Seinfeld may be his generation’s defining sitcom star. Gilda broke through on late night with heartbreaking, hilarious character work, while Kaufman introduced anti-comedy and surrealism to the masses. Tomlin was another brilliant character comic, from Laugh-In to her game-changing 1970s comedy specials to her Tony-winning turn in The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.
But we’re going to cheat here and name co-comedy icons in the Boomer comedian category. Richard Pryor essentially redefined the form, bringing brutal honesty and aching vulnerability to the stand-up stage. If the Baby Boomers represented revolution -- at least in their younger days before they got so heavily vested in the S&P 500 -- Pryor was its comedy manifestation. No one before Pryor was so frank in discussing politics, race, and social justice.