We’re only halfway through 2024, but it already feels like a great year for comedy. We had a difficult time narrowing down the five best comedy specials of 2024 (so far), and regretfully had to leave some greats on the cutting room floor, but they are still well worth your time. Liz Miele’s Murder Sheets, Laurie Kilmartin’s Cis Woke Grief Slut, Guy Montgomery’s My Brain Is Blowing Me Crazy, and Dusty Slay’s Workin’ Man are our honorable mentions for the best comedy specials of the year so far. All of these hours came close to making the list, and they deserve to be highlighted.
Here are the best specials this year (so far):
1. Conner O’Malley: Stand Up Solutions
For Stand Up Solutions, O’Malley dresses in a blue polo and khakis as Richard Eagleton, a parent and husband who built the first AI-powered comedian, KENN (Kinetic Emotional Neural Network). In his investment presentation for Stand Up Solutions, Richard presents with the passion of a used car salesperson. However, he quickly reveals that he is not. At its most severe, O’Malley’s cadence alternates between a frantic TED Talk presenter and an extraterrestrial desperately attempting to appear human.
Throughout his Powerpoint presentation, Richard continually promises us, “Let’s not get political!”—despite the fact that O’Malley’s program is jam-packed with social and political criticism. On the surface, everything appears puerile, foolish, and disorganized, with no discernible message.
2. Jenny Slate: Seasoned Professional
Slate’s most recent hour is far more streamlined and successful than Stage Fright (which was amusing in its own right), while maintaining her lovable humor. While Stage Fright alternates between interviews with her family and home videos, Seasoned Professional focuses solely on Slate, and the special benefits from this. With her zeal and director Gillian Robespierre’s (a regular Slate collaborator who also directed Obvious Child and Stage Fright) lively vision, we don’t need anything else to disrupt the show.
The majority of Seasoned Professional is loosely structured around Slate’s daughter’s birth, which serves as a jumping off point for tangents about meeting her now-husband, awful diarrhea from years before (really a side-splitting moment), and a cross-country pandemic road trip. Throughout the episode, Slate fully commits to her distinctive more-is-more manner, which works because she underlies her exaggerated persona with sensitivity and acute awareness of herself and the world around her. Her vocals take us on a wild roller coaster ride, alternating between a whisper and a boisterous roar, leaving no mistake as to why she’s in such high demand as a voice actor. In fact, Slate is like a cartoon character come to life.
She impersonates a walrus guzzling mackerel, her own semi-dried pee, and perverts indulging in lewd evening pleasures with amazing fervor. Slate’s ability as a physical comedian also feels natural; she was born to act.
3. Dan Licata: For the Boys
For the Boys was filmed in front of an auditorium full of 15-year-old male students from Licata’s alma mater, Amherst Central High School in Buffalo, NY. The choice of place and audience is perfect, especially as Licata’s set leans strongly on the crassness most typically associated with teenage lads. Sophomoric humor is wonderful in its simplicity. I don’t want to overthink it; we all know how entertaining a good nasty joke is.
Licata plays a heightened, blustering version of himself, resembling AJ Soprano’s stoner friend who never quite matured. Licata’s hour, peppered with malapropisms and his unofficial slogan “You know I had to do it to ’em,” is made up of one-of-a-kind anecdotes full of hyperbole and blatant profanity. The high-achieving, ambitious high school kids emphasize Licata’s own erratic behavior. At one point, he compares himself to Bam Margera from Jackass, and he isn’t afraid to explore the darker side of a Margera-like persona. He’s self-deprecating, but he’s not dunking on this type of person; there’s an inherent empathy that saves things from appearing mean-spirited.
4. Ramy Youssef: More Feelings
Youssef’s personal life and the world at large have altered tremendously over the last five years, and I’m not just talking about his role in the Oscar-winning film Poor Things. The last time we saw Youssef perform stand-up, he was telling us stories about attempting to overcome Islamophobia by sleeping with white women or growing up in a house with a photo of his father shaking Donald Trump’s hand. Now he’s revealing stories about going to therapy with his wife and criticizing Joe Biden’s failings as president. Youssef, on the other hand, remains a constant; he maintains his subtle, soft-spoken comedy manner, laughs about his family and faith, and delivers honest and funny insight.
5. Kyle Kinane: Dirt Nap
Kinane is one of the last comics you would expect to find in the suburbs. With his weathered beard, earring, and general dive bar attitude, it’s easier to imagine Kinane on the road embracing van life (and he frequently does—as his new run of live concerts proclaims, “It’s Not a Tour, It’s The Job”). Nonetheless, he found himself in a commuter town near Portland, Ore., as the pandemic struck. In Dirt Nap, Kinane makes a lot of fun of this unusual juxtaposition, envisioning how suspicious his white picket fence neighbors must be as he distributes out full-size candy bars and cries in his car. Kinane conjures up these scenarios with rich language brimming with similes, adding color to the beige, T.G.I. Friday-filled suburbs.
Conclusion
The laughter can never end. Long before the year ended, plan to organize some of the biggest, craziest, and funniest comedy festivals in 2024. Book your tickets on coupons24x7.com.
FAQs
Who sells the most stand-up comedy?
Holding court at the number one spot is of course Kevin Hart. It’s quite a jump from Chappelle to Hart, with Hart having brought in a nearly double $67.5 million dollars, selling 631,000 tickets.
Who are the most popular comedians right now?
Here are some popular comedians:
- Dave Chappelle. Writer. Producer. Actor Chappelle’s Show (2003–2006)
- Louis C.K. Writer. Producer. Actor Louie (2010–2015)
- Bill Burr. Podcaster. Actor.
- Pete Holmes. Actor. Writer.
- Hannibal Buress. Actor. Writer.
- Rory Scovel. Actor. Writer.
- Zach Galifianakis. Actor. Producer.
- John Mulaney. Writer. Actor.
Who is India’s number one comedian?
Zakir Khan, sometimes known as the “Sakht Launda” of Indian humor, is easily the most well-known Indian comedian. With over 7 million YouTube subscribers, he has built a sizable online following with his engaging and relatable performances.