Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” He was right. A good laugh is good for the soul. It’s also good for your health.
According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter is an excellent stress reliever, which also creates physical benefits. Laughing enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins released by your brain. A good laugh can also improve your immune system and help with pain, depression, and anxiety.
We’ve never needed a good laugh more. The current 24-hour news cycle could wipe the smile off anyone’s face. If you’re searching for comedy, Netflix has a plethora of laugh-out-loud stand-up comedy specials guaranteed to help you escape it all.
This week marks a special anniversary for the streaming giant. Ten years ago, Netflix aired its first-ever stand-up comedy special with Aziz Ansari’s Buried Alive on November 1, 2013. Netflix is celebrating a decade of original stand-up specials, and its library is packed with several that viewers and critics have loved over the years.
The list in its entirety is quite long. Below are the comedy specials that garnered high praise and those that received awards attention.
Here are 11 comedy specials that received 100% on Rotten Tomatoes:
- Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special
- Hannah Gadsby: Nanette
- Chris Rock: Tamborine
- Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife
- John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City
- Jenny Slate: Stage Fright
- Maria Bamford: Old Baby
- Patton Oswalt: Annihilation
- Ali Wong: Baby Cobra
- Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust
- Tig Notaro: Happy to Be Here
Here are 12 Emmy-nominated Netflix stand-up specials:
- Chris Rock: Selective Outrage – Rock received two nominations for this one in 2023. The first nomination was for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special, and the second was for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
- Nicole Byer: BBW – In 2022, Byer was nominated for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special for her brilliant work.
- Ali Wong: Don Wong – Wong was also nominated in 2022 for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special. The success of her three comedy specials led to her Netflix series BEEF, which became a massive hit for the streamer.
- Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special – In 2022, Macdonald received three nominations for Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special, Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), and Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special.
- Bo Burnham: Inside – Burnham received six nominations and three wins in 2021 for his comedy special. He won Emmys for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming, and Outstanding Music Direction.
- Dave Chappelle: 8:46 – For this, Chappelle received three nominations in 2021 for Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special, Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), and Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special.
- Dave Chappelle: Sticks and Stones – In 2020, Chappelle took home two Emmys for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special and Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).
- Hannah Gadsby: Douglas – In 2020, Gadsby received two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) and Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special.
- Hannah Gadsby: Nanette – In 2019, Gadsby was nominated for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) and won for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special.
- Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh – Sandler was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special in 2019 for his hilarious work.
- Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life – The comedy duo received three Emmy nominations in 2018 for Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special, Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special, and Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).
- Dave Chappelle: Equanimity – In 2018, Chappelle took home an Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special.
With so much division worldwide, we can all use a reason to smile. Humor has a way of connecting and healing people. Having a laugh is essential as long as it’s not at anyone’s expense.
As Victor Borge said, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”
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