For 15 seasons, Mad TV ran as one of the funniest television shows around. Fox's answer to NBC's wildly popular Saturday Night Live, the late-night sketch comedy series was loosely based on the Mad Magazine, which still runs today. The show ended back in 2009, before a 2016 revival that lasted a few months. At its peak, Mad TV was home to some of the most talented comedic actors around. These folks played memorable characters like Stuart, Ms. Swan, the UBS guy, Lorraine, and many others. We've picked out the funniest cast members in history and provided an update into their lives today.
Ike Barinholtz
One of the latest additions to the cast on this list is Ike Barinholtz. He wasn't always known for his original characters, but he was still a safe bet for a laugh with his impersonations. His spot-on Dane Cook was his best work. He also often showed off his Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Nick Lachey, and Ashton Kutcher. Barinholtz ultimately left the show after five seasons due to creative differences with the bosses. Ike Barinholtz has one of the most active careers of any Mad TV alum. He's been a significant part of The Mindy Project for several seasons and has most recently starred in movies like Neighbors, Blockers, and Suicide Squad.
Debra Wilson
Debra Wilson had one of the longer runs on the show, lasting from 1995 until 2003. She was most known for her original characters like annoying Latina Melina and blaxploitation actress Cocoa Lafette. But none stood out more than the fast-talking Bunifa Latifah Halifah Sharifa Jackson. Wilson also handled her fair share of celebrity impersonations, with the most popular being Orpah Winfrey. She's even parodied Oprah in films and other shows outside of Mad TV. Since leaving the show, she's continued to act steadily. Her voice work is heard in Hotel Transylvania 2 and Netflix's The Christmas Chronicles, but she's also appeared in The Last Sharknado: It's About Time and Bodied over the past few years.
Nicole Sullivan
Another original cast member, Nicole Sullivan is almost synonymous with the series. She often appeared alongside Debra Wilson in sketches to make for a hilarious tag team, mainly when they played Latina best friends Lida and Melina. Sullivan also played the dumb Antonia, racist country singer Darlene McBride, and her famously mean Vancome Lady. As different as each was, Sullivan nailed them all to perfection for some of the most memorable sketches during the show's run. You've seen Nicole Sullivan pop up in all sorts of different projects over the years. That includes Scrubs, Blach-ish, Family Guy, and most recently, DC Super Hero Girls.
Aries Spears
Aries Spears was the second-longest tenured member of the Mad TV cast, lasting from 1997 until 2005. It's almost impossible to name all of his great characters during that run. He often handled the most popular impersonations of African-American celebrities like DMX, Shaquille O'Neal, Mike Tyson, Denzel Washington, and Michael Jackson. Spears also came up with James Brown Jr. and Belma Buttons, who both hosted regular segments on the show. Aries Spears has found consistent work over the past few years. That includes voice acting, appearing in TV shows and movies, and continuing his longstanding standup comedy career.
Will Sasso
During his time on Mad TV, Will Sasso was a big deal. He was more well known than most fellow cast members due to a storyline appearance in the world of professional wrestling that also spilled over into Mad TV. His impersonation of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was so good that the WWE called him to do it on their flagship weekly television program. Sasso also played stars like Kenny Rogers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bill Clinton. Will Sasso has had key roles on shows like How I Met Your Mother and Shameless, as well as a starring role in The Three Stooges. 2020 will see him play the lead in a new ABC sitcom, United We Fall.
Phil LaMarr
Who could ever forget the energetic UBS Guy or the cool as a cucumber Funky Walker, Dirty Talker? Phil LaMarr was a cast member with a lot of experience in television even before joining the show. Once he was on, he became one of the most popular cast members thanks to the characters mentioned above and his impersonations. While you may not see much of Phil LaMarr anymore, you've heard him. He's nabbed hundreds of voice acting roles over the years. That includes TV shows like The Flash and Supergirl, as well as video games like Metal Gear Solid, Fortnite, and Mortal Kombat 11.
Bobby Lee
Bobby Lee was the only Asian-American cast member in the history of the show. Regardless of ethnicity, he was definitely one of the funniest. Most of his characters centered around being Asian like Kim-Jong-il, Hideki "The Average Asian," and hapless interpreter Bae Sung, and Connie Chung. In recent years, Bobby Lee has acted in just about everything. He was a central cast member on the ABC show Splitting Up Together, Netflix's Love, and he currently runs the TigerBelly Podcast with his girlfriend. It has almost 200 episodes and their YouTube channel has nearly 300,000 subscribers.
Alex Borstein
Alex Borstein played arguably the most famous character to ever appear on Mad TV. Everyone loved Ms. Swan, the annoying but aloof Asian woman dressed in bright colors. If her run on the show came in later years, you could bet Ms. Swan sketches would be some of the most watched videos on YouTube. She also played Cordo the Gap Troll and singer Jasmine Wayne-Wayne. Even more popular than Ms. Swan, Alex Borstein has gone on to portray Lois Griffin on Family Guy for over a decade. Borstein has also been a leading cast member on the Emmy Award-winning Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Susie Myerson, the manager of the protagonist. Her role there earned her a Best Supporting Actress Primetime Emmy.
Mo Collins
Another long-tenured member of the show, Mo Collins lasted from 1998 until 2004. Even after leaving the show, she was popular enough to be brought back for special episodes. Along with impressions of Pamela Anderson, Hilary Clinton, and Barbara Bush, Collins played a hilarious original character like no other. The annoying, odd, older woman named Lorraine Swanson was the star of some side-splitting sketches that need to be seen. After the show, Mo Collins got a recurring scene-stealing role as Joan Callamezzo on Parks and Recreation and most recently joined the cast of Fear The Walking Dead.
Michael McDonald
The top pick also happens to be the person who lasted the longest on the show. Michael McDonald was on the series from 1998 until 2008. He most notably parodied Carrie Bradshaw, while also giving us the gift of characters like The Depressed Persian Tow Truck Man, Rusty Miller, and Marvin Tikvah. Yet, Stuart ranks above them all. The sight of a grown man dressed and acting like a bratty child will always be funny. The funniest cast member played the most hilarious original character. It's fitting. Michael McDonald is still doing a lot of work today. He worked on Scrubs, Cougar Town, and currently stars on Nickelodeon's The Loud House. He's also directed episodes of Splitting Up Together and Man with a Plan.