Stand-up comedy is often viewed as a genre dominated by men, and it shouldn’t be. While many think of stand-up, specifically as a boys club, these talented, hilarious women are carving out a space for the rest of us. Get ready to laugh your tampons out.
1. Marina Franklin
Image via twitter.com/marinafranklin
I’m amazed that many people still have not heard of Marina Franklin. How is this possible? Marina Franklin is one of the most popular comedians in the comedy scene. She often makes fun of the origin of her name and the persona she tried on when she began doing stand-up. She appeared in Trainwreck, Conan, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Showtime’s Women Who Kill, The Chappelle Show and is a Comedy Cellar regular.
2. Janelle James
Image via janellejamescomedy.com
Janelle James switched careers from fashion designer to a stand-up comedy, and I’m so glad she did. Her comedy is dark, raunchy and she refers to herself as, “The Racist Whisperer,” which is amazing. She has performed all over the country and exclusively as the feature act with Hannibal Buress, Todd Barry and Rob Delaney, and can be seen on Bravo, the Vice Network and Night Train With Wyatt Cenac.
3. Jacqueline Novak
Image via instagram.com/interviewmag
Jacqueline Novak’s comedy is enchanting. She guides the audience through her inner monologue with details that are so original and hilarious, she will easily become one of, if not your favorite comics. She’s very open about her depression, getting caught in the act of trying to be sexy and pretending to be surprised at the size of nacho plates. Her memoir and self-help book, How To Weep In Public was published in March, she is the co-host of the podcast, Blue Woman Group and her album, Quality Notions is available on iTunes. She also hosts a stand-up show every Tuesday at Cake Shop in NYC (AND it’s free!).
4. Anna Drezen
Image via facebook
If you love absurd, goofy and joyful comedy, Anna Drezen is your girl! Anna Drezen’s a performer at UCB, her work has been featured on Reductress, College Humor, Funny or Die, Witstream, Thought Catalog, Splitsider and Buzzfeed. The hotel blog she co-wrote, How May We Hate You? was published last year, she’s a former editor at Reductress and continues to co-host their podcast, Mouthtime With Reductress” as basic bitch, “Quenn,” and is currently writing for Cracked. Get hooked!
5. Janine Brito
Image via janinebrito.com
Referring to her style as, “Professor Lesbian, most days,” Janine Brito’s comedy is full of energy, specifically when she’s detailing her bedtime stories from her schizophrenic nanny. She was mentored by W. Kamau Bell and previously wrote for Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell in addition to being an on-air correspondent. Check her out!
6. Joyelle Johnson
Image via joyellenicole.com
Joyelle Johnson is a joy! She’s open about her desire to become a gold digger just to cover her allergy meds. Johnson has opened for comedy titans Maria Bamford, Hannibal Burress, Dave Chappelle, and Russel Peters.
7. Emmy Blotnick
Image via emmyblotnick.com
Emmy Blotnick is an amazing performer. Her comedy is both self-deprecating and absurdist. Whether she’s informing the audience exactly how many spoons she used to eat a pudding cup, or taping pieces of bread to her shirt and singing, “You think I’m pretty without any make-up on,” she is a treasure.
Emily is a writer on Not Safe with Nikki Glaser, she previously wrote for @midnight with Chris Hardwick, MTV’s Nikki & Sara Live and was named one of Comedy Central’s Comics to Watch. She hosts monthly stand-up shows, Big Long Sets at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
8. Dulce Sloan
Image via twitter.com/dulcesloan
Dulce Sloan wants you to see her bra if she paid $100 for it! Sloan has been active in the stand-up scene for six years, she has appeared on Conan and recently won Stand Up NBC 2015. She also won 2nd place in the 2015 Laughing Skull Comedy Festival and was chosen as one of the new faces at Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.
9. Travina Springer
Image via travinaspringer.com
Travina Springer’s comedy comes from living a sheltered life. So sheltered, that she thought Fresh Prince was gangster rap. She has acted in many films, such as Valentine’s Day, has written and appeared in BET’s Comic View as well as Tosh.0.
10. Mary Houlihan
Image via maryhoulihan.tumblr.com
Mary Houlihan is fantastic at character work and loves doing her “world famous stand-up.” She has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel, Billy In The Street, The Best Show and the upcoming season of Difficult People. She has also written for Reductress, MTV and animated shorts for Saturday Morning-ish Cartoons on Comedy Central.
11. Dina Hashem
Image via dinahashem.com
Dina Hashem’s jokes about her family are hilarious! After she won 1st place at the 2010 New Jersey Comedy Festival at Rutgers, she began performing regularly at NY Comedy Club, Carolines, Comic Strip Live, Broadway Comedy Club and The Stress Factory. She has also performed at prestigious UCB’s Whiplash, and Night Train with Wyatt Cenac, and her work has been featured on Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, and TVLand Websites.
12. Samantha Ruddy
Image via twitter.com/samlymatters
Samantha Ruddy is a big supporter of health care for prostitutes and thinks prescription meds should have weed names. She’s a dream. She was selected as a performer for the 2014 Women in Comedy Festival AND the 2015 Laugh Your Asheville Off Festival. She wrote and starred in a comedy video, “Beohemian Rhapsody” that was picked up by College Humor, and she currently contributes for Collegehumor, Someecoards and Reductress.
Top image via beginningspod.tumblr.com
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