25 Funniest Stand-Up Comedy Specials, Ranked

Her humble beginnings oft-overlooked, Leslie Jones’ first special, Problem Child for Showtime, serves as an introduction to the comedian’s abrasive jokes and physical comedy. Later becoming an SNL member and brief host for The Daily Show, this is Jones at her rawest and most genuine. —Isaac Rouse

Baby Cobra was the first of two specials Ali Wong filmed while heavily pregnant (she has three specials total). She’s hilarious touching on the topic of her upcoming motherhood, marriage, and being Asian in the US. She’s got an intense, angry energy, and her frustrations feel like they could be coming from any woman you know. Baby Cobra made Wong a celebrity comic overnight, and deservedly so. —Leah Williams

Already on a high thanks to his part in The Kings of Comedy tour, Taking You Higher serves as a victory lap for the accomplished comedian while also demonstrating his showmanship and one-man-show approach to comedy, truly living up to his “entertainer” moniker. —Isaac Rouse

Katt Williams’ debut special launched him into the stratosphere, with his jokes and delivery becoming instant classics among certain circles. However, given the star-studded audience, which consisted of Lil Jon, Cam’ron, and Snoop Dogg, many celebrities already knew Williams was destined for greatness and were just waiting for audiences to catch up. —Isaac Rouse

Often underrated, this sophomore special was when audiences recognized Epps as a comedian instead of just Day Day from Next Friday. It’s where several of his impressions, including that of Judge Joe Brown and Judge Mathis, were first realized before his skits took off on YouTube. It’s also where Epps cemented himself as an equal to the rising comedians of his time. —Isaac Rouse

Out of all the specials in the comedian’s large body of work, 2008’s Chewed Up showcases C.K.’s deconstruction style of comedy the best, constantly taking societal norms to task and pointing out the ridiculousness of it. Especially pushing the absurdity of made-up slurs and the concept of a Cinnabon. —Isaac Rouse

There was no one like Mitch Hedberg. Hedberg is remembered for his singular delivery style and stage presence, and he’s effortlessly silly in his Comedy Central Presents. His one-liners hit, sometimes long moments after he says them, and his little asides about the jokes always add to the laughs, never detract. It’s a tragedy that this was his only filmed special, but we’re lucky to have it. —Leah Williams

New In Town was John Mulaney’s first special (and second album). While he’s perhaps more polished and sharper in later specials, we have a soft spot for this one. His unique voice is already well-defined in New In Town and endlessly rewatchable. Mulaney even makes describing an episode of Law & Order: SVU funny. Mulaney is fascinated with the absurd minutiae of daily life. His jokes leave you laughing and thinking things like, “Oh yes, it IS strange that we act that way when we order french fries as a group of adults.” —Leah Williams

Peers of Patrice O’Neal, like Chris Rock, always let it be known that he was funnier than the funniest comedians of their time, including himself. And in 2011, O’Neal was finally able to showcase his prowess with a Comedy Central special that embodies all of his philosophies, insight on relationships, and comedic stylings well enough to launch him into notoriety posthumously and argued as one of the greatest to ever do it. —Isaac Rouse

People today know Whoopi Goldberg primarily for her acting, or even for co-hosting The View, but before any of that, she had a smash one-woman show (fun fact: Steven Spielberg cast her in The Color Purple after seeing her perform standup). It’s a character-driven special, with Goldberg taking on personas like a surfer girl telling a nun she’s pregnant, transforming completely with just her voice and mannerisms. Directed brilliantly by Mike Nichols, Goldberg is magnetic in Direct from Broadway. It’s clear even then she’s a star. —Leah Williams

Robin Williams’ signature frenetic energy is dialed up to one thousand in A Night at the Met. Williams is a chameleon, doing countless voices to current events, masculinity, sexuality (the extended bit on penises is a highlight), and more. It’s almost difficult to keep up, but what a blast it is to try. —Leah Williams

It’s a challenge to even choose which George Carlin special to include on a list like this (we chose two).  The physical comedy is excellent in Carlin at Carnegie, and Carlin touches on his recent heart attack (and jokes about always running into Richard Pryor at the hospital). This special’s best moment is a retread of old material; Carlin reiterates and updates his famous list of “Seven Dirty Words” to riotous applause as the credits begin to roll. Whether it’s the first or hundredth time you’ve heard it, it’s a delight. —Leah Williams

Janeane Garofalo is an icon of alt comedy. Her HBO half hour is Garofalo at her best. She meanders through topics sex, her short tenure at SNL, the shallow nature of Hollywood, fashion, and more. There is seemingly no thread between jokes, yet it’s all tied together by her distinct sensibility. It’s a personal half hour, the comic employing the self-confessional style she perfected. She’s sardonic, self-deprecating, deeply relatable, and, of course, so funny.—Leah Williams

Although he went on to accomplish many things following this special, including selling a record-setting 50,000 seats at the Lincoln Financial Field in his hometown Philidelphia, Seriously Funny represents Hart at his comedic apex. A vast majority of his bits went on to become memes in the cultural zeitgeist, including “Say it with your chest,” “It’s about to go down,” and more. —Isaac Rouse

Despite being largely known for his films and television show, the inception of Martin could be seen in Lawrence’s debut special, You So Crazy. It featured impressions that inspired characters like Sheneneh, Mama Payne, and more. Also, the material has aged like fine wine, as many of the interpersonal relationships between men and women and the role race plays in society remain poignantly accurate to this day. —Isaac Rouse

The Kings of Comedy tour featuring Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, and Bernie Mac became a bonafide Spike Lee joint when the director compiled the best parts of their sets for a theatrical release. The aftereffect pushed the four comedians to the sky, with each comedian garnering a large fanbase, their own TV shows, and a legendary set in Mac that stole the show. The film serves as each comedian’s best outing. —Isaac Rouse

Bill Burr’s legendary body of work has many gems to choose from. However, Burr’s 2010 special Let It Go showcases Burr’s rage-fueled observations at its best. It represents the culmination of material he developed on the road from 2008-2009, which were the formative years of his now highly popular Monday Morning Podcast. The strong material also helped establish Netflix as the next best home for stand-up specials. —Isaac Rouse

Much of Live on the Sunset Strip feels tame to us now, but it was anything but in 1982. Richard Pryor utilizes a library of voices and electric physicality. The extended closer about an incident two years prior in which Pryor was seen on fire in the street is killer, and the best set of jokes in the special. It’s vulnerable, hysterical, and brave. Without Pryor, we wouldn’t have several of the other entries on this list.–Leah Williams

As mentioned before, choosing a single Carlin special out of his amazing catalog is hard. Although mentioning Jammin’ in New York would be an easy layup since it was his favorite, we have a slight bias for You Are All Diseased. Carlin is hilariously angry at society and the “p*ssification” of America. Equally angry, he takes religion, airport security, terrorists, and men’s names to task. —Isaac Rouse

Chappelle’s second special, For What It’s Worth, showcased the comedian at the peak of his fame. Chappelle’s Show was the most popular show on Earth at the time, and Chappelle had undergone an evolution in the process. Here, we see Chapelle at the apex of his mastery as a comedian, offering jokes and insight simultaneously, the latter of which he’s leaned on in much more recent specials. Here, the balance is perfect, the attempt to make you laugh is at the forefront, and it laid the groundwork for his GOAT status.—Isaac Rouse

Chris Rock’s second HBO special, Bring the Pain, was the result of a painstaking two-year tour, finely crafting his material and delivery until perfected, and perfect it was. Bring the Pain went on to win two Emmy Awards, and it breathed new life into his career, launching Rock on the Mount Rushmore of ‘90s comedians with poignant jokes and cultural observations that will forever remain relevant. It’s Rock at his finest. —Isaac Rouse

A Wild and Crazy Guy is a remarkable display of a comic in total control of the form. Steve Martin is at the peak of his fame, and the star power is palpable. He swings from silly to irreverent to smart and back again. Rewatching now, some of the bits feel incredibly familiar to a modern audience, many of which he also did on Saturday Night Live as a frequent guest. Rather than going stale, however, they’re comfortable, and funny as ever. Who doesn’t love watching Martin strut around the stage singing “King Tut?” From this special in particular, his influence can be felt in comics like John Mulaney and Bo Burnham and all over SNL for decades. —Leah Williams

Although they’re only four years apart, Raw showcased a refinement from Eddie Murphy unseen in Delirious. Much so a continuation of the latter, Raw delves into life after his first special, which launched his then-flourishing film career upon the comedy special’s theatrical release. Although you’re much likelier to hear conversations about how the subject matters tackled don’t hold up in today’s society, the special has withstood the test of time as one of the greatest stand-up sets ever. —Isaac Rouse

Chappelle’s first hour-long HBO special in 2000 introduced audiences to the man that would rule the decade with his goofy observations and poignant discussions three years before Chappelle’s Show. And some of his bits here have become just as referenced as the show’s most popular skits. In Killin’ Them Softly, Chappelle would be at his goofiest, establishing his referential chops and his observations on race relations and politics, all while remaining inclusive and a champion of the people, vocalizing how audiences felt at the time. —Isaac Rouse

Eddie Murphy is one of the greatest standups ever, despite only doing standup for a few short years before transitioning into acting full-time. In Delirious, Murphy is a total superstar. At just 22 years old, he commands the stage with the confidence of a well-seasoned performer. The skill on display in Delirious is captivating. Not all of the material has aged well–in particular, some chunks are so homophobic they’re difficult to watch (for which Murphy apologized in 1996). Murphy is incisive and specific in excellent jokes about ghosts, Stevie Wonder, families, and, perhaps most iconically, ice cream trucks. Delirious is Murphy’s explosive debut as a rock god of standup.  —Leah Williams