Maybe it's a Sunday night and you're looking for something funny to watch. Maybe you just got dumped and are looking for a little comedic relief. Maybe you are a budding, up-and-coming comedian and want some much-needed inspiration. Whatever the reason, if you've got a Max subscription, there's something for everyone in this list of the top stand-up comedy specials on the streamer.
Updated on August 11th, 2023 by Sean Shuman: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
20 Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady (2017)
Michelle Wolf made her HBO debut with Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady in 2017. Suffice to say, it's a fantastic introduction to her style of comedy. Originally writing for Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Wolf has a stellar knowledge of satire and current events in her stand-up sets. Along with that, she voices her opinions on physical appearances, different interpretations of feminism, and how she comes off to others.
All of Wolf's jokes are made with such an infectious enthusiasm, you'll be in tears by the time the special is over. A particular bit involving a text conversation with a guy at a gym is a notable highlight in a set that's filler-free.
19 George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya (2008)
George Carlin was as witty as he was foul-mouthed. Only a few months before his tragic passing, his last comedy special on HBO, George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya, would release in 2008. Carlin's comedy career certainly goes out with a bang: reflecting on getting old, addressing the not-so-dramatic parts of dealing with death, and critiquing overt nationality in the face of corruption all punctuate one of the greatest stand-up specials in his lengthy career.
Even in his silver years, Carlin was as energetic and spry as ever. George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya would even win a posthumous Grammy for Best Comedy Album, while also being nominated for an Emmy at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards.
18 Jim Jefferies: I Swear to God (2009)
While Jim Jefferies' brand of shock humor may not be for everyone, some of his best material can be found in his HBO debut, Jim Jefferies: I Swear to God. Released in 2009, this special can be roughly split into several parts, with the first half primarily featuring jokes about religion, and the latter half focusing more on colorful stories that we can't exactly describe here.
Let's just say that Jefferies wears his experiences on his sleeves and that he's not afraid to venture into some uncomfortable territory. If you enjoy this Australian comic's brand of curse-laden storytelling, there's a pretty good chance that Jim Jefferies: I Swear to God will be a fun time.
17 Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker (1999)
Before he would partake in Netflix's first-ever live-stream program, Chris Rock was a staple of HBO's comedy circle. One of his earliest specials with the network, Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker, remains one of his best. Filmed at the Apollo Theater, Rock drifts between tackling violence in schools and broken families before addressing wider issues like healthcare and bigotry.
It's a timeless stand-up special in a lot of ways, as many of the issues that Rock brings up still pervade American life to this day. Combine that with his bombastic personality and hilarious punchlines, and you have a special that flows like a breeze, delivering laughs every minute.
16 Mel Brooks: Live at the Geffen (2015)
Comedic legend Mel Brooks combines his classic stand-up routines with musical numbers in Mel Brooks: Live at the Geffen. Brooks was just about 90 years old when this special was originally released, yet despite his age, his voice and delivery are as on-point as they were decades ago.
A sentimental special, Mel Brooks: Live at the Geffen also works as a retrospective of his lengthy comedic career as he tells whimsical anecdotes, describes the effort that went into some of his feature films, and delivers punchline after punchline. His singing voice is just as prominent, belting out renditions of songs he's written across his entire life. It's one of the few specials where you wish it could go on forever, as it only lasts just under an hour.
15 Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark (2023)
Recently regarded as the best work from Marc Maron, this Max special is anything but ordinary. Much like his previous specials, it is chock-full of dark and gloomy realities of life but strangely entertaining and addicting. In fact, it takes you down the road into some of life’s devastating yet beautiful truths, such as parents growing older and loving a partner for all eternity who passed away.
He manages to raise some odd questions throughout, which makes it even more worthwhile to stay for. Marc Maron: From Bleak to Dark is a thoughtful, morbid gem for anyone looking for something a little different, rather than just feel-good happy-time content.
14 Dave Chappelle: Killin’ Them Softly (2000)
This HBO special was released between Dave’s two most well-known comedies, Half Baked and Chapelle’s Show, so he wasn’t as established as he is now, but everyone who had the opportunity to witness his peak comedy specials should watch it.
It is possibly Chappelle's most diverse and consistently hilarious stand-up to date, which tackles sensitive topics such as racial discrimination without getting quite so deep or controversial as Chappelle's recent work. When you combine that with his impeccable storytelling and timing, which gives rise to a whole new line of hysterical remarks, it is easy to understand why Dave Chappelle: Killin’ Them Softly is one of the best stand-up specials on Max.
13 Dane Cook: Vicious Circle (2006)
Dane Cook: Vicious Circle may not be for everyone, especially those who either didn’t enjoy Cook’s earlier works or haven't seen them at all, because this special is simply Dane being Dane. For every new joke he creates out of thin air, some of the old material is thrown in, and he blends them flawlessly, making it more effective if you have knowledge of his prior specials.
However, it isn't necessary to go through all of his previous specials to enjoy it; even if you aren’t a fan of his, you might become one after watching this HBO special on Max.
12 Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway (1985)
Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway provided a solid foundation for the stand-up comedian that was essentially a one-woman show. With Whoopi's versatile takes on characters like Surfer Chick and Fontaine, it has become one of those classic stand-up specials that you could watch over and over again to have a feel of nostalgia.
In one of the interviews, Goldberg mentioned that she isn’t a joke machine that relies solely on some orderly innovative humor, which easily reflects on her special as well as many others she has done over the years. If you want to feel the highest representation of comedy in the form of both happy and sad moments, this Max special is the way to go.
11 Lewis Black: Red, White, And Screwed (2006)
Lewis Black is a stand-up comedian who doesn’t back down from expressing his opinions, and a lot of those take shape in the form of bits, which he usually relies on to draw the interest of the audience. In that sense, Black's political comedy hit its peak in the Emmy-nominated Max special, Lewis Black: Red, White, And Screwed.
It delivers some of the biggest laughs to the targeted audience who loves frequent swearing at the facts. In this stand-up special, The Daily Show commentator on everything takes his comical insights to the next level, covering everything from the State of the Union to Dick Cheney going duck hunting.
10 Atsuko Okatsuka: The Intruder
Named one of Variety’s top 10 comics to look out for, Atsuko Okatsuka put together her hilariously awkward and oddball special The Intruder in 2022. Okatsuka isn’t afraid of pointing fun at herself, often finding the funny in herself and her life; her special is a hilarious reflection of all the cringe-worthy, awkward moments she's gotten herself into.
This doesn’t mean her special isn’t deep. Born in Taiwan and raised in Japan, the Los Angeles-based comedian explores the intersections of race, gender, and society all through the lens of her hilariously relatable lived experiences as a hilariously awkward stage persona. She takes experiences that are specific to Asian Americans and presents them in a way everyone can connect to. Listening to Okatsuka, you can’t help but relate.
9 Daniel Sloss: X
Where Atsuko is all about self-deprivation, Daniel Sloss’s comedy is all about social criticism. The Scottish comic was the youngest comedian to perform a solo season in London’s West End at only 19. Sloss began touring internationally in 2010, with his tenth solo international special X gaining the most attention by far. The highbrow stand-up routine, which premiered on HBO in February 2020, explores the more destructive and frustrating qualities of all things human-society; from vegetarians and scientists to sex and parents.
His style is effective and clean. He uses a combination of personal stories mixed with a lot of social observation. While Sloss looks for the ridiculous in life, using his humor to point it out, he adds his name to a long list of comedians who isn’t afraid of insulting other people, places, and institutions. His humor is direct and merciless; refreshingly honest and straightforward in a time of political correctness.
8 Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin’
You might recognize Amanda Seales from her performance in Issa Rae’s hit TV show Insecure, but what you might not have known is that Amanda Seales is as talented a stand-up comic as she is a comedy actress. Her special I Be Knowin’, which explores the difficult, wonderful, and outrageous realities and humor in being a Black woman in America, is undoubtedly writing about and for other Black women. Seales uses her comedy to validate the female black experience, often finding the funny in the small and innocuous moments.
That doesn’t mean her content is unrelatable to other demographics, though: her infectious stage presence, high energy, and improv-style performance make listening to Seales’s special feel a little like sitting in your living room with your best friend. Regardless of your background, Seales’s special is delightfully fun.
7 Ramy Youssef: Feelings
Golden Globe Award Winner for Best Actor for his TV show Ramy, the American Egyptian comedian born and raised in Queens comedian has brought a lot of amazing content to Hollywood. While he has been the creator of multiple successful TV comedies including Ramy and Mo, Ramy Youssef started his comedy acting career as a stand-up comedian. His 2019 special Feelings is an honest look at himself as an American Muslim and the world at large. Youssef has an incredibly smooth performer, successfully approaching intellectual musings with punchlines that feel accessible and hysterical.
Rather than using characters and performances, Youssef opts for a more subtle and authentic stage presence; his set feels intensely vulnerable, discussing his own experiences with no flashy overtones or dramatizations. His set feels diligently slow-paced and conversational, allowing audiences to really think and revel in his deeper thoughts before delivering a knockout punchline.
6 Chris Redd: Why Am I Like This?
This SNL actor, who has had featured performances in several comedy films and TV shows, is a surprisingly underrated comedian. Adept at improv, sketch, stand-up, and comedy acting, Chris Redd has set himself up as a jack-of-all-trades comedian.
He came out with his hit special Why Am I Like This? in 2022. Redd uses his versatile comedy chops to explore taboos in the black community in a way that feels conversational and open-minded. Constantly jumping between personal narratives, scene performances, and philosophical thinking, Redd is a versatile and powerful storyteller. His quick punchlines and high energy keep audiences captivated for the entire hour-long set.
5 Tig Notaro: Dawn
Tig Notaro the Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian, writer, and actor, uniquely combines stand-up with animation in her subtle and hilarious special Dawn. Notaro, who is known for her relaxed performance demeanor, captivates audiences with her playfully silly ideas and wonderfully awkward delivery. She opts for a slow pace and understated punchlines, making the set feel more like listening to an amusing diary entry rather than a precise comedy performance.
Notaro's style feels wholly unique; with her nonchalant attitude, it seems as if she doesn't seem to care whether her jokes land on the audience. She purposefully neglects emotional manipulation, instead delivering ideas and stories in a monotone voice. The visual animations used alongside the set only heighten the humor of Notaro's jokes, resulting in one outrageously funny set.
4 Julio Torres: My Favorite Shapes
After working as a writer on SNL from 2016 and 2019 –– the mastermind behind the famous sketches Papyrus and Wells for Boys – ––this Salvadorian writer, comedian, and actor, has gone on to make some of the unique comedy shows in Hollywood. Torres is a master of oddball comedy. Most for his TV show Los Espookys, Torres' stand-up special My Favorite Shapes is just as fantastically bizarre and hilarious. Dressed in metallic silver and white hair, sitting at a conveyor belt in a futuristic all-white set, Torres’ My Favorite Shapes sets itself apart from other stand-up specials.
Torres enjoys playing with the stand-up genre, crafting new formats of telling jokes and pushing audiences to think differently. Rather than musing on the ordinary life, Torres presents himself as a sort of casting director or social media influencer, explaining the value of the shapes that come down the conveyor belt. From the Gen-X style dialogue to the set to Torres’s cold unemotional, and deadpan delivery, the experience of My Favorite Shapes is a uniquely funny experience.
3 Pete Holmes: Dirty Clean
While Julio Torres is known for his unique and glamorous approach to stand-up, Pete Holmes is a tried-and-true stand-up classic. In his 2018 special Dirty Clean, Holmes creates a warm and welcoming environment for his audience to laugh as well as consider some of the strangeness regarding life, dating, and science.
Holmes has a classic sort of stand-up creation and delivery, reminiscent of an older generation of stand-up comedians. In a politically charged world full of intensely philosophical discussion, listening to Holmes's comedy feels good; his content is playful and silly, poking fun at himself, science, and the world
2 Lil Rel Howery: I Said It, Y'all Thinking It
Lil Rel Howery has had a big career in show business, starring in big blockbusters like Bird Box, Free Guy, and Bad Trip. Before making it to the big screen, the raucously funny performer got his start in stand-up comedy.
His special I Said It, Y'all Thinking It highlights his amazing performative capabilities, using impressions and scene acting to put together a hilarious vignette of personal experiences as a single father to two teenage children. His ability to jump from topic to topic, a joke to joke, keeps his audience completely enthralled. His performance has the audience sore from laughing from start to finish.
1 Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store
Last but certainly not least is Jermaine Carmichael’s hit special Love at the Store. Carmichael, who hosted the Golden Globes in 2023 and has written, created, and produced some wonderfully thought-provoking projects including On The Count of Three and The Carmichael Show, is an on-the-rise entertainer. Carmichael’s special Love at the Store, which was directed by the amazing Spike Lee, is an emotionally raw experience.
Sitting hunched over on his stool for the entirety of the show, Carmichael’s performance feels far more intimate than just delivery jokes. With slow and deliberate pacing, Carmichael’s set explores the complexities and pain of his real-world adversity, both as a black man and as a human being. Carmichael has an underrated type of funny, pushing his audience into discomfort while using subtle humor as a sort of release. Though his thoughts lean towards the dark and serious, Carmichael is hilarious, his vulnerability and deliberate pacing keep the audience leaning into every word he says.