Stand-up comedy is a dying art form in 2025. At least from what I can tell. The market got really oversaturated in the late 2010s with so many people getting stand-up specials as well as the biggest acts of the late 90s and the early 2000s just falling off a cliff in terms of quality.
Big names like Joe Rogan, Jimmy Carr and even Dave Chapelle just haven't been hitting like they used to. The integration of current politics in stand-up comedy is probably the biggest hit-or-miss situation for the profession.
There are people that do it well and people who use it for over half of their act. If I wanted to see political comedy, I would watch Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. Why are you wasting half your time on a comedy special talking about cancel culture?
If you're anything like me and have politics crammed into your skull 24/7 by dentist office TVs and Instagram-recommended feeds, then you immediately look for the fast-forward button if not the exit button when politics are mentioned in an on-demand streamed show.
I just think it kills a lot of comedy careers and can absolutely ruin someone's act.
However, there is hope. There are still plenty of funny people out there for you to enjoy when you need a good laugh. I'm going to share some of my favorite comedians and what I think puts them above the rest.
One of my favorite up-and-comers is Mark Normand. Granted, he has been doing stand-up for around 10 years to this point, but he really didn't make it big until the late 2010s. He has a really awkward approach when it comes to his set-ups and deliveries, as well as being very self-deprecating if it means getting a laugh from the audience.
He's got good story jokes and good one-liners that make for a nice one-two punch when watching any of his specials.
I'm sure at this point, nearly everyone knows Shane Gillis. His range from simple to complex, structured humor is one of his best traits. Just like Normand, he's quick to put himself on the butt-end of a joke if it means entertaining the crowd, and it works so well with his unrelenting personality.
On top of his stand-up, he also has several comedy shows, like “Tires” on Netflix, that are also hilarious but can also show off his solemn writing skills. SNL doesn't know what it’s missing, but I'm sure they regret ever letting Gillis get away from them.
By far, my favorite comedian is Daniel Tosh. After the end of his clip show "Tosh.O," he's been able to get back on the road with more comedy tours. He is the master of twisted jokes and saying things no one else will.
His ironic 'holier-than-thou' boastfulness mixed with his sharp-tongued delivery and comedic creativity put him on a pedestal that I feel like not a lot of other comedians touring today can stand on.
I hope stand-up comedy never dies. The idea of that profession is so medieval to me, which makes it that much cooler to do. Go check out any specials from the three guys that I mentioned and see if there's anyone else you think can hold a torch to them!
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