Kathleen Madigan

A sardonic and well-liked presence on the stand-up circuit since the 1980s, Kathleen Madigan parlayed her dry wit and blue-collar perspective into a lengthy and popular career as a comedian on stage and television. The Missouri native dabbled in comedy while working for a newspaper chain in St. Louis, but shifted gears to pursue a fulltime career as a comic after landing a contract with a national chain of clubs. Madigan soon advanced to television specials and talk shows, where she quickly amassed a devoted following that helped to name her "Funniest Female Stand-Up Comic" in 1996. Unlike many of her peers, Madigan eschewed acting in favor of performance on a variety of TV efforts, including "Last Comic Standing" (NBC, 2003-2010), and various writing and producing efforts for Garry Shandling and longtime friend Lewis Black. Her dedication to stand-up comedy and consistently solid material underscored her status as one of the best and hardest-working comic talents in the country.