Not a member? Sign up now
January 12, 2011
Ranked: Every Character on 30 Rock, from Funniest to Least Funny
By Kelly Bourdet
Over the Christmas holidays, most of us were hanging around the office in cold and desolate New York — avoiding our families, fighting with our families, and sitting around our apartments watching old TV and eating night-cheese. What made it hardest was the absence of friends who empathized — someone who understood. Someone, like the crew at 30 Rockefeller Center.
Now that the show is finally returning, we decided to tell our pals from 30 Rock how much we like them — exactly how much we like them — by arranging them from funniest to least funny. And before you lock yourselves in your dressing rooms, we only included characters who appeared in more than one episode.
34. Cerie (Katrina Bowden)
Cerie may be hot. She may be extremely hot. But her deadpan delivery and, like, totally two-dimensional character earn her last place.
33. Don Geiss (Rip Torn)
Don Geiss is one of the show's least funny peripheral characters. In fact, we barely remember him — wasn't there some joke about a peacock?
32. Kathy Geiss (Marceline Hugot)
Kathy Geiss is a woman of few words, perhaps because she often has non-food items shoved in her mouth. Her funniest moments are when she falls for Jack and he, in a desperate attempt to usurp the presidency from Devon Banks, contemplates sleeping with her. But her ruddy-faced, mute, animal lust for Jack ends up being less funny than disturbing.
31. Floyd DeBarber (Jason Sudeikis)
Floyd, “the one normal guy Liz ever dated" was sweet, down-to-earth, and good-natured. He was not, however, very funny. Except for that one time Liz accidentally got him drunk on salmon sauce. That was pretty good.
30. Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit)
“Every year, Paula and I rent this big suite up at Niagara, and then she takes the kids there... and I stay home and get wasted in my garage. It's what keeps the magic alive." Pete's married-with-kids ennui is just about the only element of his character that we find consistently satisfying. He usually just seems crushed by his mediocre, midlife malaise, which has often been fertile ground for comedy. But it isn't here.
29. Verna Maroney (Jan Hooks)
Verna is Jenna’s conniving, often-absent stage mother. She only pops back into Jenna’s life when there’s financial gain in the mix — and while we appreciate the humor in the idea of a trashy older woman with a manipulative personality, she's just not that hilarious.
Tags
30 Rock
Commentarium (85 Comments)
Jenna didn't make top 5? That is bold, my friends, very bold. But I like it.
Jenna is amazing! The actress is amazing, the delivery is amazing, the lines are amazing. Come on! Tracy Jordan can be great, but Jenna is just...unparalleled.
Jenna? Is that you?
I personally think that although Tracy Jordan is a comedian by profession, his timing and presence is quite unsuited for the show. He takes from the subtly of other characters. I would be the first to howl with orgasmic-joy in seeing him go.
I love Dr. Spaceman, and I agree with Pete's placement.
I think Matt Damon as Carol should be much higher ranked - the first episode with him in it had me in tears.
In #7, Liz's false pregnancy scare was caused by the evaporated bull semen in Liz's Sabor de Soledad, not by Cheesy Blasters. Sheesh.
Lutz is dead last. I don't think he's ever made me laugh. Otherwise - pretty accurate list.
Tracy is the least funny character in TV history.
this guy doesn't comedy
Toofer is terrible. Damon is hilarious. Switch them and you're getting closer
I would have placed Julianne Moore a lot higher.
I would have placed Julianne Moore a lot lower!
Would've liked to see Kenneth make a dark horse run into the top 3.
Elaine Stritch is the best. I never get tired of re-watching the Colleen episodes.
Obviously, i think Kenneth is the least funniest, most ingratiating, and nauseating, teeth grindingly awful character in TV history! He makes no sense on this show, every scene hes in drags and adds nothing to the episode, and hes the reason i finally gave up on this program after 4 patient years!
I've never found Frank very funny, and I would Pete a little higher on the list. Jack totally should've been number one.
Agreed on all points: except Pete should be way higher. He's hilarious.
I really do not agree with most of this list. Toofer is painfully unfunny. He should be last for sure. And Don Giess is really terribly funny. The real problem is that the show is no longer funny, which means that Liz should be nearer to the end. : (
Tracy for #1! I laugh at nearly everything he says.
Big controversy over Kenneth. It seems like everyone either thinks he's hilarious or retarded. I, for one, think he's hilarious.
Personally, I would have thought Pete would have been much higher up.
And Dennis, I don't know.
Also, I think Kenneth would much better fit Leo's place. But then, seeing as a lot of people hate him, I guess that's fair if you're going by everyone's opinions.
Alec Baldwin is a national treasure. All due respect for Liz/Tina, but this isn't even close.
What about Phoebe? "Careful, my bones!"
HORNBERGER!!!!!!!!
(should switch with Lutz)
There is nothing funny about Tracy Morgan, he ruins the show
Glad to see Spaceman so high on the list. Everything he says is gold.
That Jenna isn't in the top 2 is a crime. They give Jane the most ridiculous, horrible things to say and she crushes it every time. I love me some Tina Fey but Jane's delivery and timing is unsurpassed. Also Dot Com should be higher, probably in the 10-12 range. Kevin Brown came out of nowhere and is absolutely awesome every time he gets some actual story. And finally, we have Lutz. I want to put Lutz in the top five because every time he's on screen I'm usually spraying liquid through my nose (the black light dance scene comes immediately to mind) but you can't have a tertiary character be that high. John Lutz (the actor) delivers, though.
TOTALLY AGREE!!! Jenna is the funniest thing on that show! I would have made her number 1!!!
I think Tracy Jr. deserves a top 10 spot. Sure his scenes have been minimal, but he nails them like bam.
@DeeDee: you racist bastard.
Correction: Juliette Moore's Boston accent is TERRIBLE.
Admit it, has anything been as amazingly hysterical as the first time you saw Jenna sing Muffin Top? (Well, besides Jack not knowing how to move his arms when he walks on-camera.)
Julianne Moore's "Boston" accent is truly atrocious.
I can't bare to hear Juliette Moore yapping away with that NOT FUNNY accent. I can't believe the producers, directors or SOMEBODY didn't stop her on day one. I hope she never returns.
It's so terrible that it's hilarious.
It's pronounced spa-CHE-men, idiot.
Pete is wonderful. Move him up!
Great list but Jack is # 1 and Julianne Moore deserved a much higher ranking.
fey needs to get docked a few points for too much self depreciating jokes. everyone, her included, knows she's hot. lack of self awareness is not funny
Yeah, definitely a personal list of top 30 cause you and I (im sure many would agree) disagree on SO many characters. Next time, keep it to yourself with such a beloved and cherished show, this was a waste of my time.
The guy who played the junior agent, formerly an animal agent sticks out in my mind, but then again, I don't watch this that often
you know that wasn't actually lonny ross (josh) doing those impressions of tracy and jack, right? whatever, this list blows anyway. i hope they didn't actually pay you to write this.
Um...in any ranking of funny people, Judah Friedlander should always come in last. Dead last. The man actually sucks the comedy out of a room.
I think Tina Fey's a good writer, but her character's not that funny. I didn't read the whole list, is Will Arnett's character on there, Devin Banks I think? I think he's the funniest person on the show when he's on.
I can't believe there are so many Tracy haters! You could just take every line of his from the show, put it in one giant episode, and I would watch it. In tears. Tears of joy. From laughing. "Fat neck girl let me count your neck rings."
It actually physically enrages me that someone made this list.
If you think Julianne Moore's Boston accent is good, you're either tone-deaf or have never been to Boston. And Matt Damon is better at comedy than anyone on this list except Alec Baldwin.
"Technology is cyclical." Dennis should be much higher!
Tracy is hilarious juxtaposed with Griz and Dot Com, great non sequiturs.
So, the list says: from Funniest to least funny
then why does it start at the least funny, lol?
I think this is an alriiggt this but it baffles me that Jack isn't at the top?!? Tinanfey has her odd funny moment but honestly Jack has never said something that I don't find hilarious and Jenna? Seriously? Hop 5 at least!
I've never seen Tracy Jordan as funny. Maybe I'm missing something here, but I just don't get it.
Where the hell is Rachel Dratch?
Drew Baird should be higher and where are Betty White as herself (I'll bury you, Tracy) and of course Bitch Hunter.
ummm. jonathan is singing "without you". i know, *really* difficult to figure out. seriously. DOES nerve have any copy-editors? cuz i'd totally take that job.
Danny should be 30, worst character ever. Cerie's Italian Senator Halloween costume is funnier than anything Danny's ever done.
I can't believe that Emily Mortimer's "Phoebe" is not on that list---as I read it from the bottom up I expected to find her in the Top 10--but she's nowhere to be found.
Loved Liz's (junior) agent, Simon. "I've seen some bras."
Very happy Dr. Spacemen is in the top 5. I love him.
Drop the mimosas, bitch!
1. floyd and drew should have different clips!! come on now, that's just phoning it in...
2. toofer scored better than julianne moore? really? when she was still married and trying to sell her house she had some amazing lines...the accent only made them more rediculously funny...
3. there are easily more than 20 clips of the interaction, usually over the phone, between carrol and liz that are too silly for words...like when he thinks they're going to crash and he wants her to hide the porn...
4. more people would understand why tracy is so high on the list if a better clip was shown...like when he's recalling his childhood...seeing a baby give another baby a tattoo, they were very drunk!
5. jonathan is singing the harry nilson classic "I can't live (if livin is without you)" which sounds NOTHING like "I will remember you...
6. great placement for devon, but how can you NOT show him pouring the juice down kenneth's throat? that was some of the best physical comedy I've ever seen...
7. dennis = HEY DUMMY.
I am a bit disappointed that MoonVest wasn't shown!!
GIMME YA FINGANAILS!!!
Pete is way funnier than 30! Him and Devon (Will Arnet) should switch places.
I might have put Tracy a little further down, a lot of the time I just find him irritating.
pete is waaay funnier than #30
Jonathan definitely sings "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan. Just watched the episode. His exact words are "I will remember you, will you remember me, don't let your life, pass you by..."
Gavin Valoure! Everybody wants to be Gavin Valoure! Steve Martin on the run from the law may be one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
Folks, regardless of whether or not you agree with the exact ranking of the characters on this list, I think it's pretty disconcerting that half the comments posted here are pointless IF YOU READ THE ARTICLE. Cases in point: The author gave us a caveat that any character NOT APPEARING ON MORE THAN ONE EPISODE wasn't considered for the list. So yeah, Steve Martin was awesome. He was also only on one episode, ergo he was not considered for the list. Ditto Liz's junior agent Simon; ditto Moonvest.
30 Rock is such a literate show. How did it capture the attention of so many non-readers?
So glad Jenna was lower on the list. She is the reason I almost quit watching. Now I just fast forward her on my dvr.
Jack should be number 1, not only is he the funniest on the show he's the only character on the show thats funny.
How are Bianca and Verna who have appeared TWICE on the show on this list and Sue Laroche Van-Der Hoot isn't!?
No complaints on this end, spimly a good piece.
Grade A stuff. I'm uqneutsionably in your debt.
Wodnreful explanation of facts available here.
Tracy Junior was hilarious...I'm just a kid; I shouldn't have to listen to that!
Jonathan sings both...in separate times so stop fighting about that.
IMO...Jenna needs to move up but this is pretty spot on.
tracy is just awful
why isnt jonathan top 10? tracy should not be top 5. why isn't sherrie shepard (sp?) on here? Maybe i missed her. and where is rachel dratch? ken and jenna should be top 2.
boo this list.
WHAT? I can't believe that Tracy Jordan is so far up and Pete Hornburger is so far back! I'd move Pete into the top 10, and Tracy Jordan would be near last. He has rarely made me laugh. Also, Spaceman would be number one and Kenneth at number two. As for the rest, I mostly agree.
Pete should be in the top 5. Adsit is a skilled comedian.
This is a terrible list. Of course this is all subjective. Griz and Dot Com should be in the top 5. Hornberger should be in the top ten, and Kenneth should be in the top three. Jenna and Tracy are the least funny things about the show.
Mm... interesting. I cannot stand Dennis or Dr. Spacemen, and I think Carol and... someone else (I am too lazy to go back through the list again) should be higher up on the list.
two words.
warewolf barmitzvah.
Spooky scarey. Hac! Love it! Jack's "girlfriends" shouldn't have placed. Everyone else is hilarious! Liz #1 absolutely.