Schumer, Hart, Pratt, Oliver Make Time’s 100 Most Influential
Time Magazine has put out its annual “100 Most Influential” issue and four of those spots were reserved for performers who influence comedy in the world. The list that includes world and industrial leaders, performers, icons and pioneers also includes Amy Schumer, Kevin Hart, Chris Pratt and John Oliver who were selected and honored with short essays in the magazine.
Amy Schumer was described in Time by Tilda Swinton as a school boy’s fantasy girl. The funny girl who was also kind and the smart girl who was also brave. She added “Amy’s got your back. She’s in your corner. She’s an honesty bomb. And she’s coming for you.”
Kevin Hart is at the “big-boy table” now according to Chris Rock. He described Hart’s comedy as “There’s the minute observations of Jerry Seinfeld, the family-oriented storytelling of Bill Cosby and the open-wound honesty of Richard Pryor. But mostly there’s a lot of Kevin Hart.” Saying that Kevin Hart is the biggest comedian in the country right now with no number two in sight, Rock wrote, “Hillary should announce Kevin as her running mate and be done with it.”
Amy Poehler wrote about her friend Chris Pratt. She wrote that Pratt is the perfect leading man because “…he looks like the perfect combination of a guy you know mixed with a guy you want to be.” His “Parks and Rec” co-star also talked about how easy comedy comes to Chris Pratt, writing, “He can land a joke with a natural ease that most people spend a lifetime trying to achieve.”
John Oliver uses his “Last Week Tonight” forum bravely and formidably. That’s from Elizabeth Bierman, the president of the Society of Women Engineers whose organization received scholarship help from Oliver. She wrote “John is powerful because he isn’t afraid to tackle important issues thoughtfully, without fear or apology. But he’s unique because he uses irreverent humor to make people think.”
The Time 100 Most Influential issue is available online and is on newsstands on Friday.
