Ken Jeong | $14 million
Ken Jeong may is noted as a comedian who never fails to make us laugh, but did you know that he is actually a medical doctor? He is best known for his roles as Ben Chang on the sitcom Community and as Leslie Chow in The Hangover film series. So who would ever think that this actor got an M.D. from the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, in 1995?
He finished his internal medicine residency in New Orleans while starting his stand-up comedy career at the same time. He is a licensed physician but is no longer practicing medicine as he chose to focus on comedy and his acting career instead. It appears that he has made the right choice, as it led him to a $14 million net worth.
Betty White | $75 million
As one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, the late Betty White charmed audiences her whole life. Her signature sweet and innocent demeanor was inevitably sliced by a laser-tongue remark that left people in hysterics. With a career spanning over 80 years and a $75 million net worth, White was recognized by many awards, but she was also part of television history. In the early 1950s, she became one of the first women producers. It’s no surprise, then, that she and Lucille Ball were good buddies.
White’s career went well into her older years. The smash-hit Golden Girls became the most successful show she starred in. She landed that gig at 63. Known for saying, “Retirement is not in my vocabulary,” she sure lived up to it. In 2010, when she hosted Saturday Night Live, she brought in the best ratings of the season. And she did this as the oldest person ever to host SNL. She was 88. Besides winning eight Emmys, three SAGs, and a Lifetime Achievement Award, Betty White was a lover of animals, and worked with several animal organizations.
Bob Newhart | $65 million
Bob Newhart is a Chicago-area actor and stand-up comedian known for his deadpan delivery. He hit the scene with a series of monologues that he recorded with Warner Bros., called 'The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart'. The record shot to No. 1 on the pop charts. He released ten additional comedy albums. At 90 years old, Newhart’s 60-plus year career is as active as ever, still performing stand-up comedy with dates lined up. The younger generations probably remember him from his guest appearances on 'The Big Bang Theory'.
Working as an accountant when he was 30 years old, hating every minute of it, he found an unlikely break. He and a co-worker began recording absurd telephone conversations and he used the tape to audition as a comedian. His success as a stand-up comedian led to the eponymous variety show on NBC, 'The Bob Newhart Show'. The 1961 show won an Emmy award and a Peabody nomination. In 1972, the comedy sitcom 'The Bob Newhart Show' hit the airwaves to rave reviews. The show ran for six seasons. His current net worth is $65 million.
Graham Chapman | $1-5 million
Graham Chapman is almost royal in terms of British comedy. Did you know he is also a medical doctor? Chapman was born in Leicester, England, and two of his earliest interests have been, of course, comedy and acting. However, other than those two fields, he has also enjoyed science. He majored in medicine at Emmanuel College, which is also where he met John Cleese.
Chapman later completed a Medical Degree at St. Bartholomew’s Medical College and became a certified medical doctor. It seems that contagious laugh is the only thing this inspirational man won’t try to cure. We will leave it to you to figure out which of his interests was the one to earn him his $1-5 million net worth.
Jimmy Kimmel | $35 million
Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, who also has a spot on this list, are often mistaken for one another. It could have something to do with the fact that they're both named Jimmy, or that they are both comedians, or that they both have successful talk shows, or that they are basically the same person traveling back and forth from a parallel universes and messing with our brains. The two actually have a skit about the issue, which leaves you with more questions than you've had in the first place.
Other than the talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel's successful career includes radio hosting, TV writing, wiring a children's book, and, of course, a handsome net worth of $35 million.