You may have heard of John Mulaney, Aziz Ansari, Amy Schumer, and Louis CK; but what about those comedians who don’t have their own Comedy Central Special? Here is a list of the not-yet famous, but extremely talented stand-up comedians you need to see ASAP.
1. Robin Cloud
Full disclaimer, I am probably biased on this one because not only do I know her, but I work for her. I will say she is a great boss, but besides that she is incredibly funny and talented. If you don’t take my word for it, read on. She was a semi-finalist in NBC’s “Stand Up For Diversity,” and was featured in GO! Magazine’s “Top 100 Women We Love,” and Time Out New York’s “Quote of the Week”.
See her show, “Triple Minority Report”, the second Tuesday of every month at Branded Saloon at 7 pm for free.
2. Rory Scovel
via LaughStub
Rory Scovel is the most well known comedian on this list, judging by my gauge for everything: Twitter followers. I saw Scovel perform about a year ago at University of Delaware. Admittedly, I don’t remember his jokes, but I do remember him getting stuck between the two banisters on his stage and continuing his performance anyway; literally bent over between two banisters. If he can perform like that, he can perform anything.
He is included on every single list of the best unknown comedians I have come across. According to his website, his long list of television performances include Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham” Season 2, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS, CONAN on TBS, and Funny as Hell on HBO Canada.
Check out his performance schedule to see him live. He performs nationwide with upcoming shows in Madison, Minneapolis, New York City, and Washington, DC.
3. Josh Rabinowitz
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Josh Rabinowitz may be one of my favorite stand-up comedians. At 5’5” he still manages to command a stage. I have seen him perform twice. The first time he, too, was gracing the presence of the UD stage. One of Comedy Central’s “Comics to Watch” in 2011, I am patiently waiting for him to take the world by storm.
Unfortunately, he has almost no videos of his stand-up online and he very rarely tweets, so if you want to laugh to the tune of this comedian you’re going to have to see him live.
He frequents the stages of New York’s comedy clubs, and most recently Stand Up NY.
4. Sam Morril
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Another alum of Comedy Central’s “Comics to Watch” 2011, is Sam Morril. His stand-up is not for the light-hearted, or easily offended, and as a Jewish girl/ human I should hate him, but he’s just too funny. I have seen him perform three times, twice at New York’s Comic Strip Live, and once at Comedy Cellar, and by the third time I had heard his jokes twice already and I was still cracking up. Sure the element of surprise was gone, but his delivery is always spot-on. Just don’t heckle him, he punches back hard.
Morril performs five to six days out of the week at New York’s hottest comedy clubs.
5. Phil Hanley
via LaughStub
I hereby declare Phil Hanley the king of one-liners. Every other sentence he needs to break for laughs because everything he says is hysterical. I have seen him twice, once at The Comedy Cellar and once at Laughter in the Park 2013.
His jokes worked better in a comedy club setting where he can really be unleashed without the PG standards necessary in a park performance, but he was still able to gather lots of laughter. His jokes are self-deprecating and downright hysterical. My all time favorite, “People meet me, they often ask me if I am a vegetarian which is a creative way of saying ,‘Hey, you look pale and weak.’”
He can be seen at comedy clubs around New York City.
If you’re looking for something different to do that isn’t visiting your usual neighborhood haunts, and you love laughing (and who doesn’t?), go check out a new comedian! For the easiest way to find where these comedians, and many more, are performing check out www.laughstub.com.
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