The silly stars of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” and a legendary podcast host are just three of the comedians heading to a city near you in the coming months. These ten stand-up tours are sure to tickle your funny bone this spring.
Margaret Cho
Queer Korean comic Margaret Cho is not afraid to get political. Her current tour “celebrates my 40 years as a stand-up,” Cho said on her website, promising to radiate “rage about homophobia, sexism, racism and the fight to stay alive in a culture that is killing us daily” onstage. “Live & Livid” tour dates are ongoing through December.
Jim Gaffigan
Gaffigan’s midwestern sensibility and sheepish delivery have always made him extra-relatable. He rose to fame covering family-friendly topics like his kids and his shameful love affair with fast food, from Cinnabon to Subway In his last special, “Dark Pale,” Gaffigan showed signs of pushing back “against that vanilla image,” said The New York Times. “Barely Alive Tour” dates are ongoing through December.
Kevin Hart
Kevin Hart recently became the 25th person to win the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, a prestigious honor that is considered a “lifetime achievement award in comedy,” The New York Times said. Hart is a household name, having built a veritable empire with successful films, restaurants and media companies. “The Reality Check Tour” dates are ongoing through June.
Jo Koy
Koy found himself in hot water while hosting the 2024 Golden Globes, a gig during which he made some widely criticized jokes. (Hosting an awards show is no easy gig — just ask James Franco.) Koy got defensive and blamed his writers. But one bad night does not an entire career make (or break), so perhaps he has a shot at redemption on tour, where he will presumably be in charge of the joke writing. “Jo Koy World Tour” dates are ongoing through November.
Marc Maron
The host of the long-running comedy podcast “WTF with Marc Maron” is currently on a 2024 tour, which comes on the heels of last year’s HBO special “From Bleak to Dark.” There, the “typically cantankerous stand-up turn[ed] toward grace,” said Vulture, discussing the unexpected death of his partner from leukemia during the pandemic’s early days. “All In Tour” dates are ongoing through November.
Steve Martin and Martin Short
If you love watching comedy legends Steve Martin and Martin on Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” now is your chance to catch the dynamic duo together in the flesh. The tour’s description promises the hosts will “make each other laugh as much as the audience,” mocking Hollywood and the fickle nature of celebrity — but the comedy “truly soars when they lovingly (and relentlessly) roast each other.” These two met on the set of the 1986 film “Three Amigos” and have now been friends for almost forty years. “The Dukes of Funnytown!” tour will commence on May 3 in Syracuse, NY.
John Mulaney
Simultaneously unassuming and flamboyant, Mulaney has skyrocketed to fame over the last decade. His material ranges from childhood anecdotes to overcoming addiction to his two-year-old son, Malcolm. And his charisma is so convincing, people were clamoring for him to host next year’s Oscars after a short presenting stint at this year’s. There are only two dates left on this tour — so get tickets while you can. “John Mulaney in Concert” runs through May 4.
Wanda Sykes
The Emmy-winning veteran stand-up recently began her first major tour in six years. Her latest Netflix special, “I’m an Entertainer,” came out in May 2023 and detailed “some of the most hot button topics of the pandemic era,” including “the Jan. 6 insurrection, the importance of trans rights and the murder of Black Americans like George Floyd,” said Variety. “Please & Thank You” tour dates are ongoing through June.
Taylor Tomlinson
This fresh-faced comic provides particular insight into the “millennial struggle,” making light of app dating, mental health and religious guilt. “Tomlinson has developed one of the smoothest, most conversational deliveries in stand-up comedy, continually honing a more and more relatable act,” said Forbes. “Have It All” tour dates resume April 19 and are ongoing through September.
Ali Wong
Ali Wong became the first woman of Asian descent to win a lead acting Emmy this year for her work in “Beef,” a dark comedy from Netflix and A24. Now, she’s back on the road and full of unapologetic (and sexually explicit) jokes about everything from race to feminism to her divorce. “Ali Wong: Live” is ongoing through May 12.
Ten stand-up tours guaranteed to make you spit out your drink
