The Funniest Stand Up Comedy Specials On Netflix
Those in need of a good laugh can usually find exactly what they are looking for with a Netflix subscription. One of the reasons why the platform is one of the best streaming services to subscribe to is its near countless number of stand-up comedy specials that have sparked the on-stage revival of various beloved legends or helped skyrocket the careers of comedy’s most promising voices.
As you might imagine, however, there are almost too many stand-up comedy specials to choose from, so what are the funniest available to stream now? Let us see if we can help you narrow down your choices for your next night of laughs with our picks for the funniest stand-up comedy specials available on Netflix.
John Mulaney: Baby J (2023)
In his first special since his stint in rehab, John Mulaney details his struggles with that life-changing occasion, shares other revealing personal anecdotes, and tells some of his best jokes ever, making Baby J some of the comic’s finest work yet.
Stream John Mulaney: Baby J on Netflix.
Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016)
While several months pregnant with her first child, Ali Wong – future Emmy-winning star of one of the best A24 TV shows, Beef – performs what is widely considered to be some of her best and most insightful work in Baby Cobra.
Stream Ali Wong: Baby Cobra on Netflix.
Deon Cole: Cole Hearted (2019)
Black-ish star and former Conan writer Deon Cole’s debut Netflix special, Cole Hearted, sees him riff on the true meaning behind the name “Arby’s,” explaining when and why to give thanks to Jesus, and demonstrate why comedy is the last raw form of expression.
Stream Deon Cole: Cole Hearted on Netflix.
Little Big Boy may boast the most mature material we have seen yet from Nick Kroll, but don’t be surprised when the Big Mouth co-creator throws in a fart joke.
Stream Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy on Netflix.
Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer (2024)
Not to be confused with a certain Oliver Stone film, Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer sees the British comedian continue to deliver his signature, shamelessly crass, but undeniably clever, one-liners, which cover everything from veganism, anti-vaxxers, and how to practice proper consent.
Stream Jimmy Carr: Natural Born Killer on Netflix.
Steve Martin And Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life (2018)
Steve Martin and Martin Short are at their best when they are together and the Only Murders in the Building cast members deliver something truly unforgettable in An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life, which consists of witty banter, uproarious sketches, and a few moments of great music.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (2023)
Netflix’s very first live special, Selective Outrage, saw Chris Rock reveal his thoughts on Will Smith slapping him at the Oscars, among other topics, in front of a Baltimore audience.
Stream Chris Rock: Selective Outrage on Netflix.
Taylor Tomlinson: Look At You (2022)
Still in her 20s, Taylor Tomlinson proved herself to be one of the sharpest and boldest comedians working today with her brilliant debut special, Quarter-Life Crisis, in 2020. However, the gold standard of her career might be her second Netflix original, Look at You, for how she cleverly turns her own struggles with family, friends, and romance after being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, into one hour of laugh-a-minute delight.
Stream Taylor Tomlinson: Look at You on Netflix.
Mike Birbiglia: Thank God For Jokes (2017)
The state of comedy as we know it is a hotly debated topic these days and Mike Birbiglia believes it really all comes down to one thing: it has been ruined by people who are bad at telling them or try to hide behind their own mistakes by vocally claiming they are “just joking.” Well, the recurring Orange is the New Black cast member and three-time interim Jimmy Kimmel Live host is on a mission to preserve the art with his first Netflix special (out of four currently available on the platform), Thank God for Jokes.
Stream Mike Birbigila: Thank God for Jokes on Netflix.
Demetri Martin: Live (At The Time) (2015)
I have always thought of Demetri Martin as the Bob Dylan of comedy – mostly because he often wears a harmonica around his neck while playing guitar during musical interludes, but also for his inventive, obscure approach to the art, involving illustrated sight gags or edits to his special that add a wonderfully meta commentary. The former Daily Show correspondent presents what may be the funniest display of his irreverent style with his first Netflix special, Live (At the TIme) – a title that is totally on-brand for the comic.
Stream Demetri Martin: Live (At the Time) on Netflix.
Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh (2018)
A stand-up icon who always loves to incorporate music into his act is Adam Sandler, the SNL cast member-turned-cinematic comedy superstar-turned-acclaimed dramatic thespian (i.e. his acclaimed performance in Uncut Gems). Before taking that award-winning role, the “Sandman” reignited his stand-up presence with this Netflix special on which he raps about our over-reliance on technology, pays tribute to the late Chris Farley, and gives us more material that is truly 100% Fresh.
Stream Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh on Netflix.
Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours To Kill (2020)
Netflix is the ultimate hub for content related to Jerry Seinfeld, as it’s the one place you can stream Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, his groundbreaking self-titled series from the ‘90s (and one of the all-time best sitcoms), and other titles, including this original special. The comedy icon certainly kills in 23 Hours to Kill by bringing his signature observational style to topics like how similar the words “sucks” and “great” truly are, how different talking and texting are, and more.
Stream Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill on Netflix.
Patton Oswalt: Annihilation (2017)
Former The King of Queens cast member and Ratatouille star Patton Oswalt has always had a bold and boisterous on-stage presence, whether he is poking fun at politics or at himself. However, the actor and comedian (who also lends to his voice to Netflix’s The Sandman cast) has never been more candid about either topic than in his second special for the platform, Annihilation – half of which is devoted to honoring his late wife and the mother of his daughter, true crime author Michelle McNamara.
Stream Patton Oswalt: Annihilation on Netflix.
Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery (2017)
In 2021, we lost beloved comedian and former SNL star Norm Macdonald to a private, nine-year battle with cancer. Remember the joy he brought to the world of comedy with his first Netflix original special, Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery – one of his finest career efforts for brilliant takes on mundane topics like the abbreviation for “identification” and his analysis of Germany’s volatile place in history.
Stream Norm Macdonald: Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery on Netflix.
Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)
After taking a hiatus from stand-up, Bo Burham was planning on returning to the stage right as Covid-19 put most public appearances on hold, as he reveals in this bizarre and bitingly funny project he wrote, performed, and shot entirely on his own and in one single room during the pandemic. While this special barely counts as “stand-up” and sometimes veers far from comedy when the Promising Young Woman star makes devastating confessions about his own mental health, no matter what you prefer to call it, Inside is one of the best Netflix movies of 2021 and nothing short of a masterpiece.
Stream Bo Burnham: Inside on Netflix.
Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial (2018)
In her third Netflix original stand-up special and one of the best credits of her career, Iliza Shlesinger, explains just what it means to be an Elder Millennial and how it informs her opinions of society. She reenacts the typical night of a single thirty-something, explains “landlines,” and shares the not-so-surprising story of how she met her fiancé on a dating app.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Elder Millennial on Netflix.
Trevor Noah: Afraid Of The Dark (2017)
As a former host of The Daily Show, it is clear Trevor Noah has an eye for politics, but he lightens his commentary on the state of America (a little) to cover a wide range of topics with his signature energy. He talks about his South African upbringing, apologizes to the women in his audience on behalf of male “creeps,” and reveals why he is, as the title of his comedy special teases, afraid of the dark.
Stream Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark on Netflix.
Tom Segura: Disgraceful (2018)
While he does not, particularly, exhibit signs of being what the title of this Netflix stand-up special suggests, “disgraceful” would certainly be a proper way of defining the many topics Tom Segura explores – such as a visit to an adult entertainment store, finding humor in mental disabilities, and the satisfaction of letting an elevator door close on a stranger. The 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast host’s brand of observational humor is refreshing in how it trades brutal honesty for off-beat absurdity that often veers on the edge of uncomfortable relatability.
Stream Tom Segura: Disgraceful on Netflix.
Marc Maron: Too Real (2017)
He has found success from starring in the Netflix series GLOW, a brief appearance in the box office smash Joker, and, especially, interviewing Hollywood’s finest as host of the highly rated podcast, WTF. However, Marc Maron got his start as a comic and you can see him at his best in his 2017 Netflix stand-up comedy special, Too Real.
Stream Marc Maron: Too Real on Netflix.
Neal Brennan: 3 Mics (2017)
In 2017, Neal Brennan – the secret weapon to Dave Chappelle’s career, from co-creating Chappelle’s Show to co-writing Half Baked – came out of hiding in his remarkably unique Netflix comedy special, 3 Mics, which refers to the three different microphones set up on the stage. Each one is reserved for a different purpose: clever one-liners, traditional stand-up bits, and deeply personal stories, which is where Brennan truly shines in this astounding achievement mixing comedy with tragedy to rewarding effect.
Stream Neal Brennan: 3 Mics on Netflix.
John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City (2018)
As one of the most exciting names in comedy today, it makes sense that John Mulaney would eventually find himself performing at a prestigious venue like New York’s Radio City Music Hall, but that does not stop him from commenting on the very absurdity of that concept in his Emmy-winning Netflix stand-up comedy special, Kid Gorgeous. The former SNL writer’s classically-trained stand-up style, complemented by his formal wardrobe and choice to carry a wire-attached mic, adds a refreshing, old-fashioned energy to the topics he dares to dissect with his razor-sharp wit in a special that demands repeat viewings.
Stream John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City on Netflix.
Dave Chappelle: The Age Of Spin (2017)
Regardless of how you may feel about his more recent Netflix specials, you have to admit that Dave Chappelle’s intelligent observation, fearless expression, and effortless delivery is unlike anyone or anything seen in the world of comedy – now or before his time – and no better proof of that is in the first of his Netflix stand-up comedy specials, The Age of Spin. Filmed live at the Hollywood Palladium, this Grammy-winning special saw the A Star is Born actor’s triumphant return to the mainstream following his controversial decision to leave his groundbreaking Comedy Central series, which is easily the lightest of topics he touches on before riffing on everything from racism to sexuality and recalling his multiple encounters with O.J. Simpson.
Stream Dave Chappelle: The Age of Spin on Netflix.
No one’s brand of comedy is the same, so hopefully we have covered everything that fans of stand-up specials might be interested in streaming on Netflix in the list above.
