Best UK/Canada/USA clean comedians?
December 19, 2019 6:45 AM   Subscribe

Jerry Seinfeld said that clean comics are more successful in the long run. Who are the clean comics now?
posted by parmanparman to Media & Arts (29 answers total) 17 users marked this as a favorite
 
Jim Gaffigan
posted by FencingGal at 6:47 AM on December 19, 2019 [16 favorites]


Brian regan
posted by tristeza at 6:48 AM on December 19, 2019 [3 favorites]


Jeff Foxworthy
posted by Homer42 at 6:54 AM on December 19, 2019


Pete Holmes.

I can't remember if Tig Notaro actually is a "clean" comedian or not but I don't remember her stuff being raunchy
posted by dis_integration at 6:54 AM on December 19, 2019 [4 favorites]


Not absolutely 100% clean, but 99% or so — John Mulaney.
posted by letourneau at 7:09 AM on December 19, 2019 [21 favorites]


Kevin Hart isn't completely clean, but his shtick is his energy, not his dirtiness.
posted by matrixclown at 7:11 AM on December 19, 2019


Demetri Martin

Also Ellen Degeneres, though she doesn't do standup much anymore (then again, neither does Seinfeld).
posted by Mchelly at 7:16 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Nate Bargatze.
posted by cpatterson at 7:19 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Joe Pera
posted by theory at 7:21 AM on December 19, 2019 [3 favorites]


James Acaster.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 7:29 AM on December 19, 2019 [9 favorites]


I'm seconding Brian Regan, but when I saw him, I think he said "shit". So, not totally swear-free, but his material is definitely not dirty.
posted by jonathanhughes at 8:03 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


I've seen Fortune Feimster a couple of times and can't remember her doing anything dirty (and she was amaaaazing god I love her so much)
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:06 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Netflix has a "clean standup comedy" section. Most of those listed have been mentioned already but I also see Tom Papa, Anjelah Johnson (love her), Kevin James, Ryan Hamilton.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:11 AM on December 19, 2019


Seth Meyers' netflix special Lobby Baby is clean, and hilarious. There's a very short bit in it that's "political", but you can skip it (tee hee).
posted by OHenryPacey at 8:27 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Jonny Harris, at least in his show Still Standing.
posted by okayokayigive at 8:45 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Came in to recommend Seth Meyer's netflix special as well. I'm not sure about the rest of his stuff, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Lobby Baby.
posted by Juniper Toast at 8:50 AM on December 19, 2019


Susan Calman - she talks about cats, politics, daily life, cats, depression, dancing, cats. She'll swear, but her comedy is based on human experiences, not shock value.
posted by jb at 9:44 AM on December 19, 2019 [3 favorites]


Mike Birbiglia, especially his older stuff.
posted by Old Kentucky Shark at 11:03 AM on December 19, 2019 [6 favorites]


(then again, neither does Seinfeld)

Jerry Seinfeld is booked for six shows at the Beacon Theater in NYC. Two each in Jan, Feb and March of 2020
posted by John Borrowman at 12:38 PM on December 19, 2019


Yep. And Ellen did a three-city tour in CA last year for her Netflix special. But neither of them are doing huge standup tours anymore (that I'm aware of).
posted by Mchelly at 12:43 PM on December 19, 2019


Chondra Pierce has the moniker of Queen of Clean and is the RIAA's most awarded female comic. She was the comedian for Trump's inauguration.
posted by foxfirefey at 1:29 PM on December 19, 2019


John Mulaney does sometimes swear, but he can also go on broadcast TV, do the same routine, and it's not any less funny. (Horse in a hospital, anyone?)
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 3:03 PM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Pete Holmes is great, but he has pointed out that he does some pretty raunchy stuff sometimes but it SEEMS clean because he has a "clean energy."
posted by Ursula Hitler at 6:08 PM on December 19, 2019


James Acaster is no longer strictly clean. He's not blue at all but he's moved from being whimsically cleanish to doing more personal stuff with cursing.

The top clean guys right now are Brian Regan and Jim Gaffigan. Gaffigan is a good one to look at to compare his old stuff before he switched over to working clean. Old interviews where he talks about making the switch should be out there. Brian Regan is just a damn genius.

Michael McIntyre mostly works clean.

You can find some clean comedy specials on Dry Bar Comedy - quality is all over the place. Clean/family friendly comedy is really expanding right now.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 2:10 AM on December 20, 2019 [1 favorite]


Tim Vine and Milton Jones in the UK.
posted by low_horrible_immoral at 4:25 AM on December 20, 2019


Seconding Dry Bar Comedy – here's their YouTube channel. It definitely varies in quality.
posted by escape from the potato planet at 9:17 AM on December 20, 2019


(Jerry Seinfeld is doing over 30 shows across the US in the first five months of 2020.)
posted by fabius at 7:45 AM on December 21, 2019 [1 favorite]


sorry, I was maybe working with the wrong definition of "clean" when I said Fortune Feimster. I'm preeeetttty sure she swears. I think. I meant that she doesn't talk about sex.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:17 PM on December 21, 2019


How clean is clean? I don't know where the line is.

UK side (please remember swearing is like breathing here):

- Sean Locke (stand up, not on panel shows)
- Stewart Lee
- Michael McIntyre (he recently added a joke about a bj to his set but he is clean)
- Gina Yashere

If you want to judge for yourself just Google 'comedy Live at the Apollo Hammersmith' and you can see tons of UK comedians, mostly clean, with very short sets.
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 8:17 AM on December 26, 2019


« Older Document review approaches for a small team   |   What are some really good liquor stores in... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.