Best Stand Up

Chappelle’s Show was an American sketch comedy series created by Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, premiering on Comedy Central in 2003. The show ran for two seasons, with a third season consisting of three previously unreleased episodes airing in 2006. Dave Chappelle served as the host and primary p...

Bo Burnham: Inside is a 2021 Netflix television special created and performed by comedian Bo Burnham. Shot entirely within a single room during COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s notable for its innovative approach to stand-up comedy blending musical performance with introspective commentary on social media,...

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a comedy-drama television series set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, focusing on Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a housewife who begins a career as a stand-up comedian following her divorce. The show stars Rachel Brosnahan and features a supporting cast including Alex Borstein...

*Rant in E-Minor* is a posthumous album by American stand-up comedian Bill Hicks, released in 1997 on Rykodisc, three years after his death from pancreatic cancer at age 32. Compiled from performances recorded in 1992 and 1993, the material presents Hicks's sustained critiques of American politics,...

Bill Hicks’ “Relentless” offers a raw and uncompromising look at the comedian’s perspective on society, religion, and consumerism. Recorded in London in 1992, this television special showcases his distinctive blend of sharp wit and challenging observations. It is notable for its intellectual depth a...

Born Standing Up details Steve Martin’s formative years in American comedy. The book recounts his relentless pursuit of stand-up success during the 1970s, showcasing the evolution of his distinctive absurdist style. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of modern comedy and...

Robin Williams: A Night at the Met is a 1986 HBO stand-up comedy special filmed at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Williams moves rapidly among character voices, physical comedy, topical observations, and improvised-seeming transitions, reflecting the performance style associated with...

Jerrod Carmichael’s Rothaniel is a comedy television special presented by the acclaimed stand-up performer. The show gained significant attention through Carmichael's deeply personal and public declaration of his sexual orientation. It offers an intimate exploration of identity and family relationsh...

George Carlin’s “Back in Town” showcases the iconic comedian's sharp, observational stand-up routines recorded in New York City during 1996. The special offers a potent distillation of his signature style—a fearless examination of American society and language through a deliberately provocative lens...

Live at the Apollo is a long-running BBC television series showcasing British stand-up comedy performances. The show’s significance lies in its consistent platform for emerging and established comedians to perform live to a large audience within the iconic Apollo Theatre in London. It’s primarily ai...

Sarah Silverman remains a powerhouse of sharp, boundary-pushing comedy. Her material masterfully blends biting social satire with deeply personal, often controversial, observations. She excels at tackling modern cultural hypocrisies, using rapid-fire wit and impeccable timing. She is ideal for audie...

Dave Chappelle’s “Killin’ Them Softly” is a significant 2000 stand-up comedy performance broadcast by HBO. The special showcased Chappelle's sharp observational humor and distinctive delivery during this pivotal moment in his career. It established him as a leading voice in contemporary comedy. This...

Moms Mabley was an American stand-up comedian and a trailblazing figure in the entertainment industry who performed from the 1920s through the 1960s. She achieved wide success on the Chitlin' Circuit, a network of venues that provided commercial opportunities for Black entertainers during segregatio...

Redd Foxx (1922–1991), born John Elroy Sanford in St. Louis, Missouri, was an American comedian and actor who starred as Fred Sanford on the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son (1972–1977). Before mainstream television success, Foxx performed stand-up on the Chitlin' Circuit and recorded numerous adult-orien...

Dave Chappelle’s “For What It’s Worth” is a 2004 live stand-up performance showcasing his sharp social commentary and observational humor. The special, originally broadcast on Showtime, remains notable for its candid discussions about race, politics, and American culture. It's appreciated by fans of...

Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979) presents a seminal stand-up comedy performance by the iconic Richard Pryor. The recording captures his raw and insightful observations on race, society, and personal experience during a pivotal moment in his career. This special is significant for its unfiltered...

“Nanette” is a 2018 television special featuring comedian Hannah Gadsby. The performance uniquely subverts traditional stand-up comedy through a live, spoken-word format exploring themes of trauma and personal history. Gadsby’s work examines the role of the audience in comedic performances and its i...

Chris Rock’s “Bring the Pain” is a landmark 1996 HBO stand-up special featuring the comedian at his most provocative. The performance showcases Rock's sharp social commentary and fearless delivery, solidifying his status as a leading voice in comedy. It remains notable for its raw energy and willing...

Dick Gregory was an American comedian and prominent civil rights activist who broke racial barriers in stand-up comedy during the early 1960s. He became one of the first Black comedians to perform for mainstream white audiences in major clubs, using his platform to deliver sharp satire on racism and...

Billy Crystal is an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer who gained prominence as a stand-up comedian before becoming a film and television star. He hosted the Academy Awards ceremony nine times between 1990 and 2012, and is known for his roles in films including When Harry Met Sally (1989...

Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special is a posthumous stand-up comedy special released by Netflix in 2022. Macdonald recorded the performance alone at home in a single take in 2020 because he was preparing for a medical procedure and wanted the material preserved in case he could not perform it before an...

Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin is a stand-up comedy special released by Netflix in 2017. Filmed at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles in 2016, it features Chappelle discussing celebrity culture, race, family life, and his encounters with O.J. Simpson. Netflix released it alongside Deep in the H...

John Mulaney’s “Kid Gorgeous at Radio City” (2018) is a live stand-up comedy performance recorded at New York's iconic Radio City Music Hall. The special showcases Mulaney’s signature storytelling style blending personal anecdotes with sharp observations about everyday life. It gained recognition th...

Patton Oswalt’s “Annihilation” is a 2017 Netflix stand-up special where the comedian confronts profound grief following his wife's passing. It’s notable for its unflinching honesty and skillful integration of deeply personal experiences into his observational comedy style. The special resonates part...

Robin Williams: An Evening at the Met (1986) is a live stand-up comedy special featuring the comedian’s distinctive and incredibly fast-paced improvisation. Recorded at the Metropolitan Opera House, it demonstrates Williams' unparalleled comedic timing and observational humor. This performance remai...

Maria Bamford’s “The Special Special Special!” offers intimate comedy through a distinctive format. Filmed in her home with only her parents as an audience, this 2012 Comedy Central special showcases Bamford's signature observational humor and explorations of mental health. It’s notable for its unco...

Gary Gulman’s “The Great Depresh” offers a candid exploration of his personal experience with severe clinical depression. The HBO special documents his immersive residency at the Central Park South Psychiatric Hospital, a former institution now used for urban exploration. It provides a unique and un...

Robin Williams’ 1986 HBO special “An Evening at the Met” showcases a remarkably energetic and improvisational stand-up routine delivered within the historic setting of the Metropolitan Opera House. The performance is notable for its raw spontaneity and Williams' distinctive comedic style. It appeals...

Steve Martin Teaches Comedy is an instructional video course from MasterClass led by Steve Martin, an American comedian, actor, writer, and playwright. Drawing on his experience in stand-up, film, television, and writing, Martin discusses developing comic material, finding an individual voice, editi...