Comedian: Chris Rock

Even when cracking jokes that make us cringe, he shows us that laughter can be the best revenge

Chris Rock's voice is a marvel in and of itself, an unlikely fusion of gravel and pipsqueakitude. Always shouting but miraculously never hoarse, he's the bastard vocal son of Redd Foxx and Rosie Perez. And when it comes to American Bestness, Rock may be this project's least controversial selection. After all, TIME has already labeled the 35-year-old comedian "the funniest man in America" in a previous issue. His professed admirers include peers such as Woody Allen ("I'd love to work with him"), Richard Pryor ("Does he remind me of me? I'm afraid so") and Jerry Seinfeld ("It's the yelling that makes...

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