10 Netflix stand-up specials to help you laugh while stuck inside

As the world continues to take extra precaution amid the coronavirus outbreak, you might find yourself sitting around with not much to do. Many of us have resorted to hanging out or working at home as tours, festivals and more postpone. In your downtime, and when you’re not singing your favorite scene songs to wash your hands, there are several amazing comedians with Netflix specials waiting to make you laugh and ease your worries. 

Take this time at home to hear funny stories and one-liners from some of the best comedians in the world. Truly, there are too many hilarious people to name, but here are 10 with various comedy styles guaranteed to make you laugh and think in brand-new ways.

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1. Hasan Minhaj – Homecoming King

For fans of: political humor

Comedian Hasan Minhaj is young, hip and witty to his core. His take on the American dream and immigration is fresh as he’s the son of immigrant parents. He explores political topics, of course, but he’s also an amazing storyteller who uses his stage and background to share images and pictures, which enhance his jokes. He’s paving a new path in comedy through visuals such as these with his other weekly Netflix political humor show Patriot Act, which is comparable to HBO’s Last Week Tonight starring John Oliver. This is definitely a show for you if you like current events and late-night talk shows. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you might have a lot of questions about the government while watching this special.

2. Michelle Wolf – Joke Show

For fans of: topical humor

Comedian and writer Michelle Wolf is accomplished in her field. She’s written and appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers and The Daily Show. She takes several current events involving sex, feminism and even the hot topic of abortions. She makes all of these hot-button topics easy to understand and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Her writing and performance is honestly magical because she makes divisive issues funny and even conversational. She doesn’t hold back whatsoever, and that’s what makes Wolf an unforgettable comedian.

3. Whitney Cummings – Can I Touch It?

For fans of: sexual humor

Whitney Cummings is a blunt and smart comedy queen who focuses many of her stories and observations on women in the current political and social age, new sexual technology and the current state of dating and marriages. In this special, she’s joined by a guest onstage, a sex doll. This sex doll, however, is crafted to look like the comedian. Although it sounds strange, Cummings is so witty, confident and uses this odd prop with purpose. Even if you don’t love the special, you have to hand it to Cummings for being the first comedian on Netflix to create a robot of herself for jokes. 

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4. Ali Wong – Baby Cobra

For fans of: dirty humor

Ali Wong can and will make you laugh so hard, you’ll cry, and she does it while carrying a baby in her third trimester. The juxtaposition of hearing a severely pregnant woman scream profanities in a cute, flowery dress is simply perfect. She covers blue topics such as spanking and other kinks in the bedroom, and she addresses some harder subjects such as her own miscarriages. If you like what you see in Baby Cobra, she has even more jokes in her most recent 2018 Netflix special, Hard Knock Wife, where she got pregnant again and covered even more sexual topics with complete transparency.

5. Chelsea Peretti – One Of The Greats

For fans of: raunchy humor

Many TV fans may know Chelsea Peretti from her role on Brooklyn Nine-Nine as the overconfident and fabulous Gina Linetti. In 2014, she shared a quirky yet well-crafted stand-up special. She introduced her whole special by getting meta about her career, poking fun at other comedians who rely on catchphrases or use their platform to have a full-out existential crisis. Peretti is confident, politically incorrect and high energy throughout her whole special. Plus, she’s great at engaging with her audience, and the fun translates from her show to viewers with ease. 

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6. John Mulaney – Kid Gorgeous

For fans of: witty humor

What would a comedy list be without John Mulaney? Mulaney is one of the hardest working and most sought after comedians today. In Kid Gorgeous, Mulaney discusses his grievances with university life, and many people can identify with his unfiltered feelings about school. He also performed a show-stopping joke comparing the current presidential administration to a horse in a hospital without mentioning government officials’ names once. It’s a flawless testament to Mulaney’s quick-thinking and smart writing. He also has three stand-up specials as well as two variety shows (John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch and Oh, Hello On Broadway) on Netflix. There’s lots of this comedian to go around, and he’s definitely the person to pick if you want to avoid hearing a whole special about current events. 

7. Demetri Martin – Live (At The Time)

For fans of: one-liners

Demetri Martin is brilliant, witty and packs laughs into just seconds. Beyond telling jokes, he draws and sings them, too. To give you a taste of his sense of humor, here’s what a typical Martin joke looks like: “My friend called my other friend a night owl, and I was like, ‘You know, owls are nocturnal. You could probably just call him an owl and that would cover it.’” Martin is goofy and possesses a level of creativity well beyond other entertainers. For all silliness and no business, check out Live (At The Time) and his most recent 2018 special, The Overthinker. 

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8. Daniel Sloss – Live Shows (“Dark” and “Jigsaw”)

For fans of: dark comedy

Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss made waves with these particular Netflix specials. Not only did he cover topics about a hard-hitting family death, but he also discussed rocky relationships and how some people find it easier to stay in relationships rather than leave. In fact, his special caused thousands of breakups. He even kept statistics on couples he broke up on social media. If you’re ready for truth bombs that will push you out of your comfort zone (in a funny way), this is just the special for you. 

9. Tom Segura – Disgraceful

For fans of: offensive humor

Tom Segura is a veteran comedian who has years of experience and three (soon to be four with Ball Hog dropping March 24) Netflix comedy specials. Overall, Segura is a fabulous storyteller who keeps his sets upbeat and incredibly raunchy. He doesn’t hold back when it comes to daily, often odd, social interactions, and he uses impressions frequently, especially of his own father. Segura also isn’t known for being political or focused on current events. If you need an escape from reality and a comedian who will take the mundane and make it hilarious, Segura is your guy. 

10. Donald Glover – Weirdo

For fans of: storytelling

Before being an award-winning actor, writer and rapper under the name Childish Gambino, Donald Glover was one of the most successful stand-up comedians on Comedy Central. In his special Weirdo, you’ll see a young, clean-shaven Glover talk about his early music career and one hilarious trip to Home Depot. To no one’s surprise, he’s a fantastic writer who can tell funny stories or thought-provoking ones, such as those that appear in Atlanta and those shared in his rap songs. Glover’s talented in all facets of entertainment, so why not just dedicate a whole day to watching and listening to all of his material to get through this tough time?