Question: What was the profession of the person who was compared to the stage and motion picture actor, vaudeville performer, American cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator born in 1879?
Context: Robert North (or Bobby North; February 2, 1884 – August 13, 1976) was an American vaudeville performer who became a success as a stand-up comedian.  Later he became a prolific motion picture producer. Bee Ho Gray (born Emberry Cannon Gray on April 7, 1885 in Leon, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory - August 3, 1951 in Pueblo, Colorado) was a Western performer who spent fifty years displaying his skills in Wild West Shows, vaudeville, circus, silent films and radio.  While he was primarily known as an expert at trick roping, he was also skilled with knife throwing, bullwhips (specifically the Australian black snake whip), trick riding and the banjo.  He wove all of these skills together in a homely comic routine.  Throughout his long career he was constantly compared to Will Rogers, which was befitting, considering the two performers worked together several times and developed their acts together in the early 1900s. Audrey Stubbart (June 9, 1895–November 13, 2000) was an American centenarian who worked as a proofreader and newspaper columnist for "The Independence Examiner" until the age of 105.  Prior to her death she was the oldest verified newspaper columnist, the oldest known full-time employee, and possibly the oldest user of the Internet. Tom Mix (1880–1940) was an American motion picture actor, director, and writer whose career spanned from 1910 until 1935.  During this time he appeared in 270 films and established himself as the screen's most popular cowboy star.  Mix's flair for showmanship set the standard for later cowboy heroes such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.  His horse Tony also became a celebrity who received his own fan mail. John McIlwraith (died June 30, 2006) was a Scottish-Canadian humorist, radio broadcaster, newspaper columnist, and commentator. Michael A. Smerconish (born March 15, 1962) is an American radio host and television presenter, newspaper columnist, author, and lawyer.  He broadcasts "The Michael Smerconish Program" weekdays at 9:00 a.m. ET on SiriusXM's POTUS Channel (124), and hosts the CNN and CNN International program "Smerconish" at 9:00 a.m. ET, with a re-play at 6:00 pm ET on Saturdays.  He is a Sunday newspaper columnist for "The Philadelphia Inquirer".  Smerconish has authored six books: five non-fiction works and one novel.  He is also of counsel to the Philadelphia law firm of Kline & Specter. Jonathan Charles Gaunt (born 3 March 1961 in Coventry) is an English radio talk show presenter, TV personality, newspaper columnist, social commentator and spokesman. Amy Dickinson (born November 6, 1959) is an American newspaper columnist who writes the syndicated advice column "Ask Amy".  Dickinson has appeared as a social commentator on ABC's "Good Morning America" and NBC's "The Today Show". George Dunn (November 23, 1914 – April 27, 1982) was an American actor, humorist, vaudeville performer, and satirist.  He often portrayed Western characters in film and television.  His homespun wit, rope tricks, and satirizing of American life, politics, and sports reflected the strong influence Will Rogers had on him as an entertainer. William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was a stage and motion picture actor, vaudeville performer, American cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator.
Answer: was a Western performer