1. Bo Burnham

 This 24 year old comedian got his start by making YouTube videos of himself in high school. Eventually he landed his first Comedy Central special in 2010, called “Words, Words, Words”. This performance showcased Burnham’s cynical side as well as impressive wit. His latest special, “What.”, released in 2013, combines classic comedy with introspective humor. Also notable was his short lived MTV series, “Zach Stone is Gonna be Famous”, in which he plays a teenager looking for fame. Recently Burnham published a humorous book of short poems called “Egghead: Or You Can’t Survive on Ideas Alone”. You can find his entire show “What.” for free on YouTube.

2.     Donald Glover

Some may already know Donald Glover, better recognized by his rap name, “Childish Gambino.” However Glover is incredibly talented at stand up comedy, as well. He has worked as a writer on numerous projects, including NBC’s popular comedy “30 Rock” before landing a starring role in the show, “Community”. Glover’s stand up can be dark at times, but it is just the right amount of hard hitting reality combined with hilarity. You can see clips of his stand up on comedycentral.com.

3.     Garfunkel & Oats

This female comedy duo appears to be absolutely unstoppable. Kate Micucci (Oates) and Riki Lindhome (Garfunkel) just recently aired their new comedy “Garfunkel & Oats” on IFC this past month. The two have been active since 2007, primarily making music videos for the comedy website Funnyordie.com. You can find their stand up on their website garfunkelandoats.com.

4.     Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani 

 You may recognize these guys from the Comedy Central show “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail”. I had the pleasure of seeing their live show this past week. Their comedy is a mix of nerdiness, intelligence and a bit of immaturity. You can watch their stand up show on Comedy Central, weeknights at 12:30pm. 

5 .     Robin Williams 

 I guess this is a bit of an obvious one. Williams was without a doubt one of the greatest comedic minds of his generation. His ability to transform spontaneously into genuine characters and smart wit cemented his greatness. He is most well remembered for his TV and film work, but his stand up is where his true talent shines.  Here is a clip demonstrating his talent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGhfxKUH80M