More of 2023’s great comedy specials

Sam Jay: Salute Me or Shoot Me

To the fuddy-duddies arguing that “woke” culture has ruined stand-up: We give you Sam Jay. Like her hero Richard Pryor, the Black lesbian former SNL writer delivers smart, no-filter topical jokes with steely style. Wait till you hear what she has to say about suicidal walruses. Max

Mae Martin: SAP

Gather around the campfire; it’s time for Mae Martin to tell funny stories. Standing before a faux-forest backdrop, the nonbinary comedian delivers a wonderfully introspective set of observational humor. Netflix

Josh Johnson: Up Here Killing Myself

Josh Johnson’s comedy is a welcome blend of old-school stand-up and today’s de rigueur confessional style. Whether he’s talking about growing up poor in Louisiana or about interacting with a weird co-worker, he can get you laughing even when you can guess where the story is headed. Peacock

Marlon Wayans: God Loves Me

Who knew Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars was really all about Marlon Wayans? The Tito of the Wayans clan (in Rock’s characterization) built a whole set out of the incident and his personal knowledge of the key players, and the results are hilarious. Max

Chris Fleming: Hell

Remember weird comedians? Steven Wright? Mitch Hedberg? Chris Fleming is bringing weird back, with gusto. You can’t always follow his thinking. But when he hits—wow. You’ll never look at a carton of raspberries the same again. Peacock

Hari Kondabolu: Vacation Baby

Kondabolu, a Queens-raised comic, seems as comfortable as anyone telling a joke. His selfreleased special, built around the story of his son’s birth, is another pitch-perfect postpandemic set. YouTube