Comedy bromances have ruled the stage and screen since before the term ‘bromance’ existed. Where would pin-thin Laurel be without portly Hardy? Can you imagine pioneering TV show Laugh-In without Rowan AND Martin? Or a world without Cheech and Chong or even Bert and Ernie? Or my favorite improvisors TJ & Dave? I can’t. Just like it’s hard to fathom performing my show Ted Greenberg’s The Complete Performer week in and week out without my silent, dance-loving sidekick, Mascot Greenberg.
 

 
In honor of Valentine’s Day and Mascot Greenberg, I rank the top five comedy bromances of all time.
 
5) Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zack Galifianakis on the recently canceled Brooklyn-set show Bored to Death. This three-way bromance among writer Jonathan Ames (Schwartzman), high class editor George Christopher (Ted Danson) and comic book author Ray Hueston (Galifianakis) is at first glance one of the oddest ‘couplings’ in TV history, but it works because of their magnetic chemistry and crazy hijinks. From the sixth episode of season one – ‘The Beautiful Blackmailer’ – Schwartzman, Danson and Galifianakis hit their comedic stride and never looked back. There’s nothing like using a hobby horse as a deadly weapon.
 

 
4) Harold and Kumar aka John Cho and Kal Penn. With three films under their belts, Harold and Kumar are still getting into trouble and finding it hard to shake Neil Patrick Harris. It’s difficult to turn a trip to White Castle into comic gold, but Harold and Kumar did just that in the first installment ‘Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.’ They upped the ante on the stoner comedy, and the world is better for it.
 

 
3) Penn and Teller. They are a walking pair of contradictions. Talkative Penn, at over 6’6″, towers over mute Teller, who stands at 5’9″. I’ve got a soft spot for the duo because of their love of magic and like Teller, the Mascot is a brilliant silent sidekick.
 

 
2) Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. Richard Pryor was a comic genius, and in wild-haired Gene Wilder, he had the perfect comic foil. In ‘Silver Streak’ and ‘Stir Crazy,’ Pryor and Wilder played off of each other brilliantly. The ‘we bad’ scene from ‘Stir Crazy’ holds up more than 30 years later. Here’s a NSFW short clip. Prison has never been this much fun.
 

 
1) Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. Rudd, who has starred Off-Broadway in Neil LaBute’s acerbic plays Bash and The Shape of Things, plays more jovial characters on screen. He and Segel have each had golden moments with Seth Rogen. Rudd and Rogen were slacker cool in ’40 Year Old Virgin’ while Segel and Rogen shined in the show that kickstarted their careers, ‘Freaks and Geeks.’ As wonderful and hilarious as those moments are, nothing beats Rudd and Segel in ‘I Love You, Man,’ the ultimate bromance movie. Before his marriage, Peter Klaven (Rudd) goes on a series of man-dates in search of a best friend and best man. His instant chemistry with Sydney Fife (Segel) threatens his impending nuptials, and puts in sharp relief how important friendships are. Rudd and Segel make me want to get married again just to have a best man.
 

 
What’s your favorite comedy bromance?
 
How ’bout them Giants?