It’s been said that the Irish have the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to the trip. With their tradition of storytelling and ability to maintain a sense of humor through the darkest of times, it’s no wonder that some of the most popular comedic actors on television are of Irish descent. Since this week marks the annual donning of the green, St. Patrick’s Day, grab a green beer and watch our collection of some of the funniest Sons and Daughters of Erin on TV today. Sláinte! — Martin Moakler, Hulu’s Content Editor, for the Yahoo! TV Blog
Alec Baldwin
Baldwin made the meteoric rise from Studio 54 busboy to movie star, and through his sitcom work of the past decade, he’s reinvented himself as a true comedic legend. But as his 30 Rock character Jack Donaghy explains, no matter what heights an Irishman reaches, he can never transcend guilt.
Denis Leary
The son of Irish immigrants, Leary was part of a wave of Boston comics that changed the voice of 1980s standup. Known for his angry, in-your-face rants, one could ask, “Did you kiss the Blarney Stone with that mouth?” to which Leary would reply “Abso-freakin’-lutely” (except he would probably use a word other than “freakin’”).
Ed O’Neill
O’Neill came to fame playing patriarch to the worst family in TV history, the Bundys. After a decade playing Irish cops, he shows a softer side as father/stepfather/grandfather on Modern Family, where he puts forth a tough facade but ultimately will go to crazy lengths to ensure his family’s happiness.
Jane Lynch
Since coming on our radar in Christopher Guest’s movies, Lynch has proven that there isn’t a role she can’t nail. And as Sue Sylvester in Glee, she delivers a brusque Celtic forthrightness that demonstrates why no Irish child has to be told twice to clean his room.
Jimmy Fallon
Fallon got a young start on SNL with his spot-on celebrity impersonations and crazy characters, which he continues to do on his eponymous talk show. But take a look back at “The Boston Teens” sketch in which his character Sully reminds us of our younger Irish cousins in the Northeast.
Who is your favorite Irish funnyman? Leave it in the comments!
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Ah. makes sense.
Varun,
We focused on some of the comedians that are currently available on Hulu. Unfortunately we do not have streaming rights to any of Conan’s earlier shows anymore.
jay leno?
conan!
Seriously no Conan O’Brien? Is hulu so deep in NBC’s pocket that it can’t include the most famous Irish comedian of the last two decades? Not satisfied with wiping every trace of his work from the site eh?