Chris Rock
Birthday: February 7, 1966

The breaks: Growing up scrappy in Brooklyn with five younger siblings, Chris honed his own brand of humor: smart, dirty, political, offensive and hysterical. Discovered by idol Eddie Murphy on the stand-up circuit, Chris made his debut at age 21 in Beverly Hills Cop 2. He then had a three-year run on Saturday Night Live. Never afraid to raise a little Hollywood ire, Chris has spiced up a few otherwise ho-hum award's shows. Hosting gigs such as the MTV Video Awards (in 1997) got him in hot water: He ticked off already irritable Fiona Apple by calling her "Fiona X" after her onstage rant. While his movies haven't made too many waves ("Poorly done," chided critic Richard Roeper about Head of State, Chris's 2003 film jab at politics), he's still standing by stand-up -- with success. The 2000 DVD/CD/HBO special Bigger and Blacker was a smash across the board, and his current comedy tour, "The Black Ambition," is selling out. Yet Chris is still skeptical about his own success: "I'm not a superstar. Jim Carrey makes $20 million a movie. I make a weird face when they tell me I have to pay $8.50 to see one."

Funniest moments: Inciting the mock revolution as "Nat X," the hardcore Afro-wig-wearing host of the black power show The Dark Side on SNL.

Most romantic moment: Lance Barton finding love at first sight with lovely activist Sontee on the street -- just as he's hit by a truck (Down to Earth).

Sidekick: Married to wife Malaak Compton-Rock since 1996, the two now have a daughter, Lola Simone, born in June 2002.

Up next: Wrapping up the The Black Ambition tour and then voicing the zebra in the animated flick Madagascar, with Ben Stiller and David Schwimmer.

Next: Adam Sandler