20 Comedy Stars You Probably Forgot Got Their Start on MADtv
MADtv often got caught in the shadow of Saturday Night Live, but, during its 14 year run (1995-2009), the sketch comedy series introduced the world to plenty of powerhouse comedy stars. Check out 20 of the brightest talents to have gotten their start on Fox late night. Say it with us: You are now watching MADtv...
Nicole Sullivan
Best known for her Vancome Lady character, Sullivan spent six years on MADtv. Immediately after, she joined the cast of King of Queens, and has since been seen on many of TV's top shows, including Black-ish and Grey's Anatomy, most recently.
Stephnie Weir
Weir cracked us up for six years with wacky characters like weird little girl Dot. Recently, she starred on FX's The Comedians with Billy Crystal and Josh Gad.
Debra Wilson
During her eight seasons, Wilson was best known for her spot-on impression of Oprah Winfrey and the fast-talking Bunifa Latifah Halifah Sharifa Jackson. Since then, she's done hilarious voice work on Family Guy and even brought her Oprah impression to Scary Movie 4.
Will Sasso
Sasso spent five years on the show, earning laughs with Robert De Niro and James Gandolfini impressions, among many others. Most recently, he starred in the 2012 film reboot of The Three Stooges.
Jordan Peele
Peele's five seasons on the show brought him into the orbit of his future comedy partner Keegan-Michael Key. They went on to create and star in Key & Peele. Ever heard of it?
Keegan-Michael Key
Key spent six seasons as a cast member on MADtv. Not only did he go on to create Key & Peele with Jordan Peele after leaving, but he also starred on our beloved Playing House on USA. Not too shabby.
Arden Myrin
Joining MADtv in 2005, Myrin stayed with the show until its cancellation in 2009. She went on to be a frequent panelist on Chelsea Lately, appearing over 100 times, as well as appearing on Orange Is the New Black and Fresh Off the Boat.
Josh Meyers
Meyers' two years on MADtv led to his gig as Topher Grace's replacement on the final season of That '70s Show. Since then, he's also appeared on The Mindy Project. And, if you couldn't tell, he's the younger brother of SNL alum Seth Meyers. That must've made for one weird rivalry.
Michael McDonald
As the show's longest-tenured cast member (10 seasons), McDonald cracked us up most memorably as petulant child Stuart. Recently, he appeared on Web Therapy and in Melissa McCarthy's big screen hit Spy.
Bobby Lee
Joining the cast in 2001, Lee was MADtv's only performer of Asian descent and he regularly cracked us up with his Connie Chung impression. He went on to become a frequent panelist on Chelsea Lately like fellow alum Arden Myrin and provides the voice of Tim on Hulu's The Awesomes.
Taran Killam
No, this slide didn't get lost on its way to an SNL gallery. Before cracking us up on NBC, Killam became the youngest hire ever on MADtv when he joined the the show for its seventh season at 19. He only appeared in 13 of that season's 25 episodes, but we hear he's gone on to better things since then.
Orlando Jones
One of the show's original cast members, Jones only stuck around for the first two seasons. After that, he gained fame as the spokesperson for 7 Up in a series of very funny commercials. In something of a trend for Jones and the Fox series he appears on, he most recently starred on the first two seasons of Sleepy Hollow.
Simon Helberg
Helberg appeared in a "blink-and-you'll-miss-him" five episodes in 2002. He's now one of TV's highest paid actors on The Big Bang Theory. So, looks like things worked out all right for him.
Dannah Feinglass Phirman
Phirman's tenure on MADtv was also brief, appearing only in a handful of episodes of season six. Since then, she's gone on to create and star in Hulu's hysterical reality TV parody The Hotwives.
Andrew Daly
Daly spent two seasons on MADtv, where he often played the straight man in many of his sketches. More recently, he's guest-starred on Modern Family and created and starred in the very dark, but very funny Review on Comedy Central.
Mo Collins
Collins remains one of MADtv's more unforgettable stars, cracking us up as the irritable Lorraine and Doreen, the screechy-voiced mother to Michael McDonald's toddler Stuart. Following her six year run on the show, she went on to appear semi-regularly on Parks and Recreation as Joan Callamezzo, the vapid host of local talk show Pawnee Today.
Bryan Callen
Along with fellow original cast member Orlando Jones, Callen spent two seasons on MADtv, where he made us laugh as Pool Boy in the Cabana Chat with Dixie Wentworth sketches. Most recently, he's begun to appear semi-regularly as Coach Miller on ABC's The Goldbergs.
Frank Caliendo
During his five-year stint, Caliendo became known as MADtv's premiere impressionist, with his turns as John Madden and George W. Bush both becoming wildly popular. His considerable talents earned him his own series on TBS, Frank TV, which ran for two seasons from 2007-08.
Alex Borstein
From seasons three to seven, there was nothing funnier on MADtv than Borstein's Ms. Swan. NOTHING. Following her time on the show, she's gone on to star as Lois on Family Guy and Dawn Forchette on HBO's criminally underrated Getting On, as well as write for and appear on Shameless.
Ike Barinholtz
For five seasons, Barinholtz made us laugh as Abercrombie & Fitch model Dutch. Now, he's cracking us up as crazy nurse Morgan on The Mindy Project, where he also serves as a writer. He's also set to appear in the upcoming films Suicide Squad and Sisters, opposite Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
CLICK: 14 superstars you probably forgot got their start on Saturday Night Live