Top 20 Greatest Female Stand-Ups
#20: Taylor Tomlinson
Sharp, self-deprecating, and wildly relatable, few modern comics have captured millennial and Gen Z anxieties quite like Taylor Tomlinson. Rising from church comedy gigs as a teenager to headlining hit Netflix specials like “Look At You” and “Have It All”, Tomlinson built her reputation on brutally honest material about mental health, dating, religion, and adulthood. Her conversational delivery makes even the darkest punchlines feel approachable, while her timing and confidence rival comics twice her age. In an era overflowing with stand-up content, she’s become one of comedy’s clearest breakout voices.
#19: Nicole Byer
Chaotic energy, fearless crowd work, and zero filter helped turn her into one of comedy’s most instantly recognizable personalities. Inspired by bold, outspoken women like Whoopi Goldberg and Mo'Nique, Byer built her career on unapologetically loud, deeply personal comedy. After breaking out on MTV’s “Girl Code”, she expanded her reach through stand-up, television, and hit podcasts like “Why Won't You Date Me?” and “Best Friends”. Her material tackles everything from relationship drama to the awkward realities of adulthood, all delivered with infectious confidence, improvisational skill, and a contagious laugh that can completely take over a room.
#18: Tiffany Haddish
Not many comedians can turn stories about sleeping in cars, disastrous relationships, and Groupon outings into pure crowd-work magic, but that’s exactly what makes TH such a force. Her breakout in “Girls Trip” instantly made her Hollywood’s funniest scene-stealer, yet her stand-up remains wonderfully raw, animated, and gloriously unfiltered. Whether she’s oversharing childhood chaos or hyping up bargain shopping like it’s a spiritual experience, she commits completely to every bit. In 2017, she also became the first Black female stand-up comedian to host “Saturday Night Live”, later winning an Emmy for the appearance. Fearless, and endlessly quotable, Haddish makes comedy feel like surviving out loud.
#17: Lisa Lampanelli
Subtlety has never really been the point here — and thank goodness for that. Lisa Lampanelli built her comedy empire on brutal roast humor, gleeful offensiveness, and the kind of confidence that could flatten an entire celebrity panel in seconds. Dubbed the ‘Queen of Mean’, she became a standout at the “Comedy Central Roast” specials by fearlessly targeting everyone from Pamela Anderson to Donald Trump with zero hesitation. Underneath all the shock humor was razor-sharp timing and impressive crowd control. She also openly discussed weight loss, heartbreak, and insecurity in her acts, proving she could balance outrageous insults with surprising honesty — without ever losing her bite.
#16: Leslie Jones
A formidable force in modern comedy, this performer stands out for her unapologetic authenticity and explosive physical energy. Rising from the gritty stand-up circuits of the late eighties to becoming a powerhouse on “Saturday Night Live”, she has mastered a blend of raw vulnerability and commanding stage presence. Her brilliance lies in her ability to transform personal experiences and observational satire into sharp commentary on pop culture and identity. Whether she is delivering a fierce monologue or offering her signature high-energy social media commentary, her fearless delivery and infectious passion make her one of the most vital voices in comedy today.
#15: Nikki Glaser
Sex jokes, dating disasters, anxiety spirals, beauty treatments — absolutely nothing is off-limits once this lady grabs a mic. What makes her stand out isn’t just the shock value; it’s how polished and fast her comedy actually is. She became a fan favorite at celebrity roasts thanks to her laser-targeted delivery, then proved she could handle mainstream live TV too. In 2025, Glaser made history as the first woman to solo-host the Golden Globe Awards, earning rave reviews for a monologue sharp enough to roast Hollywood without completely alienating the room.
#14: Margaret Cho
Back in the day, network television rarely gave Asian American women space to be loud, messy, political, and completely uncensored. Margaret Cho built her comedy career by turning personal experiences into brutally honest stand-up, tackling everything from racism and beauty standards to family pressure and queer identity. She later starred in “All-American Girl”, one of the first American network sitcoms centered on an Asian American family, though Cho publicly criticized the show’s handling of stereotypes and behind-the-scenes pressures. Instead of hiding that experience, she transformed it into acclaimed material for later specials, helping pave the way for more personal, socially conscious comedy.
#13: Kathleen Madigan
No flashy stage persona, no over-the-top stage gimmicks — just killer timing and stories so relatable they sneak up on you. Kathleen Madigan built her reputation on sharply observed comedy about her religious upbringing, family dynamics, and the everyday absurdities of American life. Her Netflix special “Bothering Jesus” became a fan favorite for its hilarious takes on religion, while later specials like “Hunting Bigfoot” prove she’s far from losing her edge. A longtime late-night staple, Madigan’s relaxed delivery makes even the most specific personal stories feel like jokes your funniest aunt would tell after two glasses of wine.
#12: Chelsea Handler
Late-night TV was still a boys’ club when this Jersey comic made celebrity gossip feel like happy-hour warfare. Chelsea Handler hosted E!’s “Chelsea Lately” from 2007 to 2014, turning pop-culture takedowns and blunt humor into her signature lane. She also became the second woman to solo-host the MTV VMAs in 2010, after Roseanne Barr. Her Netflix work kept expanding the brand. In specials like “Uganda Be Kidding Me: Live”, “Revolution”, and “The Feeling” she leaned into sex, fame, politics, therapy, and being happily childfree with blunt, bossy, wildly watchable confidence.
#11: Ellen DeGeneres
Before she was Ellen the TV character, Ellen the talk show host, or Dory in Finding Nemo, Ellen DeGeneres was one of the finest observational comedians the world had ever known. Starting in the late-’70s, Ellen honed her craft as a small-time club comic before she made one seminal appearance on Carson. Ellen had her first performance on the Tonight Show on November 28, 1986. History - and her career - was made when Johnny called her to the couch after her set, making Ellen the first female comic to receive that honor. While her reputation later took a major hit following allegations of workplace toxicity tied to her talk show, there’s no denying how massively influential she was during her rise.
#10: Janeane Garofalo
Stand-up comedy was a paint-by-numbers art form . . . until Janeane came along and Jackson Pollock-ed all over the canvas. Debuting in the late-’80s, she quickly gained notice for her unique style - which ended up inspiring a movement called “alternative comedy.” Janeane’s act removed all preconceptions from stand-up – you know, like those pesky set-ups and punch lines – and extracted humor in unexplored ways. Garofalo displayed her stream-of-consciousness act in various clubs, and later major TV shows, ultimately becoming a fan-appointed leader for a new breed of comedians. By the mid-’90s, her socio-political repartee gave her icon status in areas outside of stand-up, especially feminism and liberalism. The undisputed Queen of Alt Comedy still performs frequently, smart and biting as ever.
#9: Iliza Shlesinger
High-energy stage comedy gets a full workout when every punchline comes with exaggerated character voices and full-body commitment. Iliza Shlesinger broke through in 2008 as the first woman and youngest winner of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”. She then built a major streaming comedy résumé with Netflix specials including “War Paint”, “Freezing Hot”, “Confirmed Kills”, “Elder Millennial”, “Unveiled”, and “Hot Forever”. She also created “The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show” and wrote, produced, and starred in the Netflix film “Good on Paper.” Her comedy often digs into women’s social rituals, dating, feminism, and beauty standards — with delightful theatricality and zero chill.
#8: Maria Bamford
Bamford is arguably the most experimental, surreal and admired female stand-up in the business, and it’s easy to see why. Much of her humor stems from personal difficulties: Bamford digs through the misery of ordinarily painful things to expose the fleshy root of hilarity buried deep within our anxieties. For over 25 years, Bamford has pushed the limits of her act, culminating in remarkably funny and original concepts like an entire stand-up special filmed with her parents as the audience, and a surrealist comedy performance done from her living room couch, with her dogs providing the soundtrack. The mainstream has just caught up with her recently but she won’t be stepping out of the spotlight any time soon.
#7: Lily Tomlin
Character comedy barely looked the same after this Detroit-born performer arrived with a telephone operator named Ernestine and a mischievous five-year-old called Edith Ann. Lily Tomlin became a breakout star on “Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In” in the late 1960s, building an iconic career through sharply observed characters and satirical social commentary. Beyond film and television hits like “9 to 5”, “Nashville”, and “Grace and Frankie”, Tomlin also earned acclaim for her one-woman stage show “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe”. Tomlin has won Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards, and in 2003 received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
#6: Tig Notaro
Deadpan doesn’t usually sound explosive — unless it’s coming from her. Tig Notaro’s 2012 album “Live,” recorded days after her breast cancer diagnosis, turned personal crisis into one of modern stand-up’s most discussed sets and later earned a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album. She followed it with specials including HBO’s “Boyish Girl Interrupted”, Netflix’s “Happy to Be Here”, HBO Max’s animated “Drawn”, and Prime Video’s “Hello Again”. Notaro also co-created, wrote, produced, and starred in a semi-autobiographical show called “One Mississippi”, proving her quiet, precise comedy could carry both a stage and a series.
#5: Sarah Silverman
Sarah Silverman has made controversy her plaything. That monster has destroyed many careers, but Silverman tamed it and rode it headlong into fame. Since her humble beginnings in stand-up as a sweet-looking 19-year-old in a business of hardened old men, Silverman had to trounce stereotypes to gain respect – and boy did she ever. Cultivating one of the most offensive acts a female comedian has ever had, no topic was off limits for the young Silverman – and she would tackle those subjects with an irony that was lost on the critics that wanted her head. The combination of her bad-girl infamy and dough-eyed innocence made Silverman the biggest female stand-up of the 2000s.
#4: Ali Wong
Standing several months pregnant while delivering brutally explicit jokes about marriage, sex, ambition, and motherhood is a pretty unforgettable way to introduce yourself to Netflix audiences. Ali Wong broke out with “Baby Cobra”, then followed it with specials including “Hard Knock Wife”, “Don Wong”, and “Single Lady”, all built around sharply written material about relationships, family life, and career expectations. She also co-wrote and starred in “Always Be My Maybe” before earning major acclaim for “Beef”, which won her both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Her comedy works because even the most outrageous punchlines are rooted in painfully recognizable frustrations about modern adulthood.
#3: Wanda Sykes
Wanda Sykes is a veteran stand-up, whose “comic’s comic” moniker is in no way hyperbolic. Originally an agent for the NSA, Sykes began stand-up in 1987 after becoming disillusioned with her rigid job. She worked her way through the DC and New York clubs, fashioning a bold, original act that turned heads in the comedy scene. Sykes would perform on Conan, HBO, Comedy Central, and write for the Chris Rock show, which led to the hilarious character acting that many know her for. Through all her success she hasn’t wavered from stand-up, and she remains one of the best in the biz.
#2: Phyllis Diller
How big of a deal was Phyllis Diller? Well, she’s considered the first mainstream female stand-up, the first female comedian to become a household name, and the first female comic to incorporate real life experiences into her act. Entering the scene as a 37-year-old in 1955, Diller’s eccentric persona, off-the-wall delivery, and refreshing sincerity made her a fan favorite, and her rise to stardom took only a few years. By 1965, she was the most famous comedienne in America. Diller was also a pioneer in the art of self-deprecating humor and continued performing stand-up until she was 85. Phyllis Diller may be gone, but her legacy and influence lives on in every female comedian she’s inspired.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Atsuko Okatsuka
Deadpan Absurdity Meets Deeply Personal Immigrant Family Chaos
Whitney Cummings
She Turns Modern Relationships and Dating Culture Into Razor-Sharp Comedy
Fortune Feimster
She Spins Southern Charm and Confidence Into Irresistibly Warm Comedy
Leanne Morgan
She Makes Southern Motherhood and Marriage Feel Hilariously Unfiltered
#1: Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers is considered the funniest woman to have ever lived—which is really all that needs to be said. As the original “Queen of Mean,” Rivers liberated female comedy from the trenches of banality and wholesomeness and became the Czar of Feminist humor. Starting stand-up in the 1950s, and gradually elevating her act to the coterie of offensiveness we’ve come to love, Joan’s provocative style was unlike anything that came before her, and, though people tried, anything that came after her. She had biting wit, killer one-liners, a fearless personality, and a no-holds barred attitude about any topic. And, perhaps even more importantly, in spite of all the offensive things she said or did throughout her controversial career, Joan was still widely beloved.
We want to know: which comedian can make you laugh even on your worst day? Sound off in the comments!
