The time has finally come: We’re back with our year-end list on the emerging comics you need to know.

It’s been another hugely dynamic year for comedy, with 29 stand-up specials from Netflix, 12 originals from Hulu, seven from HBO, and around the same from Prime Video. That’s not to mention a few from Peacock, all the specials put out through specialty streamers like Dropout and Veeps, the hundreds put out annually on YouTube, and those released direct to consumer on comedians’ websites.

Just for Laughs rebounded from bankruptcy, and months later, comics courted controversy by participating in the inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival, on which we were first to report . (2025 was also a big year in comedy for Deadline, specifically, with the launch of our Comedy Means Business newsletter

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