Recently, I’ve gotten really into watching Netflix’s wide array of stand-up comedian specials. My roommate last year was a big comedy fan and I jumped on the wagon when she showed me her favorites. There really is something for every humor type on Netflix, the comedians come in all shapes and sizes with different styles and messages. The following are just a few of my favorite stand-up comedians that I watch regularly and hope that someday will get more Netflix specials.
1. John Mulaney
Courtesy: Connecticut Public Radio
If you’ve never heard of John Mulaney, you might live under a rock. My friends and I constantly find ourselves referring to John’s jokes. He currently has three specials on Netflix: New in Town, The Comeback Kid, and Kid Gorgeous at Radio City. John balances his comedy with just the right amount of self-deprecating humor and his tone of voice that he uses on stage is funny in itself. To this day, I will never hear anything more relatable than the line, “This might as well happen.”
2. Iliza Shlesinger
Courtesy: Netflix
Iliza’s execution of her jokes gets me every time. She currently has four Netflix specials on Netflix: War Paint, Freezing Hot, Confirmed Kills and Elder Millennial. Iliza really caters to every woman who has been there and done that. Her humor is very feminist and gives men everything they need to know about women. I know I felt personally called out when she started talking about Pinterest that’s for sure. Fun fact about Iliza: she has a dog named Blanche.
3. Bo Burnham
Courtesy: The Daily Californian
A truly odd but entertaining man, Bo Burnham combines comedy with stage theatrics and music to bring joy and laughter to his audience. Bo has the most interesting way of telling his jokes, which is usually accompanied by a song and/or flashing lights. He has endless energy and is also not afraid to offend anyone with his off the wall comments. And if you saw Eighth Grade, the movie that came out last year, he directed that too.
4. Ali Wong
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Ali Wong never fails to make me laugh when she talks about all the things she would do if she were rich. Most of her content is based around her family life, as she is noticeably pregnant in both of her Netflix specials Baby Cobra and Hardknock Wife. She is so real and open about her life and her past, but her first show can be summarized by her lifelong dream of one day being a stay at home mom. Will these dreams be crushed once she finds out what it’s really like with an infant?
5. Hasan Minhaj
Courtesy: Salon
Hasan’s approach to comedy is centered around how his Muslim culture has affected him and what it means for him to be an American with immigrant parents. Hasan currently has a one hour-long special, Homecoming King, and a political satire Netflix show called Patriot Act. All of Hasan’s stories in Homecoming King are a great blend of heartfelt and hilarious about the ups and downs of growing up.
There are so many other stand-ups on Netflix that are worth watching if you have already seen these or they aren’t your cup of tea. There is a new Kevin Hart Netflix special that came out this month and a show compilation of different comics called The Standups, with each episode running around half an hour. So if you love to laugh, Netflix has got you covered.
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