Buzz
In the world of comedy, one unbreakable rule stands firm: a comedian must never use another performer's material. However, with countless comedians drawing inspiration from everyday life, overlaps in humor—like jokes about airplane food—are inevitable. Accusations of joke theft are frequent, even targeting high-profile figures such as Conan O'Brien and Amy Schumer (Schumer has strongly denied any wrongdoing). Throughout comedy history, some instances of similarity have been too striking to overlook.
1. Milton Berle
The legendary entertainer, celebrated for his work in theater, film, radio, and television, once reigned as America's favorite comedian. His immense popularity secured him a 30-year deal with NBC and the affectionate title of Uncle Miltie.
However, among his peers, Berle earned the far less flattering moniker "The Thief of Bad Gag" due to his notorious habit of appropriating jokes. Comedy icon and occasional rival Bob Hope once quipped that Berle "never encountered a joke he didn't take." Similarly, Jack Benny justified his use of Berle's material by stating, "Taking a joke from Milton Berle isn't theft—it's repossession."
Unlike many others accused of joke theft, Berle never made efforts to shake off this reputation. He humorously told Larry King, "I don't steal jokes. I simply find them before they go missing."
2. Carlos Mencia
The former Comedy Central star of Mind of Mencia has faced plagiarism accusations from figures like George Lopez—who allegedly confronted Mencia over a stolen routine—to South Park. The most notable incident, however, came from a viral video by comedian Joe Rogan. In the clip, Rogan storms onstage during Mencia's 2007 performance at the Comedy Store in L.A., dubbing him "Men-Steal-ia" among other colorful epithets.
3. Dane Cook
Dane Cook achieved the height of stand-up comedy fame in 2005 when his album Retaliation soared to #4 on the Billboard chart. This success led to sold-out arena shows, unsuccessful film ventures, and tabloid attention, which fueled a strong anti-Dane sentiment in the comedy community. This scrutiny brought intense focus on Cook's material, resulting in numerous accusations of joke theft. A notable example involves a routine strikingly similar to one by Louis C.K., one of today's most respected comedians. While compilations suggest Cook has used at least three of Louis' bits, Louis C.K. has largely dismissed the issue, quipping, "I'm not going to court over a bit called 'Itchy A**hole.'" For consistency, Joe Rogan has also accused Cook of joke theft.
4. Robin Williams
Before winning an Oscar, Robin Williams was infamous among comedians for stealing material. He was even accused of using others' jokes on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. A popular story recounts how comedians would halt their performances upon seeing Williams in the audience to prevent him from jotting down their best lines. In Richard Zoglin's book Comedy at the Edge, David Brenner reportedly threatened Williams' agent, saying, "Tell Robin if he ever takes one more line from me, I'll rip his leg off and shove it up his [bleep]!" Williams later reflected on his early days in comedy, admitting to not fully grasping the implications of borrowing material during a 2010 conversation with Marc Maron, humorously calling it "joke sampling."
5. Jay Mohr
The former Last Comic Standing host has openly admitted to plagiarizing comedy material. In his 2004 book Gasping For Airtime, which details his chaotic two-season run on Saturday Night Live, Mohr describes a notorious incident where he used a New York comedian's joke and adapted it into a sketch. NBC eventually settled with the original joke creator, but Mohr faced no significant consequences.
6. Denis Leary
The Rescue Me actor has faced accusations of not only borrowing jokes but also adopting the entire onstage persona of the late cult comedian Bill Hicks. Additionally, he has been accused of taking material from prominent figures like Judd Apatow and Louis C.K. Hicks, who was once close friends with Leary, ended their friendship due to the numerous jokes allegedly taken for Leary's No Cure for Cancer album. In a 1993 interview with Austin Comedy News, Hicks humorously remarked, "I have a scoop for you. I stole his act. I disguised it with punchlines, and to really throw people off, I did it before he did." Hicks tragically passed away from cancer the next year.
This piece originally ran in 2010.
