Stuff We Love Right Now: Comedy Specials Edition

Ryan Hamilton: Happy Face

Available on Netflix

Idaho native Ryan Hamilton is an absolute delight to watch in his first-ever special. Part John Mulaney, part Brian Regan — and part potatoes, probably — he is the wholesome, hysterical friend I always wished I had. His sharp wit and self-deprecating charm pair perfectly with innocent topics like hot-air ballooning and snail mail. This is the type of stand-up performance you’ll go back to again and again — and trust me, I do. — Molly Baxter, Editorial Intern

Richard Pryor: Live in Concert

Available on Netflix

The revolutionary Richard Pryor mined his personal demons to become the king of freewheeling, soul-baring stand-up, and every comic since has sought to reach the mark he hit with this entertaining 1979 special. A peerless mimic and creator of characters, Pryor is a brutally honest raconteur, telling hilarious stories about sex, death, childhood, domestic turmoil, racial injustice and his own troubles (including drug addiction and a near-fatal heart attack). No one cut as deep. — Christopher Wallenberg, Researcher

Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life

Available on Netflix

For anyone who’s a fan of these two living legends, this 2018 special is a must-see. Steve Martin’s banjo playing — along with his wild and crazy references to former Saturday Night Live characters like King Tut — are sublime, and Martin Short’s look back at his nerdy Ed Grimley and uninformed TV interviewer Jiminy Glick personas are spot-on. As they ruminate on their decades-long friendship, which began on the set of 1986’s ¡Three Amigos!, I truly wonder how the years passed by so quickly. — Mike Ankener, Marketing Director

Maria Bamford: Old Baby

Available on Netflix

You know those summer days when you eat too much Dairy Queen, fall asleep at the beach, dream that a unicorn stole your swimsuit and wake up singing? That’s what Old Baby from Maria Bamford is like. It’s a DQ Peanut Buster Parfait (the dessert Bamford says she needs if you make her leave the house) of surreal scenarios and wacky characters alongside tales about her mental illness and middle-aged sexcapades. She even pokes fun at stand-up, with settings ranging from her living room to a bowling alley. Submit to the rainbow sprinkle strangeness and enjoy. — Kate Hahn, Staff Writer

Eddie Izzard: Dress to KiLL

Available on iTunes, Netflix DVD

I’d never seen anyone quite like Eddie Izzard when I first encountered this 1999 Emmy-winning special. Not only does the British comedian slay his audience with ingenious routines about religion and world history, he does so while sporting heels and a fully made-up face — and he’s just as uninhibited cracking wise about his transvestism. Talk about blazing trails! — Diane Snyder, Copy Editor