Make 'Em Laugh: The Funniest Black Females in Comedy

"SNL" thinks there are no funny Black women. We disagree.

Whoopi Goldberg - Arguably one of the biggest female comedians to ever pick up a mic, Goldberg is still going strong after thirty years in the business. The comedian, Oscar-winning actress and host of The View has had an incredible run and broke a lot of ground along the way for the other ladies on this list. Decades ago, she auditioned for SNL but didn't land the gig — she has since said it was the best thing that happened to her.   (Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
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Jackie "Moms" Mabley - At a time when most women were housewives, Moms Mabley was a true groundbreaker. After coming out as a lesbian at age 27 (just after the turn of the century), Moms made a great living as the star of the "Chitlin' Circuit," earning up to $10,000 a week at the height of her career. Her work has influenced everyone from Tyler Perry to Whoopi Goldberg, who is working on a documentary about her. Mabley was active until well into the 1970s. From Moms Mabley to Issae Rae, Black women in comedy have always been ready for the stage. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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