for his cartoons and short stories published mainly in The New Yorker.
• Jane Goude^[26]
• Jean Paul^[27]
• Jean Shepherd^[28] (1921–1999) was a radio and literature humorist best known for writing the book which was later adapted to the 1983 movie A Christmas Story.
• Jippensha Ikku (1765-1861) was a prolific Japanese writer and humorist^[29] who helped establish the Kokkeibon genre.
• John Henry Faulk^[30]
• John Neal (1793–1876) American critic, activist, lecturer, and writer who played a pivotal role in the development of satirical and humorous short stories between the 1820s and 1840s.^{[31] [32]}
• Chief John Smith^[33]
• Jyotindra Dave^[34]
• Lao She^[35]
• Margaret Cameron^[36] (1867–1947), novelist, short story writer, playwright, and author of non-fiction works related to mysticism.
• Marietta Holley
• Mario Benedetti^[37]
• Mark Twain (pen name of Samuel Langhorn Clemens, 1835–1910) was widely considered the "greatest humorist" the U.S. ever produced, as noted in his New York Times obituary.^[38] It's a distinction that garnered wide agreement, as William Faulkner called him "the father of American literature".^[39]
• Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman
• Mencius^[40]
• Michèle Laroque
• Moin Akhter^[41] (1950–2011) Pakistani TV and radio comedian.
• Molly Ivins^[42]
• Muriel Robin
• Niní Marshall^[43]
• Noël Coward^[44] (1899–1973) was a playwright, composer, director, actor and singer.
• Omar Sy
• Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish poet and playwright known for his biting wit.
• Nora Ephron^[45]
• P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975) one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century.^[46]
• Peg Bracken
• Phyllis McGinley
• Robert Benchley (1889–1945) best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor, began writing humorously for The Harvard Lampoon while attending Harvard University, and for many years wrote essays and articles for Vanity Fair and The New Yorker.
• Roberto Fontanarrosa
• Ruth McEnery Stuart^[47]
• Ruth McKenney
• Sarah Vowell^[48]
• Seba Smith (1792–1868) American writer and editor,^[49] most famous for his editorial character, Jack Downing.^[50]
• Sholom Aleichem^[51] (1859–1916) pen name of the leading Yiddish author and playwright Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, on whose stories the musical Fiddler on the Roof was based.
• Simo Puupponen^[52]
• Tabitha Gilman Tenney
• Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) author known for comic fantasy novels, most notably the Discworld series of 41 novels. He was strongly influenced by Wodehouse, Sharpe, Jerome, Coren,^[53] and Twain.^[54]
• Veronica Geng
• Wahome Mutahi^[55]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Henry. Patrick. Don't Call Me a Comedian. December 7, 2017. April 15, 2013.
2. Book: The Billboard . 1928 . R.S. Littleford, Jr., W.D. Littleford . en.
3. Book: Littlefield, Daniel F. . Alex Posey: Creek Poet, Journalist, and Humorist . 1997-06-01 . U of Nebraska Press . 978-0-8032-7968-1 . en.
4. Book: Screech, Matthew . Masters of the Ninth Art: Bandes Dessinées and Franco-Belgian Identity . 2005-01-01 . Liverpool University Press . 978-0-85323-938-3 . en.
5. Book: Gale, Steven H. . Encyclopedia of American Humorists . 2016-04-14 . Routledge . 978-1-317-36226-5 . en.
6. Book: Leruth, Michael F. . Modern France . 2022-10-18 . Bloomsbury Publishing USA . 978-1-4408-5549-8 . en.
7. Book: Howard, Douglas A. . The History of Turkey . 2016-03-28 . Bloomsbury Publishing USA . 979-8-216-09826-3 . en.
8. News: Franklin Funnies . . 10 November 2019 . Twin Cities Public Television, Inc..
9. News: Benjamin Franklin Was a Middle-Aged Widow Named Silence Dogood (And a Few Other Women) . Kat . Eschner . 17 January 2017 . 10 November 2019 . . Smithsonian Institution.
10. News: Whitman . Alden . Bennett Cerf Dies; Publisher, Writer; Bennett Cerf, Publisher and Writer, Is Dead at 73 . . August 29, 1971 . 2013-12-12.
11. Web site: 2012-12-30 . Muestras de dolor, admiración y respeto ante la muerte de Caloi El … . 2024-07-23 . archive.ph.
12. Book: Wistrich, Robert S. . A Lethal Obsession: Anti-Semitism from Antiquity to the Global Jihad . 2010-01-05 . Random House Publishing Group . 978-1-58836-899-7 . en.
13. Book: Payne, Doris L. . Diversity in African languages: Selected papers from the 46th Annual Conference on African Linguistics . Pacchiarotti . Sara . Bosire . Mokaya . 2016-12-31 . Language Science Press . 978-3-946234-70-8 . en.
14. Book: Colwell, Lynn Hutner . Erma Bombeck: Writer and Humorist . 1992 . Enslow . 978-0-89490-384-7 . en.
15. Book: Lueck, Beth Lynne . Transatlantic Women: Nineteenth-century American Women Writers and Great Britain . Bailey . Brigitte . Damon-Bach . Lucinda L. . 2012 . UPNE . 978-1-61168-277-9 . en.
16. Book: Minutaglio, Bill . Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life . 2010-10-19 . ReadHowYouWant.com . 978-1-4587-5997-9 . en.
17. Book: Erickson, Hal . From Radio to the Big Screen: Hollywood Films Featuring Broadcast Personalities and Programs . 2014-05-23 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-1558-5 . en.
18. Book: Greasley, Philip A. . Dictionary of Midwestern Literature, Volume 1: The Authors . 2001-05-30 . Indiana University Press . 978-0-253-10841-8 . en.
19. Book: The New York Times Current History: A Monthly Magazine. The European war . 1925 . New York Times Company . en.
20. Book: Library of Congress Information Bulletin . 2004 . Library of Congress . en.
21. Book: DesRochers, Rick . The Comic Offense from Vaudeville to Contemporary Comedy: Larry David, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Dave Chappelle . 2014-07-31 . Bloomsbury Publishing USA . 978-1-4411-6193-2 . en.
22. Book: Ali, Abdul . Arab Legacy to Humour Literature . 1998 . M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. . 978-81-7533-085-6 . en.
23. Book: Kleppinger, Kathryn . Post-migratory Cultures in Postcolonial France . Reeck . Laura . 2018 . Oxford University Press . 978-1-78694-113-8 . en.
24. News: Satire, sewers and statesmen: why James Gillray was king of the cartoon. The Guardian. 2 September 2020. 2 September 2020. 9 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170309230616/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/mar/21/satire-sewers-and-statesmen-james-gillray-king-of-cartoon. live.
25. Book: Grauer, Neil A. . Remember Laughter: A Life of James Thurber . 1995-01-01 . U of Nebraska Press . 978-0-8032-7056-5 . en.
26. News: 1939-02-23 . Jane Goude 1939 . 2024-07-23 . Wilmington Daily Press Journal . 8.
27. Book: Schmitz, Neil . Of Huck and Alice: Humorous Writing in American Literature . 1983 . U of Minnesota Press . 978-0-8166-1156-0 . en.
28. Book: Gugin, Linda C. . Indiana's 200: The People Who Shaped the Hoosier State . Clair . James E. St . 2016-05-20 . Indiana Historical Society . 978-0-87195-393-3 . en.
29. Book: Atkins, E. Taylor . A History of Popular Culture in Japan: From the Seventeenth Century to the Present . 2022-09-08 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-350-19595-0 . en.
30. Book: Minutaglio, Bill . Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life . 2010-10-19 . ReadHowYouWant.com . 978-1-4587-5997-9 . en.
31. Book: Sears, Donald A. . John Neal . Twayne Publishers . Boston, Massachusetts . 1978 . 080-5-7723-08 . 93, 96.
32. Book: Baumgartner . Jody C. . xvi . American Political Humor: Masters of Satire and Their Impact on U.S. Policy and Culture . ABC-CLIO . Santa Barbara, California . 2019 . 9781440854866.
33. Book: Indian School Journal . Chilocco Indian School . en.
34. Book: Santhanam, Kasturiranga . An Anthology of Indian Literatures . 1969 . Gandhi Peace Foundation; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay . en.
35. Book: Laughlin, Charles A. . The Literature of Leisure and Chinese Modernity . 2008-03-06 . University of Hawaii Press . 978-0-8248-3125-7 . en.
36. Book: The Biographical Cyclopaedia of American Women ... . 1925 . Halvord Publishing Company . en.
37. Book: Balderston, Daniel . Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures . Gonzalez . Mike . Lopez . Ana M. . 2000-12-07 . Routledge . 978-1-134-78851-4 . en.
38. News: 1910-04-22 . MARK TWAIN IS DEAD AT 74; End Comes Peacefully at His New England Home After a Long Illness. . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-08-28 . 0362-4331 . 2023-08-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230828215541/https://www.nytimes.com/1910/04/22/archives/mark-twain-is-dead-at-74-end-comes-peacefully-at-his-new-england.html . live .
39. Book: Jelliffe, Robert A. . Faulkner at Nagano . 1956 . Kenkyusha, Ltd . Tokyo.
40. Book: Haweis, Hugh Reginald . The Light of the Ages (Asia, Africa, Europe) . 1887 . T.Y. Crowell & Company . en.
41. Web site: 2021-12-25 . Versatile comedian ‘Moin Akhtar’ remembered on 71st birthday . 2024-07-23 . The Nation . en-US.
42. Book: Gournelos, Ted . A Decade of Dark Humor: How Comedy, Irony, and Satire Shaped Post-9/11 America . Greene . Viveca . 2011-08-01 . Univ. Press of Mississippi . 978-1-61703-007-9 . en.
43. Book: Wiesner-Hanks, Merry E. . The Cambridge World History of Sexualities: Volume 3, Sites of Knowledge and Practice . Kuefler . Mathew . 2024-04-30 . Cambridge University Press . 978-1-108-90130-7 . en.
44. Book: Johnson, Paul . Humorists: From Hogarth to Noel Coward . 2010-11-30 . Harper Collins . 978-0-06-202486-2 . en.
45. Book: Dance, Liz . Nora Ephron: Everything Is Copy . 2015-09-21 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-1929-3 . en.
46. Book: Voorhees, Richard . P.G. Wodehouse . Thomas F. . Stayley . Dictionary of Literary Biography: British Novelists, 1890–1929: Traditionalists . 1985 . 341–342 . Gale . Detroit . 978-0-8103-1712-3 . [I]t is now abundantly clear that Wodehouse is one of the funniest and most productive men who ever wrote in English. He is far from being a mere jokesmith: he is an authentic craftsman, a wit and humorist of the first water, the inventor of a prose style which is a kind of comic poetry. .
47. Book: Ford, Guy Stanton . Compton's Pictured Encyclopedia: To Inspire Ambition, to Stimulate the Imagination, to Provide the Inquiring Mind with Accurate Information Told in an Interesting Style, and Thus Lead Into Broader Fields of Knowledge, Such is the Purpose of this Work . 1922 . F. E. Compton . en.
48. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/95469284
49. Book: Baumgartner . Jody C. . xvi . American Political Humor: Masters of Satire and Their Impact on U.S. Policy and Culture . ABC-CLIO . Santa Barbara, California . 2019 . 9781440854866.
50. News: Bennett . Troy R. . December 26, 2018 . How Down East storytelling shaped Maine's humor . Bangor Daily News . Bangor, Maine . Bangor Publishing Company . August 14, 2020.
51. Book: Aleichem, Sholem . Tevye the Dairyman and The Railroad Stories . 2011-08-17 . Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group . 978-0-307-79524-3 . en.
52. Book: Ahokas, Jaakko . A History of Finnish Literature . 1973 . Taylor & Francis . 978-0-87750-172-5 . en.
53. News: Guardian Unlimited. Terry Pratchett. September 24, 2014. September 24, 2014.
54. Web site: Nathalie Ruas, ActuSF. Interview de Terry Pratchett (en Anglais) (Interview with Terry Pratchett (in English)). June 2002. June 19, 2007.
55. Book: Columba, Muriungi . Cultural Archives of Atrocity: Essays on the Protest Tradition in Kenyan Literature, Culture and Society . Kebaya . Charles . Siboe . Makokha Justus Kizito . 2019-05-14 . Routledge . 978-0-429-55723-1 . en.