We have something to break to you: women are not as funny as men. Why not, you ask? Because they’re actually way funnier. The ladies of comedy are some of the most innovative, out-of-the-box, dirty minds you’ll ever find and we love them for it. While it’s ridiculous that women still have to fight to prove they’re “funny,” we definitely don’t mind watching them show the world over and over again how hilarious they are. And that’s why we love every female-led comedy special that comes our way.
The last few years have seen an influx of stand-up specials coming to streaming services, networks, and even the big screen. It’s more accessible than ever to watch your favorite – or new favorite – comedians do their thing without ever having to leave your house. And lucky for us many of those comedy specials have come from some amazing women. Here are some of the best comedy specials by ladies that you can stream right now!
17. Sarah Silverman, A Speck of Dust
Where you can stream: Netflix
Silverman has been making people laugh for decades. From the Sarah Silverman Program to her hilarious Twitter account, she’s always got us in stitches. So it’s no wonder her comedy specials are excellent. This Netflix special is a new turn for the always-sharp comedian who dabbles confidently in the obscene and shocking. “A Speck of Dust” melds introspection and comedy to highly personal, highly humorous results. Silverman has been on the comedy scene for so long it would be easy for her to stick to what works, but here she changes things up and shows that she’s constantly evolving as a comedian. And we can’t wait to see what she evolves into next.
16. Michelle Wolf, Nice Lady
Where you can stream: HBO Go / HBO Now
You may know Wolf from her controversial (and amazing) performance at the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner. What you may not know is the comedienne has been on the scene for years killing it. She got her start on late night shows like Late Night With Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and soon parlayed her success into comedy specials and hosting gigs. Her first big special, “Nice Lady,” brought her silly, thoughtful, and knowing humor to the forefront. She talks about honing her craft, texting, and feminism in her fresh, funny special. With a Netflix show and more notoriety than ever, we’re so ready to see more of Wolf.
15. Margaret Cho, PsyCHO
Where you can stream: Netflix
Cho has been on the scene for a long time. She’s been a sitcom star, a stand-up comedian, a fashion designer, and Kim Jong-il on 30 Rock. She’s basically a jack of all trades. But where she really shines is when it’s just her on stage with a mic, riffing on anything and everything. In this special, she touches on a little bit of everything — touching on race, sexuality, and terrorism. She has never been one to shy away from controversial topics!
14. Katherine Ryan, In Trouble
Where you can stream: Netflix
You may not know Ryan’s name yet, but you’re going to want to jump on the Canadian comic’s bandwagon ASAP. Ryan is cheeky and silly, dumping on the awful men she’s dated and even takes a few shots at herself, unafraid of self-depreciation. On the other end of things, she can be downright filthy, comparing herself to the late, great Joan Rivers for her raunch. There’s always something pleasantly surprising about a pretty girl with a dirty mouth! Britain has already discovered the hilarity behind the comedienne, and luckily for us, her specials are beginning to blow up in the U.S. as well!
13. Tig Notaro, Happy to be Here
Where to stream: Netflix
Tig has been present in the comedy world for a long time, slowly dominating everyone else. “Happy to be Here” is the culmination of what Tig calls a trilogy of stand-up specials. The first was “Live,” which was released soon after her breast cancer diagnosis and is as raw and emotional as stand-up can get. The second was “Boyish Girl Interrupted” (we’ll get to that one later!), which documents her rebuilding her life. And then there’s “Happy to be Here,” full of true happiness and joy from the comedian who has finally reached a stable, peaceful place. It’s full of personal anecdotes and silly stories. And you’ll for sure walk away with a smile on your face.
12. Anjelah Johnson, Not Fancy
Where to stream: Netflix
Johnson was a cast member on MadTV for years, but don’t expect TV-friendly humor from her. The comedian isn’t afraid to wade into controversial waters, targeting anyone and everyone including herself. She wants everyone to know one thing about her leading into the special: she is not fancy, despite her high-profile life. She’s messy and goofy and often feels like an outsider at fancy events. The funny lady is just herself, unapologetically, and that makes for some funny comedy.
11. Christina P, Mother Inferior
Where to stream: Netflix
Christina takes the things she knows best and brings them to the forefront in this hilarious special. She touches on motherhood, giving birth, and her childhood in her relatably funny set. The comedienne has begun honing her craft, and it surely doesn’t hurt that she’s married to fellow comic Tom Segura. She always has someone just as funny as her to test out her material on, and it breeds great specials like this one.
10. Garfunkel and Oates, Trying to be Special
Where to stream: Netflix
This comedy duo, made up of Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci, bring their A game and plenty of songs to this special. The duo is known for their silly comedic folk music, which has bred five comedy albums. This is their first stand-up special, and it turns out they’re just as funny in-person as they are on their albums. The two have begun popping up on TV and in movies, but they’re always at their best when they’re performing together.
9. Cristela Alonzo, Lower Classy
Where to stream: Netflix
Alonzo takes her lower-middle class, Latina upbringing and skewers it hilarious for audiences. She touches on everything from her parenting style to Latino stereotypes in her witty special. Alonzo is no stranger to breaking barriers — whether it be with her comedy or in Hollywood. She’s been a mover and shaker. She became the first Latina to create and star in her own sitcom, Cristela, and brings that will to break down every last thing in her way right into her stand-up. Alonzo has no filters, no reservations, and won’t stand for anything getting in her way!
8. Jen Kirkman, I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine)
Where to stream: Netflix
Kirkman may be 40, but she shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, aging is giving her more ammunition for her hilarious stand-up specials. In this one, she gives sharp, funny observations about everything including divorce and her sex life. Kirkman has been performing so long that she knows exactly how to craft a perfect, tight set and this one is one of her best. She’s never afraid to get self-deprecating and use her mistakes as fodder for her act. And for that, we’re grateful because it only ever enhances her already lively sets!
7. Ali Wong, Baby Cobra
Where to stream: Netflix
Wong does something during this comedy special that you’ve probably never seen before: she performs seven months pregnant. As exhausting as that must be, she also delivers a high energy set that’s pretty physical to boot. She nails it and riffs on her own condition the entire time. Wong doesn’t just lambast her pregnancy, though, she delves into how she got that way, some of her sexual misadventures, and even throws in some feminism jokes for good measure. How someone so pregnant could be so physical and expressive is the truly impressive part of her special. And it’s no fluke! She somehow does it again in her special “Hard Knock Wife” while pregnant with her second child!
6. Maria Bamford, Old Baby
Where to stream: Netflix
The magic of this special is the shakeup in the format. Instead of being shot on one stage in the course of one night, the special takes bits and pieces from different performances in all different places, piecing it all together into a cohesive piece of art. Bamford brings the highly personal to hilarious heights in her roving special. In between moments of sincerity about mental illness and musings on family are laugh-out-loud jokes and snippets about the silliness of Hollywood. The confidence of Bamford to mess with the format in unexpected ways is the perfect primer to her comedy: unexpected and scattered, in all the best ways.
5. Tig Notaro, Boyish Girl Interrupted
Where to stream: HBO Go and HBO Now
The second special in Notaro’s “trilogy” of comedy specials comes after a cancer diagnosis, a double mastectomy, and a difficult year. And while she talks about the traumas she’s endured, she doesn’t dwell on them. Instead, she uses the biggest tool she has in her arsenal to deal with them: huge comedic talent. Her delivery vacillates between her signature deadpan and some sillier moments, forging a set that’s intimate and personal. Notaro finds the funniness in the sadder things in life and airs them for our pleasure, and it makes for an incredible comedy special.
4. Iliza Shlesinger, Confirmed Kills
Where to stream: Netflix
Schlesinger takes absolute no prisoners in her stand-up and this special is no exception. The Last Comic Standing winner parlayed that into a legitimate comedy career. While she talks about womanhood and grandparents (this particular bit is what brings us this weird title), it’s her “Party Goblin” bit that kills. She explains the Goblin lives within everyone, and when you drink enough that little monster comes out and wreaks havoc. She’s hilarious physical and wild in her performance, and you’ll be so cognizant of your own Party Goblin afterward. We all have one, now we just have a name for it!
3. Chelsea Peretti, One of the Greats
Where to stream: Netflix
Anyone who’s seen Brooklyn Nine-Nine will know Peretti as the ridiculously confident Gina Linetti. We’re happy to report she’s just as cocky and incredible in real life. In her comedy special “One of the Greats,” she posits herself as just that — one of the best of all time. And she just might be. In the special, she toys with the idea of a comedy special, employing cut-away gags and little bits in between her dark and killer jokes. She even touches on the idea of female comedians being pigeonholed as all the same and not quite as funny as their male counterparts. She effectively proves that all wrong with this special.
2. Tiffany Haddish, She Ready!
Where to stream: Showtime Anytime
Haddish seems to be everywhere these days but she’s been hustling and working at being a household name for a long time. And now, she ready! The Girls Trip star lays it all out on the stage in this special that will make you wonder why you weren’t obsessing over her earlier. Haddish brings all of her energy to the stage and uses literally every part of her body — from her feet to her face — to accentuate her comedy. She takes her difficult upbringing spent in foster care and her time homeless into her act but never begs you to feel sorry for her. She just begs you to laugh, and you’ll be more than happy to oblige.
1. Amy Schumer, The Leather Special
Where to stream: Netflix
Love her or hate her, you can’t deny she’s funny. Schumer has quite the reputation in Hollywood, and while not all of it’s good, there is no denying that the girl knows how to make people laugh. “The Leather Special,” named so because many classic comedians best specials are the ones where they’re dressed in all leather, delivers some of her tightest and dirtiest jokes to date. Never one to shy away from her own sex life, Schumer fills the special with nasty tidbits and dirty anecdotes for which she has become known. What makes the special so great is that Schumer is a real woman talking the way women talk — with curse words and not always in the most “ladylike” fashion. Sometimes we’re going to air it all about our sex lives and bowel movements, and Amy’s right there leading the charge.