Tom Hanks, one of the great actors and certainly my favorite star of Justin Bieber's Instagram, turns 58 today. Let's celebrate by considering a deep thought: Is it possible that Tom Hanks is underrated as a funny performer? We know he won Oscars for “Philadelphia” and “Forrest Gump,” but so much of his filmography is quirkier and funnier than those classics. Does he deserve more credit for making us laugh? Let's take a look at a few clips to think about it.
Exhibit A: He recreated the rap from “Big” on Jonathan Ross' show, and it went over really well.
Exhibit B: He has a surefire, hilarious way to learn a Scottish accent.
Exhibit C: He doesn't even need words to be funny. Here he is boogying down in perhaps his finest film, “Joe Versus the Volcano.”
Exhibit D: He can even get a big laugh at a memorial service. Here is telling a story about the late actor Michael Clarke Duncan, his costar from “The Green Mile.”
And best of all, Exhibit E: He learned the hard way that you don't have to be funny sometimes. This “Splash” read-through anecdote is hilarious.
What's Tom's funniest moment? Is he underrated?