Vanity Fair’s Tribute to the New Kings of Comedy

I don’t pay attention to major fashion magazines. I’m more into film trades or a good novel from time to time. Yet, every once in a while there’s that “special edition” or “collector’s issue” that comes out and gets me every time. This year my guilty pleasure is the latest issue of Vanity Fair. The above photo is just one of the many satirical images that feature some of today’s most popular funny men and women. The magazine highlights who they consider to be the new comedy legends of this generation. Some of their picks include actors who’ve just made their mark in recent years, while others have been around for ages.

More on Vanity Fair and the comedy legends photo spread after the jump.

I think it’s interesting that people consider Paul Rudd to be a new up in comer. This guy has been around for almost 20 years, appearing in both dramas and comedy’s. I’m pretty sure most of you remember him from the pop culture phenomenon Clueless, as Cher’s ex-step-brother, Josh. But it wasn’t until he appeared in 2004′s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy as Brian Fantana, that he started to get consistent screen time. Do we even need to mention Jason Bateman? This guy was raised in the business as a child star. Silver Spoons, Valerie, The Hogans, do any of these shows ring a bell? As for the ladies, Leslie Mann was in The Cable Guy which came out 13 years ago, while Anna Faris made her big screen debut in 2000 with Scary Movie. I wouldn’t consider any of the above actors “new,” but its great that they’re finally getting their just desserts.

I think the most fresh faced member of this new comedy troup is Bill Hader. When Saturday Night Live premiered after losing the majority of its heavy hitting stars everyone thought the show would tank. Rookie cast members Hader and Andy Samberg seemed like the new go-to-guys for the series. But am I the only one whose noticed how Hader has emerged from Samberg’s shadow in the past two years? He’s had parts in several blockbuster movies which include, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Tropic Thunder. This guy is definitely one to watch.

So, it’s official. This issue will end up in my hands at some point in the near future. As a theme for the photo spread, Vanity Fair payed homage to old Hollywood, while embracing the stars of today. Check out the gallery below to see what I mean.