At the tender age of 10, I was plopped down in my father's car on the way home from dinner. My brother's leg jutted into my right knee, and we pushed against each other as the car swerved around corners, and cradled us over bumps in the asphalt. We were eagerly awaiting our return home; after all, the evenings were dedicated towards Comedy Central, consuming shows like Mind of Mencia, The Chappelle Show, and more. I could see the ears on my dad perk up as we discussed who our favorite comedians were, and he prepared himself to shatter our expectation. Dad explained that sure, Mencia’s kind of funny, and Chappelle is the best comedian around today, but nothing he’d seen had come close to George Carlin’s stand up. The man was a virtuoso comedian, according to dad, and when we were older, he’d show us some of Carlin’s records he had lying around. Then we rounded another corner, my brother forced an elbow into my ribs, and I punched him in the face.
Cut to present day, and much has changed. We now know that Mencia was a hack, that Dave Chappelle is one of the most legendary comedians of all time, and that yes indeed, George Carlin is a strong contender for ‘Best Comedian of all Time.’ The way we consume media has changed too. As a kid, I listened to comedy albums either on record, or saw stand-up on TV, but nowadays you can access any good comedy worth listening to through the World Wide Web. The problem is deciding what’s good, and what’s shit; lord knows there are scads of stand-up specials out there, and most of them pedestrian at best. Lucky for you, I’ve been watching stand-up for years. I’ve seen nearly every stand-up special on Netflix, and I’d like to extend to you a list of the best stand-up specials on Netflix today.
To trim up this list, I’m only allowing one special per comedian. Otherwise we’d have a bunch of specials from -REDACTED- and no room left for the other talented comedians on Netflix. Cool? Cool.
15) Joe Rogan – Triggered
Rogan, known for his podcast, his commentary on wrestling events, and his time at Fear Factor, does a little bit of everything. He’s a curious man, and this has led him to all different kinds of places in life, including stand-up. His material started out brash and aggressive (See: Joe Rogan: Live) but has evolved to suit his multifaceted life. In Triggered, he riffs on everything from parenthood, to the Secret Service, to Caitlin Jenner. This is his strongest display of comedy yet, and it earns its place on this list.
14) Marc Maron – Thinky Pain
Maron is an interesting comedian. He’s an old, washed up hipster loser that knows it and makes his entire act a microcosm of his life. His whiny, meandering tone is reminiscent of a friend venting to you at the end of a long week. He’s got some strange bits that are well off the beaten path for your average stand-up special, and his character is one you both laugh with and at. Thinky Pain is the best example of his work I can think of, though his show is pretty alright as well. This is the perfect special to have on in the background, until it slowly steals your interest and involves you in the weird stories of Maron’s life.
13) Jim Jefferies – Bare
Jim Jefferies. You probably saw his bit on Gun Control floating around on Facebook, YouTube, reddit, etc. and shared it around. Maybe your roommate showed it to you, doesn’t matter. That little bit of comedy comes to us courtesy of Bare, Jefferies' best, and most offensively entertaining special yet. Topics range from Gun control to Father’s Day to strip clubs. It sounds like your standard fare for a comedy special, but the path each joke follows is hidden behind raw motives and unspoken judgments. This is a great show, and I highly recommend it.
12) John Mulaney – New in Town
Similarly to Jim Jefferies, you’ve probably seen Mulaney’s bit circling around on social media. However, his approach to comedy is entirely different. Mulaney’s manner of talking is akin to a pastor telling jokes at Sunday School, and his clean shaven, spotless image betrays his seasoned comedic chops. He may look like a newbie, but his comedy is calculated to get a laugh out of anyone. New in Town was what made him big, and if you want some cleaner(er) comedy, Mulaney’s the person for it.
11) Hannibal Buress – Live from Chicago
Buress is one of my favorite comedians, and for good reason. He consistently puts out new material (just look him up on Netflix) and his conversational style of comedy leaves the audience unprepared for once he decides to close in on a punchline. Buress is also relatable; not in a Friends kind of way, but in a down-and-out manner covering everything from cocaine-fueled sexual encounters to sneaking into comedy shows. Live from Chicago includes some of his best work to be sure, but I also strongly recommend Animal Furnace.
10) Joan Rivers – Don’t Start with Me
Rapid-fire. That’s what comes into my head when I think of the late Joan Rivers. I’m not much into titles or anything, but If I had to adorn someone with the title ‘Queen of Comedy’ it’d be her. Rivers parses no words in her set-ups. She can barely lay down the foundation of her joke before she starts hammering out jokes, one after another, as is evident in her special Don’t Start with Me. She sets them up and knocks them down at a breakneck pace, and it’s a truly brilliant thing to watch. But that’s not to say her jokes are low-effort, not at all. Each joke has multiple elements to it, and she’s amazing at improving on stage as well. She’s one of my favorite comedians as well. Check this one out.
9) Doug Stanhope – Beerhall Putsch
Okay, let me be upfront about this one. Stanhope is a dark, diseased comedian. His brand of comedy isn’t for everyone, as it will often leave you feeling depressed. However, if that kind of biting, deflating comedy interests you, you’re in for one hell of a ride. Stanhope talk extensively about his problems with drinking, his thoughts on assisted suicide, and the homoerotic nature of NFL in Beerhall Putsch, and his stories are milked for every laugh and cringe that you could possible extract. This is one of the most memorable bits of comedy on Netflix, and if you’re game, give it a watch.
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