I recently got into watching stand-up comedians. They’re great for when you’re not in a mood to listen to music but you still want to have some kind of background noise. I personally, love listening to stand-ups during long road trips or during your commute. I recommend starting with John Mulaney’s The Comeback Kid and then watching his other specials. If you like those, you might want to try Hassan Minhaj’s Homecoming Kid to his more recent show, Patriot Act.
Here’s my list of stand-up comedians that I think you’ll love:
1. Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife
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She starts out by saying how “I heard all the asians have congregated in this theatre tonight.” She goes on to say how grateful she is for the support. Wong is brutally honest and snarky. If you haven’t already seen her in “Always be my Maybe” you should watch it first to see if her stand-up comedy is for you.
2. Katherine Ryan: Glitter Room, In Trouble
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Ryan talks about how a lot of young women respond positively to her sense of humor. She said, “Sir, I can see you.” Apparently the dad brought a 17 year old girl and Ryan goes, “So like a daddy daughter night out? Well done. She just told me her mom hates everything I do.” I love her impersonations and how she has a lot of powerful messages. In the Glitter Room, she talks about her british daughter and how a man told her that no one will go out with her if she has a glitter room in the house. She goes on to say I made that Glitter room anyway and it’s the best part of the house. If you’re a fan of Hamilton, you’ll love the bit she does on it in her comedy specials on Netflix.
3. Colleen Ballinger: Miranda Sings Live… you’re welcome!
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Fans of Miranda Sings will love this show. However, if you’re not a huge fan of hers, then you might want to skip this one since it’s essentially a love letter to her fans. She’s accumulated over 2 billion fans on YouTube. It aired on June 4th this year and it’s still on Netflix for those of you who still want to watch it.
4. Aziz Ansari: Right Now
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Ansari is best known for his role on Parks & Recreation as Tom Haverford. In his comedy sketch, he discusses race and discrimination. He also makes some pretty valid points on these issues.
5. Jerry Before Seinfield
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Seinfeld fans will love this comedy special! If you’re a die-hard Seinfeld fan, then this episode is for you.
6. Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark
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I loved Trevor Noah’s sense of humor and if you haven’t already listened to it, then you should. If you’re a fan of The Daily Show, then you should watch this
7. Kevin Hart: Irresponsible
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This isn’t for everyone, but it’s generally good to watch with friends rather than family members.
Overall, if you’re into podcasts or spend most of your free time watching comedy skits on YouTube; these recommendations might ignite a love for stand-up comedians. These specials have everything from lighthearted humor, snarky witty lines, to dark humor if that’s your thing. They’re typically an hour, but you don’t realize how long it is when you’re just listening to them.