A comedy resurgence is arguably afoot, and it may rival what’s considered the stand-up comedy boom beginning in the late ’70s. Initially credited for creating the modern platform for stand-up comedy with An Evening with Robert Klein in 1975—not to mention Def Comedy Jam and groundbreaking specials from George Carlin, Chris Rock, Robin Williams, and so many others—HBO has since lost its reigning position to streaming monolith Netflix. While the platform’s first original stand-up special in its history was Aziz Ansari’s Buried Alive in 2013, Netflix has had an unmatched production history of trending comedy purveyor content ever since.
Like any other art form, stand-up comedy is ever-evolving; this next iteration has asked its entertainers to be more self-aware than was expected of the generation before them and is undoubtedly infatuated with crowd work. The content has gotten more personal and its presentation more avant-garde, more experimental, more spacious, with some figures crossing over into performance art pieces or one-person shows (think Neal Brennan, Julio Torres, Hannah Gadsby).
Billed as the biggest comedy festival in North America, Netflix Is a Joke Festival takes place between May 2 and 12 this year and features “over 300 live stand-up shows, special events, table reads, sketch, and more.” The sweeping lineup combines seasoned professionals like Tig Notaro, Jimmy Carr, Katt Williams, Iliza Shlesinger, and Seth Rogen, and is padded out by incredible underrated or emerging greats that attest to the new direction stand-up seems to be headed in.
If you’re thinking about which tickets to snag, by all means go see these legends—but do yourself a favor and try a few from the list below with raw energy and fresh perspectives you haven’t necessarily seen all over your FYP just yet. Be bold, be brave. You’ve obviously got a discerning eye for comedic talent, so discover some new favorites.
Atsuko Okatsuka
May 12, Outside Joke at Hollywood Palladium | Tickets
FFO: Margaret Cho, early John Mulaney, pre-canceled Ellen
A relative newcomer to the stand-up scene, Okatsuka is known for her bowl cut, impeccable style, and the relentless whimsy that she brings to her performances. She made her debut in 2021 on The Late Late Show with James Corden, of all places, and made a strong impression with her off-beat humor. Okatsuka is, incredibly, only the second Asian American woman to have an HBO stand-up special (2022’s The Intruder), preceded by the indelible and fearless Margaret Cho. The special was named the best debut of the year by the New York Times and has received countless accolades since. You can also catch her acting in the Hulu series History of the World, Pt. II or the upcoming Comedy Central animated series Fairview. She ‘s charming, odd, fun, and funny—plus she’s got a great podcast.
Steph Tolev
May 2 & 7, The Comedy Store; May 3, Outside Joke at Hollywood Palladium; May 8, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre | Tickets
FFO: early Chelsea Handler, some Stavros Halkias; for worshippers of Chris Farley
Tolev’s got an absurdist mind and the humor to match. She comes in hot like a bull in a China shop, which I absolutely adore as a fellow brash, loud woman. Her stand-up is disalarmingly fun and delightfully shocking—but definitely be prepared for blue humor and some unconventional crowd work. Originally from Canada, Tolev has made a significant impact on local stages since moving to LA. She even boasts some solid acting chops with a few films under her belt, including Bill Burr’s Old Dads and Esther Povitsky’s Drugstore June. She was also featured on a Comedy Central special and hosts her own podcast, Steph Infection.
Bob the Drag Queen
May 6 at The Belasco | Tickets
FFO: classic ’80s standup, Colin Quinn, the early work of a prominent comedian before he revealed himself as transphobe
A member of Drag Race’s illustrious crew of “comedy queens,” Bob the Drag Queen was the winner of the eighth season of RuPaul’s imperial competition series and quickly became a fan favorite. She’s continued metaphorically reigning ever since. Bob co-hosts the popular podcast Sibling Rivalry with fellow Drag Race winner Monét X Change, which they’re taping live at the festival. Bob’s recently been on tour, performing as an opening act in Madonna’s—yes, Madonna’s—Celebration Tour. In addition to numerous stand-up specials, you can catch Bob on HBO’s first unscripted show We’re Here in which three drag queens mentor participants to create incredibly special drag performances. Bob’s content is sharp, fast-paced, and pokes fun at societal norms. Her ease on stage is unmatched, and she’s an unstoppable presence as a storyteller.
Caleb Hearon
May 6, Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever | Tickets
FFO: Beth Stelling, Ronnie Chieng
Caleb Hearon is a writer on Netflix’s Big Mouth spinoff series Human Resources as well as an actor with roles in shows like Fargo, a stand-up comedian, and the host of a successful podcast. Social media may not have been Hearon’s chosen mode of audience-building, but they came running after he posted a viral video on Twitter after getting advice from the great Steve Higgins following an unsuccessful SNL audition. Hearon is incredibly comfortable on stage in a way that reminds me of Hannibal Buress, but with a much different joke delivery. He’s a natural storyteller with densely packed material delivered effortlessly, and he’s been steadily making the rounds on TikTok again; it’s only a matter of time before he lands his own full-length special. Until then, his Comedy Central feature will have to do.
Dulcé Sloan
May 3 at the Lab at Hollywood Improv | Tickets
FFO: Trevor Noah, Samantha Bee, Jon Stewart
Perhaps most well known for her hilarious and biting contributions on The Daily Show as both a correspondent and host, Sloan has been hailed as one of the fastest rising voices in comedy by almost every distinguished publication you can think of (now including this one, too). If you haven’t seen her HBO series A Black Lady Sketch Show, you’re disappointing me. Her material blends social commentary and wit to tackle complex topics like gender inequality and racism. Sloan is confident and engaging with an incredible social media presence that she uses to advocate for social change while engaging with her fans and the broader comedy community.
Jessica Kirson
May 9, The Belasco | Tickets
FFO: Maragret Cho, a theoretically edgier Melissa McCarthy
Hailing from the Garden State, Kirson is an East Coast comic, actress, and producer who generally works in New York. She’s also appeared in film and television shows like The King of Staten Island and Crashing, and regularly contributes to The Howard Stern Show. She’s a high-energy performer who slips in and out of characters (you’ve probably seen her in social media clips), and is brash in the best way possible. During her shows she covers topics like body image, dieting culture, and growing up with a therapist mom. She’s been in the game for decades and deserves much more recognition; in her recent Comedy Central special Talking to Myself, Bill Burr calls her “effortlessly funny” and declares she should’ve gotten a special “at least two presidents ago.” Notably, Kirson was the executive producer on Hysterical, a monumental documentary on FX that aims to look at the backstage life of some of the best working comedians who also happen to be women.
Aparna Nancherla
May 9, the Hollywood Palladium | Tickets
FFO: Maria Bamford, David Sedaris, Beth Stelling
Nancherla’s got the sort of self-deprecating, observational humor that’s lauded for its honesty and relatability. She’s got a dry delivery, depression that she named Brenda, and a book titled Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome that dons a blurb from the illustrious Amy Poheler. Nancherla has written at Late Night with Seth Meyers, was featured on an episode of Netflix’s comedy series The Standups, and has a genius Comedy Central special if you’re in the mood for some deadpan comedy (I sincerely recommended her Substack, too). Her first show on the festival’s lineup, Asian Nation with Nigel Ng (a notable comic in his own right), is sold out—so hurry to get tickets to her final show on May 9 at the Hollywood Palladium.
Michael Longfellow
May 12, Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever | Tickets
FFO: comics somewhere between Pete Davidson and Mitch Hedburg (it’s a wide spectrum, I know)
A featured player on SNL since 2022, Longfellow’s got a less aggressive Chevy Chase energy (sans his coworkers hating him). He’s monotone, he’s dry, and he’s got a bunch of jokes about his parents’ divorce. He expounds a bit into some stepson bits, as well as commentary on the absurdities of modern living (and dating, of course). His appearance on Conan jump-started a budding career, and SNL is likely just a first step; Longfellow’s growing resume and undeniable talent make him a name to watch in the world of comedy. Relatedly, shoutout to another SNL veteran on the festival lineup, Melissa Villaseñor, whose impressions are honestly out of this world.
ALOK
May 2 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre | Tickets
FFO: Hannah Gadsby, Eddie Izzard, Amanda Seales
A Texas native, ALOK is a poet, author, comedian, performance artist, public speaker, and one of modernity’s most insightful philosophers of culture. The artist uses their platform to advocate and bring awareness to the LGBTQ+ communities (two thumbs up for their beautiful book Beyond the Gender Binary as well). In an era of endless crowd work, opt for a comedian who’s as intelligent and thoughtful as they are funny. ALOK derives their comedy from personal stories, social commentary, and political humor, bringing levity to otherwise-serious topics like violence against trans folks. They've performed stand-up in over 40 countries and headlined shows at Just for Laughs and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. On Good Morning America they said, “I wanted to challenge this ideal that trans life is just defined by tragedy or by violence and to actually show we’re really funny; there’s so much joy here.”
Annie Lederman
May 9, The Comedy Store | Tickets
FFO: Bobby Lee, Iliza Shlesinger
Annie Lederman has been dominating the LA stand-up scene recently as a regular at well-known spots like The Comedy Club. On stage, Lederman has a gender-neutral Big Dick Energy that’s envied by all, and her command of the stage is worthy of admiration. Her comedy is relatable and authentic with a dash of quick wit and pop culture satire. Topics frequently discussed include sobriety, dating and relationships, living in LA, and the lives of celebrities. Until recently Lederman co-hosted the popular podcast Trash Tuesday, which she left to focus on her stand-up career (she also started her own podcast that’s gaining traction, AnnieWood, in 2023). Her appearance on Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening is surely just the beginning of a lengthy stand-up career.
