The best comedians of the past decade

Discovering Nate Bargatze while watching The Standups on Netflix was a pleasant surprise. Since then, he's had two Netflix specials: The Tennessee Kid (2019), The Greatest Average American (2021), and Hello World (2023) on Prime Video, which, in my opinion, deserve frequent rewatches.

Cristela never fails to make me laugh. I highly recommend her two standup specials, Lower Classy (2017) and Middle Classy (2022), on Netflix. Alonzo was also the creator and star of the short-lived, multi-camera sitcom Cristela.

Matt Braunger makes me cry with laughter from his delivery and facial expressions with every new special. I've been a fan ever since I saw his special, Big Dumb Animal, in 2015. His most recent, Doug (2022), is nothing short of hilarious.

I need to see Aisling Bea in more things. While she is an amazing writer and actress in her series This Way Up, her appearances on Netflix's The Comedy Lineup (2018) and Living with Yourself  (2019) with Paul Rudd are what did it for me.

Neal Brennan is one of my all-time favorites. While he is most known for his work on Chappelle's Show, his standup career really took off with his show, 3 Mics. His most recent special, Blocks (2022), inspired The Blocks podcast, where he interviews friends about some of their "blocks" in life.

Michelle Buteau has been killing it lately, hosting The Circle, appearing in numerous Netflix original movies, and winning a Critics' Choice Television Award for her comedy special, Welcome to Buteaupia, in 2021. Check out her series that's based on her memoir, Survival of the Thickest, on Netflix if you haven't already.

Bo is one of the best and has only gotten better with age. His latest special, Inside (2021), was nominated for various awards, ultimately winning three Emmys and a Grammy Award. I'm unsure how many times I've watched this special, but it may be bordering on too many.

You've seen her on Girl Code as the host of Nailed It! and Wipeout, as well as many other TV appearances. Nicole is an original, baby! Her 2021 Netflix special, BBW (Big Beautiful Weirdo), earned her an Emmy nomination for obvious reasons.

Jerrod Carmichael was a relatively underrated comedian until his latest standup special, Rothaniel, was released on Max in 2022. He has many talents, having created, written, produced, and starred in The Carmichael Show, which ran for three seasons, and recently directed his first feature film.

If you're a fan of Mythic Quest, odds are you love Naomi's character, Carol. Luckily, she is just as hilarious on stage! Check out some of her standup on Netflix and Comedy Central. Oh, and she also wrote for Broad City, so there's that.

I smile every time I see Ronny Chieng on my screen. As a correspondent for The Daily Show, you know he brings it all to the table. Do yourself a favor and watch his two Netflix specials, Asian Comedian Destroys America! (2019) and Speakeasy (2022).

Hannah Gadsby changed the game with their special Nanette in 2018. It wasn't your typical comedy show but more like a statement about serious issues with a sense of humor. Since then, we've been lucky enough to be blessed with more content from Gadsby with Douglas in 2020 and Something Special just this year.

First of all, I could have watched so many more seasons of Crashing; it was that good. Pete Holmes is wildly underrated and deserves way more credit. Listen to his comedy albums and watch his specials, Faces and Sounds (2016) and Dirty Clean (2018), streaming on Max!

Jen Kirkman is straight-up one of the funniest women whose comedy specials I have watched over the years. She now has five comedy albums, two of which are also Netflix specials. Believe me when I say I'm Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) and Just Keep Livin'? deserve a couple of hours of your time.

Simply put, I love Matteo Lane. He makes me cackle like a hyena, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. You can watch his episode of The Comedy Lineup on Netflix or his specials, The Advice Special and Hair Plugs & Heartache, on YouTube.

I believe my first introduction to Mae Martin was watching their half-hour on Netflix's Comedians of the World, so definitely check that out. You can also watch their series Feel Good and the comedy special SAP, which was released this year. All are available on Netflix. Martin also started the Handsome  podcast with fellow comedians Fortune Feimster and Tig Notaro in 2023.

Where do I even begin with John Mulaney? Like most, I saw his special, New in Town, and was hooked. He is easily one of the funniest comedians today, and his comedy is only getting better. His latest special, Baby J, is available to watch on Netflix.

Katherine Ryan is severely underrated, in my eyes. She doesn't believe in providing safe spaces for men and is not afraid to go there, wherever that may be. Watch her series The Duchess and her comedy specials In Trouble (2017) and Glitter Room (2019) on Netflix.

Trevor Noah's comedy is unmatched. As host of The Daily Show from 2015–2022, his humor is undeniably intelligent and thought-provoking, which makes him a joy to watch. He has quite an impressive number of stand-up specials under his belt that are available both on Netflix and YouTube.

If you have yet to experience the joy that comes from watching an Iliza Shlesinger comedy special, you don't know what you're missing! Her six standup specials are all on Netflix, along with her sketch show and romcom, Good on Paper (2021), as the film's star, writer, and executive producer.

Chris Redd has been on my radar since dying of laughter watching him as Hunter the Hungry in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016). I was always so stoked to see him on Saturday Night Live, and I am happy to see him succeed in anything he does. Watch his special, Why Am I Like This?, streaming on Max.

Michelle Wolf deserves all the praise for her work as a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show alone. It's a plus that she is also a great standup comedian. Her Netflix series, The Break with Michelle Wolf, should have had more than one season, and her comedy specials do not disappoint. Watch her new one, It's Great to Be Here, on Netflix now.

Tom Segura has been killing it this past decade, having released five Netflix specials, the most recent being Sledgehammer this year. In addition to standup, he hosts two separate podcasts with comedian Bert Kreischer and his wife, comedian Christina P (who deserves an honorable mention on this list).

I was hooked on Dusty Slay since I watched him talk about growing up in a trailer park on season three of Netflix's The Standups. He also hosts a couple of podcasts, one of which he co-hosts with Nate Bargatze.

Taylor Tomlinson is an inspiration to women our age and someone we can relate to, which is why she has been so successful. Watch her Netflix specials, Quarter-Life Crisis (2020), Look At You (2022), and her episode on The Comedy Lineup if you need a good laugh.

Sheng Wang surprised me with his Netflix special (directed by Ali Wong), Sweet & Juicy. I had never heard of him before, and now, I'm not sure how that was possible! Wang is easily one of the funniest comedians I have seen in the past few years, and I can't wait to see what he does next.

Ali Wong gained popularity with the release of her Netflix special, Baby Cobra, in 2016 and hasn't shown signs of slowing down. She's been a part of a variety of successful series and films, including Always Be My Maybe, Beef, as well as her specials, Hard Knock Wife (2018) and Don Wong (2022). Also, I need justice for Tuca & Bertie's cancellation.

I want to say that Daniel Sloss is like the Scottish Bo Burnham if we're basing it solely on the amount of success he's had so early in his career and not on his comedic style. His thought-provoking sets will win you over and leave you wanting more. Watch his specials Live Shows on Netflix, X on Max, and SOCIO on his website.

Phil Wang is hilarious and apparently my favorite character in Life & Beth . Who knew a comedian playing an MRI technician/DJ would be the best part of an Amy Schumer series? You can watch his special, Philly Philly Wang Wang (2021), and his episode of The Comedy Lineup on Netflix. Oh, and please look up the Roast Battle between him and Daniel Sloss.

I could watch Melissa's impressions all day, and I wish she were still on Saturday Night Live! She is an artist in every sense of the word in that she creates music and art, hosts a podcast, and is currently on tour performing standup. There are so many favorite Melissa Villaseñor SNL sketches to choose from, but "Hoops" with Jennifer Lopez and "Dying Mrs. Gomez" with Sterling K. Brown are some of her best.