Different Styles and Subgenres of Stand-Up Comedy

Stand-up comedy is a field of comedic performance that encompasses a broad range of genres and styles. A typical stand-up performance involves a single comic performing a written routine to a crowd of people. However, there are a number of additional approaches to the art.

Crowd work, for example, is a subset of improv (improvisational) comedy. While comedians may prepare a few lines to deal with hecklers, crowd work involves direct interactions with individual members of the audience and therefore cannot be planned in advance. In addition to engaging with random members of the crowd, some comedians reserve entire portions of their set for crowd work.

In fact, some performers engage in entire shows dedicated to interactions with the live audience. In 2014 Todd Barry released his album The Crowd Work Tour. Barry prepared no material for the tour or album, and instead relied entirely on his ability to engage with strangers in an unplanned yet entertaining style.

The album was particularly interesting for Barry, who is better known for his one-liners. In many ways, one-liners can be seen as the direct opposite of crowd work, as they are short, meticulously crafted jokes that require no context. Stand-up comedians known for one-liners include Rodney Dangerfield, Anthony Jeselnik, Jimmy Carr, and Mitch Hedberg. An example of a one-liner would be Hedberg’s joke: “Every book is a children’s book if the kid can read.”

One-liners differ significantly from anecdotal comedians, who talk to audiences in a more casual manner, often using a storytelling format. Examples of comedians who perform this style of stand-up include Patton Oswalt, Marc Maron, and Tig Notaro.

Stand-up is not always performed by a single person. Comedy groups often overlap but differ from improv groups. For example, the comedy group of Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain perform as Stella. While each member has a background in improv, their stage show is written and they have released comedy albums and specials. The group has further collaborated on a self-titled Comedy Central show and films like Wet Hot American Summer.

Other stand-up comedians typically perform solo but have partnered with their peers for special performances. Rory Scovel and Jon Dore have worked on several performances together, including a notable appearance on Conan, during which both comedians shared the stage and performed their solo sets simultaneously.

In modern times, the importance of a live audience during a stand-up performance has been put into question. In 2021 Bo Burnham released Bo Burnham: Inside, a 90 minute comedy-drama performance written, performed, and recorded entirely in Burnham’s home. Burnham had not performed stand-up for five years prior to the special due to anxiety and panic attacks the performer had suffered on stage. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for Burnham to return to the stage, so he recorded his innovative special at home with no audience.

Inside received rave reviews and garnered a Peabody Award, multiple Emmy Awards, and additional honors. However, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences deemed the album ineligible for the comedy album category.

Other styles of stand-up comedy maintain the basic format of the art, but with a specific style or addition. Steve Martin and Stephen Lynch, for instance, are examples of comedians who often perform comedic songs interspersed with stand-up bits. Related fields include ventriloquism, magic comedy, and prop comedy.