They're amongst the most famous people in the world - with their lives dedicated to making us chuckle.
And the leading lights of the comedy industry can earn millions of dollars from live tours, television programmes and movies.
Add in money-spinning advertising and sponsorship deals, and shrewd investments, and these funny people can become seriously wealthy.
The Sun recently carried out research into which British comedians are currently worth the most, using the value of companies they pay their earnings to and haw much their property portfolios are worth. It should be pointed out this this largely restricts the list to British-based comedians and those who use companies to organise their finances.
Here’s who they reckon the richest 10 are.
5. Jack Whitehall
Another alumnus of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Jack Whitehall made his standup debut there in 2009, before starring in television shows 'Fresh Meat' and 'Bad Education' (which was also turned into a film). He's also taken five standup shows on tour, been a regular panelist on 'A League of Their Own', and teamed up with his father for a series of travel documentaries - as well as taking on numerous other acting roles. His huge workrate has earned him £9.9 million. | Getty Images
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6. Rob Beckett
Starting out in standup in 2009, Rob Beckett managed to less-than-stellar third place in the 'So You Think You're Funny', but has since become one of the most recognisable faces on British television. Lucrative work has included co-hosting 'I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW!', being a team captain on '8 Out of 10 Cats', narrating 'Celebs Go Dating' and presenting 'Wedding Day Winners' and 'All Together Now'. He's also teamed up with fellow comics Romesh Ranganathan and Josh Widdicombe for projects. He's worth £6 million according to the research. | Getty Images
7. Michael McIntyre
Making the majority of his money from his huge live tours, Michael McIntyre was namd the the highest-grossing stand-up comedian in the world in 2012 and has barely stopped touring since. He's also had a series of prime time television shows, including 'Michael McIntyre's Big Show', 'The Wheel', and 'Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow' - and has been a judge on 'Britain's Got Talent'. The research showed him to have a fortune of £5 million. | Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
8. John Bishop
Scouser comedian John Bishop has come a long way since he was best known for a small role in teen drama 'Skins'. He only went into comedy full time in 2006 at the age of 40, having previously worked for a pharmaceutical company. His show at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe received a nomination for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards and provided a springboard to live success and a hugge number of television and radio roles, including as one of Doctor Who's companions. He's worth £4.3 million. | Liverpool FC via Getty Images