13 Famous Hams Who Are Actually Terrified of the Limelight
![13 Famous Hams Who Are Actually Terrified of the Limelight](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/9/896519_320x180.jpg)
It’s easy to think that every comedian is so starved for attention that they’ll get up in front of anyone at any time. That may be true for a few fearless, natural performers, but like most of us, funny folks get the butterflies too. The pressure to perform at the highest level will do that. Whether they trust in their abilities or not, some of the funniest people on the planet know that laughs are not guaranteed. They’re out there on a limb, hoping for the best, and that (as we can all imagine) is pretty nerve-wracking. But they love it enough to power through, and that’s just commendable.
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Jerry Seinfeld said it best… “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” To be fair, Jerry, there’s a lot less pressure on the dead guy. He just gets to lie there, the lucky bastard. But it’s not just the average person. These 13 famous comedians would also hyperventilate before that eulogy, since they too are terrified of the limelight.
This wild and crazy anxiety of ours.
![Stage Fright Steve Martin I did have anxiety in my life. You're feeling something otherworldly with real anxiety. So embrace your nerves. That's an easy thing to say, not an easy thing to do, because then I would never be nervous. But I still do get nervous. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/7/0/896070.jpg)
Jenny Slate’s anxiety affects her physically.
![Stage Fright Jenny Slate In her 2019 Netflix special, literally titled Stage Fright, she says, I get such bad stage fright. It ruins my day. It f-s my body up. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/7/2/896072.jpg)
Netflix
His musical comedy was his “security blanket.”
![Stage Fright TEN SE Adam Sandler I was so nervous every time. Then I'd get up there and I wouldn't remember what I was supposed to say and go blank. And you have the guitar in your hands, and that way I was at least doing something. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/7/1/896071.jpg)
New Line Cinema
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I apologize, but I forgot all my lines.”
![Stage Fright John Goodman In the Broadway play Big River, he said he had DOD paralyzing stage stopping fright to the the point show - of to almost confess the to audience that he forgot all his lines. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/7/896067.jpg)
Yeah, it seems like ‘SNL’ would not help a panic disorder.
![Stage Fright Jay Mohr I used to have really bad panic disorder when I was on SNL. Then I got treated. For anybody reading this, if you have panic attacks, if you have depression, the manliest thing you will ever do is say, 'I need help.'' CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/9/896069.jpg)
Check out ‘The Tools’ for some, well, tools.
![Stage Fright Cathy Jones The prominent writer and performer on Canada's This Hour Has 22 Minutes said she wanted to die from the stress. A book called The Tools taught her to bring a stage version of herself onstage with her. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/8/896068.jpg)
It took Bobby Lee a long time to admit his stage fright struggles.
![Stage Fright Bobby Lee After hearing Whitney Cummings' story, he shared his bout with panic attacks from performance anxiety. I did this pilot in Chicago, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without beta blockers. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/5/896065.jpg)
There’s still a stigma around mental health meds, but they do help a lot of people.
![Stage Fright Whitney Cummings She's suffered from stress-induced migraines her entire life, and they're triggered by anticipating an event or big show. She found that beta blockers are a massive help. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/0/896060.jpg)
Looking back, it ain’t hard to tell.
![Stage Fright Mitch Hedberg Hiding behind his hair was no gimmick; he actually suffered from severe stage fright. Не was visibly shaken when a joke bombed, and was unable to sit in the silence, so those quick set-up/punch jokes allowed him to move on right away. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/6/896066.jpg)
Other than his first episode, you’d never know it.
![Stage Fright Bill Hader About his time on SNL, he said, I would have a full blown panic attack before each show. I would go into that bathroom, stand in a stall and just hyperventilate. I'll be honest, I'd cry a little bit. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/1/896061.jpg)
It took a long time for him to get comfortable on stage.
![Stage Fright I Jim Gaffigan It took me a while. I've heard that it can take 10 years for a comedian to find a voice, and I think it probably did take me 10 years. I had a lot of stage fright. It's a learning process and it didn't happen immediately for me. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/4/896064.jpg)
He seems a bit more comfortable on TV. Just a bit.
![Stage Fright Stephen Fry In 1995, his stage fright (and one bad review) had him quit the West End production of Simon Gray's Cell Mates. Не said that he had a heavy feeling every time he was on stage, and quit theater altogether. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/3/896063.jpg)
It’s hard to believe that Will Ferrell gets stage fright.
![Stage Fright Will Ferrell Не suffered serious stage fright that left him frozen to the spot on Step Brothers when he had to sing opera in front of 500 extras. That was one of the hardest things. I can do just about anything in front of a camera except try to legitimately sing an opera piece. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/2/896062.jpg)
Columbia Pictures