Skip to main content

The Best Live Comedy Shows Streaming Now

Whether you’re a comedy fan or simply in need of a good chuckle, this guide is for you. We’ve compiled some of the absolute best live comedy shows currently streaming on Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch. They run the gamut from stand-up to improv and are guaranteed to soothe your quarantine woes and get you laughing in no time.

Cabernet Cabaret with Cat Cohen

Quarantine royally sucks, but comedian Cat Cohen almost makes it okay. She’s been churning out truly stellar Instagram content throughout the lockdown, both in short-form videos for her grid and on Instagram Live. Though I’ll basically inhale anything this New York darling puts out, I’m particularly fond of her live Cabernet Cabaret show she hosts every Wednesday. It’s a re-imagining of a live show she does in the city wherein she and a gaggle of guests sing, patter, and rabble-rouse for an hour. Definitely recommend for anyone who likes their comedy with a side of singing and cheeky crowd work.

Live with John Early and Kate Berlant

John Early and Kate Berlant are two of my all-time favorite comedians. While they both do a lot of independent work, I’ve always been fond of their collaborations. And much to my surprise, they’ve been doing some really fantastic live shows together throughout the quarantine! Though they’re not on a set schedule, you can usually catch them going live at least once a week. If you’re a fan of surreal, delusional, and quick-witted humor, this could definitely be the show for you.

Twitch Comedy Commons

twith program phone
Caspar Camille Rubin

Twitch is perhaps best known as a gaming platform, but I’ve actually found it to be a great source for live comedy shows during the quarantine, especially for improv. Every night, simply go to the comedy homepage and you’ll see fantastic teams putting up live long-form shows. I’ve watched a few and though the quality is kind of hit or miss, it definitely scratches a comedy itch.

Dinner with the Gaffigans with Jim Gaffigan

Dinner with the Gaffigans (April 23rd 2020) - Jim Gaffigan #stayin #withme

If you’ve ever wanted to share a meal with comedy legend Jim Gaffigan, now is your chance! For the past few weeks, the comedian has been going live every night with his family for a special Dinner with the Gaffigans extravaganza. As you’d expect, the whole clan is pretty darn hilarious, especially when responding to user questions in the open chat feature.

Tip Your Waitstaff with Mike Birbiglia

I’m a huge fan of Mike Birbiglia, so I was super excited to see that he was going to start doing live comedy chats every day on his Instagram page. This project has now morphed into Tip Your Waitstaff, a daily program in which the comedian chats with his very funny friends about jokes and material they were working on before the coronavirus crisis hit. It’s a lovely reprieve from the stress of the day and usually lands on Instagram in the late afternoon (check his page for exact times!).

The New Material Show with Maria Bamford

maria bamford comedian
Andrew Chin/Getty Images

If you’re a fan of comedian Maria Bamford (most notable for her excellent stand-up and the Netflix show Lady Dynamo), you may enjoy her latest project: The New Material Show. Every day at 3 p.m. PT, the comic hops on Zoom to perform a never-before-seen show of new material. The catch? There are only 100 slots per show and admission is a $5 donation to your local food bank. It seems like a small price to pay for a laugh and is a great way to encourage a little charitable giving.

Quarantine Cocktail Time with Paul Feig

Looking for something to enjoy with an afternoon cocktail? Then check out Paul Feig’s Quarantine Cocktail Time. The Freaks and Geeks creator and Bridesmaids director hops on Instagram Live every day at 5 p.m. ET to host the show, which sees him lounging about with his wife, dog, and, of course, a cocktail. It’s an easy-breezy program that feels like a lazy afternoon with a good ol’ pal.

Clean Saturdays with Mary Beth Barone

View this post on Instagram

baby’s first fashion week (I’m baby)

A post shared by mary beth barone (@marybethbarone) on

For folks looking to indulge in some really solid, really great, good ol’ fashioned New York stand-up, check out Clean Saturdays hosted by comedian Mary Beth Barone. The show goes live on her Instagram page every Saturday at 7 p.m. ET and is a hoot and a half! Here, you’ll find some of the best up-and-coming voices on the New York comedy scene, which gives this show a fantastic indie vibe. Plus, Mary Beth Barone herself is “Hilarious” with a capital H.

For more comedy fodder, take a peek at our round-up of the most amazing female comedians of all time.

Editors' Recommendations

The 10 best movie drinking games to play on Netflix
You'll love playing these movie drinking games

Watching something can be a great way to stave off the boredom that everyone faces from time to time. Whether it's a great show or movie available on Netflix, streaming services have ensured that we'll always have something to watch. Just having something to watch often isn't enough, though. In fact, what some people need is a game that goes alongside the latest thing on Netflix, which is why we've developed this list of drinking games that are perfect for Netflix subscribers.

You don't need to follow along with these games to get to a good drinking game with anything you're watching. What you might find, though, is that these drinking games have been carefully calibrated to ensure that you have as much fun as possible. Once you see a game that looks like fun, just grab a case of cheap beer or whatever your preferred drink might be and get started. You can also check out our guides for board games and card-drinking games if you're looking for a drinking game that doesn't involve a screen at all.
Monty Python and The Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail Official Trailer - John Cleese Movie (1974)

Read more
Ranked: The best Brendan Fraser movies to watch right now
Watch these Brendan Fraser movies to understand why his fans will fight for him
Brendan Fraser as Rick O'Connell in The Mummy Returns.

People are calling this the Brenaissance. Yes, we're all happy for the much-deserved recognition the Canadian American treasure is getting for his role in The Whale, but the diehard Brendan Fraser fans have been rewatching The Mummy on repeat since 1999.

To become a true fanatic, you'll need to watch these Brendan Fraser movies that show why the world will always root for this charming actor. We aren't saying these movies with Brendan Fraser have the best acting or plots, but they all showcase a side of the actor that we can't get enough of.

Read more
The 8 best horror movies on Netflix right now
From pastiches of horror classics to totally original work, Netflix has great horror movies for every taste
best horror movies on netflix girlonthethirdfloor

Loving horror movies is, for some movie-goers, almost entirely different from loving movies generally. Plenty of people love both, but deep horror fans know that there's nothing better than going to a theater or dimming all the lights at home and being prepped to get scared out of your mind. It's a totally unique thrill ride, and can sometimes feel closer to riding a roller coaster than to anything you might get from other movie genres. If you're looking to replicate that thrill ride at home, then we've got you covered with some of the best horror movies on Netflix to choose from. Of course, Netflix also has awesome action movies and a great roster of shows to peruse, but for this list, we'll be running down the best horror movies the service has to spook you.

Related Guides

Read more