Over the past week and a half, I’ve been hit with both the Kenyon Krud and bronchitis. I’ve had multiple papers due and an exam. I went through tech week for a show and then three nights of performances. Add that on top of school work and on-campus jobs, my little body and brain are very, very stressed out.
And as we move into the end of the semester, I know things will only get harder and more stressful as finals get closer and closer. People have a lot of ways of coping with stress and for me, I tend to watch movies, TV and listen to podcasts. However, there is nothing quite like escaping an anthropology research paper, 250 pages of reading, and trying to not cough up a lung via watching stand-up comedy.
I started watching Saturday Night Live when I was pretty young. (Thanks, Dad.) I have a memory of sitting on the floor in my living room in Montana watching it for the first time and I must have been around six or seven. When my family got a Netflix subscription, I had already been watching stand-up specials for many years on Comedy Central. But Netflix opened up a bunch of new doors for watching some really funny people say some really funny things.
So to help you and me escape from impending finals doom, here are 5 stand-up comedy specials to check out on Netflix.
1. Louis C.K. 2017
Louis C.K. is not everyone’s cup of tea. He often toes the line of “interesting social commentary” and “oh my god how offensive” in all of his comedy specials. He often talks of fatherhood and trying to find romantic relationships as an aging man. He’s famous for using misery and self-deprecation in his specials. His 2017 special is no different. However, he does rely heavily on the political commentary side of his humor, especially in the first half of the show. He talks about gun rights, abortion, and suicide, amongst other topics. This certainly is not my favorite Louis CK special, but it’s the one I’m thinking about the most right now. If you’re new to Louis, I fully suggest started with Hilarious or Chewed Up (both of which are also on Netflix) because they exemplify his brand of humor and concentrate more on his domestic life jokes.
Louis CK not dark or offensive enough for you? I’m obsessed with Anthony Jeselnik and his special, Thoughts and Prayers, toes the “is this okay?” line closer than anybody else.
2. Bo Burnham: Make Happy
Full disclosure: I’m in love with Bo Burnham. I’ve had a crush on him since I was 14 years old and started listening to his music. And now, at 19 going on 20, the love is still very much alive. Like Louis C.K., Burnham focuses on topical issues like misogyny and homophobia, but also talks about his personal existential crises and love life. However, unlike most stand-up, Burnham uses music, lots of special effects, and comedic bits in his specials. His best song from Make Happy is “Straight White Man.”
Yet, a word of caution: Burnham’s special does not end on a ha-ha moment. He gets really existential at the end, so if you’re looking for something truly light hearted, but in the Bo-style, try Bo Burnham’s what. or Demetri Martin LIVE
3. Ali Wong: Baby Cobra
I’m not a huge fan of Amy Schumer, Chelsea Handler, and Sarah Silverman, who are often looked at as the pinnacle of female stand-up and talk show humor. However, Ali Wong’s Baby Cobra is one of the best stand-up comedy specials I’ve ever seen and I wish more female comedians (and male comedians) would follow her model over the Amy Schumer “what’s the grossest thing I can say?” model. Ali Wong performed this stand-up special whilst very, very pregnant and it is both fierce and hilarious. In the special, Wong also discusses her sexual exploits, hoarding, and critiques feminism. It’s both funny and poignant and I can’t wait to see more from Ali Wong.
Want more great stand-up comedy from women? Check out Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint and Chelsea Peretti’s One of the Greats.
4. Myq Kaplan: Small Dork and Handsome
I wanted to talk about more than just like “big” stand-up comedians in this article, so instead of choosing a Jim Gaffigan, Jeff Dunham, or a Mike Birbiglia special to fill this slot (although I highly recommend them too), I wanted to talk about a stand-up special on Netflix that I really love but has not had as many views. Myq Kaplan is a stand-up comedian who I discovered on a comedy binge about two years ago. His special, Small Dork and Handsome, discusses time travail, atheism, sex, and a really weird story about a croissant. Whenever people want stand-up to watch, I tend to recommend this one because most people have not seen it. He tends to be a lot wordier than most comedians, focusing primarily on “high brow” comedy.
5. John Mulaney’s New in Town
I couldn’t write an article on stand-up without talking about my favorite stand-up comedian, John Mulaney. Mulaney currently has two specials on Netflix––New in Town and The Comeback Kid––but if you’ve never watched him before, I would recommend starting with New in Town, which is his earlier work. John Mulaney tends to be a little more light hearted and whimsical with him comedy, covering topics in this special such as Blockbuster video, quicksand, potential ghosts, and why Delta Airlines is a nightmare. John Mulaney is one of the funniest people on the planet right now and even though I’ve seen or listened to most of his work many, many times, it still makes me laugh.
It was truly hard for me to only choose a few specials to talk about for this article. If you’re really just jonesing for some stand-up, I have some honorable mentions: Donald Glover’s Weirdo (God, is that guy just so multitalented), Aziz Ansari’s Dangerously Delicious, Tom Segura’s Mostly Stories, and Anjelah Johnson’s The Homecoming Show.
I hope you are now equipped to laugh through the rest of this semester. This time of year is rough for just about everyone, so take a study break with your friends to watch Aziz Ansari talk about having sex with mac ‘n cheese or John Mulaney’s weird boss who quacked when it rained. Laughter is better together, and the same can be said for making it through finals.