In an era where comedians have to be careful with what they say, lest they offend some people and get cancelled, Anthony Jeselnik is one man who keeps on pushing the envelope and getting away with it. Synonymous for his brand of comedy which is often described as rude, amoral, arrogant, and dark, Jeselnik holds a deep belief in what he does and it is that belief that has led him to continue steadily honing his craft over the years.
That exemplary belief and dedication have paid off as Jeselnik is now one of the acclaimed comics in America. Somehow managing to make cracks about topics such as murder-suicide, spousal abuse, slavery, dead babies, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease, he has hosted several successful stand-up specials. He also has a thriving TV show as well as a podcast to his name. All this has enabled Anthony Jeselnik to build up a net worth now estimated at $3 million.
Breakdown of the Different Aspects of Anthony Jeselnik’s Comedy Career That Has Helped Him Build a Net Worth of $3 Million
He Has Hosted Several Celebrity Roasts as well as a TV Show on Comedy Central
Anthony Jeselnik got his first taste of fame and fortune on Comedy Central in the late 2000s and early 2010s. As the story goes, the Pennsylvania native fell in love with comedy as a child and grew up watching shows on networks such as Comedy Central. Despite this, he aspired to become a novelist and so went off to college to study English. While he was a student at Tulane University, an internship convinced him to switch attention to comedy once more and so upon graduation, he moved to Los Angeles.
In the City of Angels, Jeselnik worked a variety of odd jobs, including as an accounting clerk, before trying his hands at stand-up comedy. The reception to his dark material wasn’t so great but he forged ahead and subsequently landed a job on Comedy Central where he has penned the script for several celebrity roasts. He was then subsequently given the opportunity to perform his first roast, which was of Donald J. Trump, in 2010. The roast was so fantastic that the man being roasted didn’t even mind at all but rather loved Jeselnik’s performance. Fans equally loved it and this marked his breakout moment on the network.
Anthony Jeselnik would go on to headline two more roasts on the network, of Charlie Sheen in 2011 and Roseanne Barr in 2012. He also hosted his own show titled The Jeselnik Offensive in 2013. The show was later called off after two seasons and 18 episodes. The exact salary that he earned during his time on Comedy Central is not known but estimates show that the average per annum salary for employees is about $60k, meaning that he would have earned something in that region or higher as well.
Ten years later, this joke still holds up.
Unlike Comedy Central. https://t.co/sZ3150ThBw— Anthony Jeselnik (@anthonyjeselnik) December 29, 2020
Jeselnik Makes From $30,000 to $40,000 Per Stand-Up Event
The cancellation of The Jeselnik Offensive in 2013 was a blessing in disguise for Anthony as it gave him the opportunity to pursue his stand-up career. It also gave him the freedom to try out the darker materials that the network bosses were too scared to greenlight. To date, the Pennsylvania native remains quite active on the stand-up circuit and has performed at venues throughout the United States of America and even beyond.
Thankfully, his macabre sense of humor has caught on with the public and he sells out seats wherever he goes. It is now estimated that Anthony Jeselnik charges anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 per stand-up event.
Jeselnik Has Released Several Comedy Specials
Anthony Jeselnik also draws a significant portion of his net worth from his comedy specials. He has released several one-hour comedy specials over the years, including Caligula (2013), Thoughts and Prayers (2015), and Fire in the Maternity Ward (2019). Each of these specials has received good reviews from critics and has also been commercially rewarding for the comedian. For instance, it is known that Netflix pays comics anything from $50,000 to $20 million for one special with the common price tag being pegged at $500,000.
Given Jeselnik’s status in the industry, it will be reasonable to conclude that he received at least $500,000 for each of the specials that he has done for the network.
Merry Christmas! @anthonyjeselnik ran into Dog Walker Jesus and how @greggrosenthal kept Anthony out in his backyard for over an hour on his birthday. You need to listen all the way through to get to the best story of 2020. @EricaTamposi https://t.co/0V07zHuwG5 pic.twitter.com/uoUqXYt6k4
— All Things Comedy (@allthingscomedy) December 31, 2020
He Signed a Multi-Platform Development Deal with Comedy Central in September 2018
Anthony Jeselnik’s 2013 departure from Comedy Central did not mark the end of his association with the renowned network. He remained on good terms with them and in 2018, they offered him a multi-platform development deal. The deal remains in place to date and has seen Jeselnik host the comedic interview show, Good Talk with Anthony Jeselnik, on the network. The show premiered in September 2019 and sees him discussing all things related to comedy with one of his famous comedian friends. It has thus far been successful and has been renewed for a second season.
Another project that Jeselnik is carrying out as part of his deal with Comedy Central is an original weekly podcast titled The Jeselnik and Rosenthal Vanity Project. The podcast sees the comic and his good friend, former classmate, and NFL Network analyst, Gregg Rosenthal, discuss their shared appreciation for professional football. The podcast has equally been well received and this has justified the deal that Comedy Central has with Jeselnik.
Watch this tonight. I make David Spade recount every single time he's been assaulted and it fills most of the episode.
Comedy Central tonight at 11 pm. https://t.co/jq0ynywOj7— Anthony Jeselnik (@anthonyjeselnik) September 20, 2019
Highlights of All the Sources of Anthony Jeselnik’s Net Worth
- Initial Comedy Central Stint – $300,000
- Stand-up Gigs – N/A
- Netflix Specials – $1 million
- Second Comedy Central stint/multi-platform deal – N/A
Anthony Jeselnik Ranks in the Lower Rung of the Richest Comedians in the World
With a net worth of $3 million, one can certainly say that Anthony Jeselnik has done quite well for himself in his chosen career. His fortune is, however, not enough to make him one of the richest comedians in the world. In fact, the Pennsylvania native doesn’t even make it into the list of the 25 richest comedians in the world. Those who feature on that list have a fortune running into tens and hundreds of millions of dollars.
| S/N | Comedian | Estimated Net Worth |
| 1. | Kevin James | $80 million |
| 2. | Jon Stewart | $100 million |
| 3. | Jeff Foxworthy | $100 million |
| 4. | Chris Rock | $100 million |
| 5. | Martin Lawrence | $110 million |
| 6. | Steve Martin | $130 million |
| 7. | Sacha Baron Cohen | $130 million |
| 8. | Ricky Gervais | $130 million |
| 9. | Ray Romano | $130 million |
| 10. | Jeff Dunham | $140 million |
| 11. | Bill Maher | $140 million |
| 12. | Rowan Atkinson | $150 million |
| 13. | Conan O’Brien | $150 million |
| 14. | Terry Fator | $160 million |
| 15. | Steve Harvey | $200 million |
| 16. | Kevin Hart | $200 million |
| 17. | Seth MacFarlane | $300 million |
| 18. | Larry David | $400 million |
| 19. | David Letterman | $400 million |
| 20. | Adam Sandler | $420 million |
| 21. | Jay Leno | $450 million |
| 22. | Ellen DeGeneres | $490 million |
| 23. | Trey Parker | $600 million |
| 24. | Matt Stone | $700 million |
| 25. | Jerry Seinfeld | $950 million |
