In this article, I have compiled for you 8 must-see stand-up performances that are meant to brighten up your dark fall evenings. Get ready to laugh!
Eddie Murphy “Raw” (1987)
I decided that this stand-up show from Eddie Murphy should open this compilation. So many comedians in the world start their journey into the stand-up genre with this video. Eddie Murphy was an absolute star in the ’80s; after just a couple of very successful specials, the artist collected signed contracts with the biggest and most influential movie companies.
Ricky Gervais “Out of England – The Stand-Up Special” (2008)
Ricky Gervais is a unique stand-up comedian. He’s been into comedy his whole life, but he’s always been told that it’s not a job, so before starting his comedy career, Ricky worked as an office clerk, a radio host, and even played in a synth-pop band.
His name became famous when out of work boredom, he came up with an idea for a sitcom and sent it to the BBC, which, ironically, signed a contract with him instantly and started shooting the show. The series is called “The Office,” and there are two versions of it: the first (original) – British, with Ricky Gervais in the leading role, and the second (very successful) – American, starring Steve Carell.
After “The Office,” Gervais began a solo stand-up career, his British manner was immediately beloved in the United States.
Jim Carrey “Unnatural Act” (1991)
Probably everyone already knows that Jim Carrey initially was a stand-up comedian, and everyone has heard the stories where he dreamed of performing on stage since his childhood, spending days honing his skills in front of the mirror.
The actor began his career in the genre of parody, which immediately made a big splash on TV, and managed to catch a couple of commercial proposals. But Jim Carrey did not perform in the stand-up genre as long as he wished since he was already in demand.
This performance is essentially all that Jim’s comedian career has, and it definitely deserves your attention.
Bill Burr “Let It Go” (2010)
No comedian in 2021 can make jokes about so many minorities at once. Bill Burr contributes to the stand-up genre with his willingness to take responsibility for voicing thoughts and ideas. The comedian destroys the family institution right in front of the hundreds of families present in the audience. Do you want your view of the perfect family to falter? Then watch his performance!
Patrice O’Neal at the Comedy Store (2004)
When it comes to talented comedians, most stand-up artists immediately think of that obese guy eternally sitting on a chair. Patrice O’Neal was hilarious, but unfortunately, he never reached his full potential because of his death.
This concert is an amateur shoot that the owner of a stand-up club in Los Angeles turned on, and he didn’t go wrong because out of a seemingly routine material test, there was a real revelation on stage.
Unfortunately, there are very few of his performances on the web, especially at such a high level, so the prefix “must-see” comes in handy here as never before!
Dylan Moran “Monster” (2004)
Dylan Moran’s talent can be measured in the glasses of wine he drinks on stage because there are a lot of them. He started his career accidentally when stand-up was just developing in Britain and barely made it to Ireland in the early ’90s.
Stand-up in Ireland was so bad that the audience could not stand the cheap comedians’ humor, and right in the middle of the show, they wanted to come on stage, eager to show how to make funny jokes. Moran was one of those audience members who came on stage once and couldn’t leave it anymore. The audience immediately loved him because he was honest, not a professional artist, but a casual guy from the crowd.
In this show, the comedian reveals his melancholic nature while also going through all the essential aspects of British society.
Zach Galifianakis “Live at the Purple Onion” (2007)
In 2007, Zach was still a stand-up comedian, traveling around America with his colleagues, unaware of the fame that “The Hangover” movie would bring him two years later.
Zach Galifianakis is an exceptional comedian whose style is not like any other. His jokes leave more questions than answers. He is not a typical stand-up comedian, his comedy is absurd but very intelligent, and it is worth watching for everyone.
Dave Chappelle “Killin’ Them Softly” (2000), “The Bird Revelation” (2017)
When it comes to living legends, absolutely all comedians mention the same name – Dave Chappelle. It’s hard even to imagine a career like his because Dave has been on the stand-up scene since the age of 14, and at 27, he released the special video called “Piss on You,” which broke the mold and took stand-up comedy to a whole new level. He is assigned his show in three years, and it breaks all records, remaining one of the most viewed shows.
In 2006, he was offered $55 million for a new season of Chappelle’s Show, but he refused and left TV to return 10 years later triumphantly.
In 2017, the artist dropped two stand-up shows at once, for which Netflix paid him $80 million. We suggest you watch both of them, and you definitely won’t regret it!
