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10 Best Stand Up Comedy Specials of All Times

best stand up comedy specials

Sometimes we feel like ignoring the responsibilities of life and forget about the worries for a while. If you’re in a mood to laugh, nothing beats the blues better than the best stand up comedy specials.

Comedy movies and stand-up comedy are way different. The punch lines, gestures, and humor just – all these kicks of entertainment are better than any movie. Some channels like Comedy Central have dedicated comedy specials that are worth tuning into. Try checking out the Spectrum channel lineup and you will find so many comedy programmings.

Without further ado, let’s explore the list of the top and best stand up comedy specials of all times:

1: Richard Pryor, Live on the Sunset Strip

Richard Pryor is known for his remarkable ability to switch moods invisibly. This comedy special explores sex, race, drugs, prison, and more. Most of all, he talks about his life-changing trip to Africa. He beautifully throws in outrageous jokes about his past.

2: Chris Rock, Bring the Pain

Chris Rock reinvented his person on this comedy special. He is a perfect definition of what happens when a sketch player and actor writes and performs what matters the most to him. Bring The Pain was premiered in 1996 on HBO. It was his second special for HBO.

The most controversial piece was Nigga vs. Black People. He explained that there’s a civil war going on between black people. There are two sides: black people and niggas. Rock won two Emmy awards for this special. The success of this comedy special promoted HBO to develop a weekly show for him. It gave a massive boost to Rock’s career.

To this date, Rock’s fingertips are seen on the new stand up performers such as Aziz Ansari and Dave Chappelle.

3: Eddie Murphy, Delirious

With Delirious, Eddie Murphy took comedy specials to a new height. However, it is not the best example of standup comedy writing. Some of the topics such as faggots and homophobia may not be pleasing to the ears of the modern generation.  But you can’t take your eyes off Murphy when his reenacting the joy of children confronted with an ice cream truck or describing his drunk father.

Other topics that he addresses in the specials included Michael Jackson, Marian Anderson, racism, Stevie Wonder, etc.

4: Louis C.K., Shameless

It’s an hour-long adults-on standup comedy. Its cringe-worthy but brilliant from start to finish. He even mocked his stage presence. You will love his malleable expressions. Shameless as the name implies is a mix of outrageous material. You may or may not like it.

5: Robin Williams, An Evening with Robin Williams

Recorded in the great American music hall, San Francisco, this is one best stand up comedy special aired on HBO in 1982.

It is a masterpiece in character studies and comedic politics. His impressions have always been breathless. When good material collided with his energy, Williams always left the audience in laughter. Williams is known for his crowd work and improvisation.

6: Maria Bamford, The Special Special Special!

Who doesn’t like the malleable voice of Bamford? You will be surprised to find out that she recorded the specials in her living room and the audience was her parents only. The gimmick worked surprisingly well.

You will enjoy her impressions. She remarkably shifts from one character to the next. Through her performance, Bomford delves deeper into the issues of anxiety, aging, suicide, and being single. She shares her own stories without compromising on the flow. Don’t worry, you will laugh in the end.

7: Whoopi Goldberg, Direct From Broadway

This comedy special is a collation of funny yet biting character monologues. You won’t be able to take your eyes off the talent of Whoopi throughout this one hour and 15 minutes special. She is known for telling the brutal truth to the T. Combined with her comic timing and sheer charisma, you will love every bit of Direct from Broadway.

8: John Mulaney – Kid Gorgeous

It’s a standup comedy that recorded the on Radio City in 2018. It is written by John Mulaney himself.  A major emphasis of the special is on observational humor. The jokes are centered upon his marriage to Annamarie Tendler, politics, celebrities, adolescence, and anxieties brought by contemporary American life. Millennials will be able to relate to it the most. It’s a Netflix special. With high-speed Internet, you can binge-watch the entire series in a day. Don’t mind checking out Spectrum Internet deals if you are in search of economical plans paired with fast speed.

9: Patrice O’Neal: Elephant in the Room

This comic special was recorded shortly before Patrice O’Neal died. Through his comedy special, he has tried to tell us that we are not who we are. He tells unflinching and intuitive dissections of the male psyche, relationships, and libidos. With his rhetorical skills, he tests the limits of his audience. Elephant in the Room aired on Comedy Central in 2011.

10: David Cross: The Pride is Back

Dave Cross lightened up the stage with his absurd social commentary through The Pride is Back. Caution: Cross has some serious disrespect for religious institutions which you will witness throughout the episodes.

Most of these comedy specials are aired on premium channels like HBO. To find affordable deals on popular channels, do check out Spectrum TV packages. Rest assured, these shows will make you laugh like anything!

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