In a world where many consume most of their media through their phones, social apps have become the number one place for not only catching up with friends- but also getting the latest news, catching inside glimpses of celebrities' personal lives, and finding good entertainment.
While comedians once had to spend years on the comedy circuit - traveling to open mic nights hoping to be discovered, now they have the opportunity to take their careers into their own hands by delivering major laughs through short videos that catch the public's attention.
Everyone could use a little comedic relief to break up their newsfeeds on social media, and these Instagram comedians do not disappoint when it comes to delivering quality entertainment.
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Matt Rife (@mattrife)
How He Got His Start: Born and raised in North Lewisburg, OH, Rife initially believed his only occupation choices were becoming a farmer or a mechanic. A self-proclaimed class clown, he soon realized he had a gift for making others laugh, and asked his mom to drive him to a comedy club an hour away from his home to attend their weekly open-mic-night after school. As he grew in popularity, Rife attracted other opportunities that ultimately led to his overwhelming popularity.
Why He's Trending: In addition to working with famous comedians like Mike Epps, D.L. Hugely, Ralphie May, Dane Cook, Tommy Davidson, and DeRay Davis, Rife is currently the youngest comedian to ever perform at The World Famous Laugh Factory and is featured on MTV's WILD N’OUT.
What He Is Known For: Rife is known for his excellent crowd work during his stand-ups.
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Taylor Tomlinson (@taylortomlinson)
How She Got Her Start: Taylor Tomlinson began stand-up when she was only 16 years old, as she and her father found it was a hobby they both enjoyed and could bond over. Growing up in an evangelical household, her initial content was clean, church-approved humor.
Why She's Trending: She eventually transitioned into a slightly bolder brand of humor, as she earned a spot opening for Brian Regan and was featured on Last Comic Standing in 2015. Tomlinson has two shows on Netflix, Quarter-Life Crisis and Look at You, and earned her own CBS late show, After Midnight, in 2024.
What She Is Known For: Tomlinson has helped to break the stigma around mental illness and going to therapy by incorporating jokes about her own mental health struggles on stage.
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How He Got His Start: Jim Jefferies started comedy when he was attending college in Perth, Australia, a small town with only one bar that hosted comedy on Wednesdays. Though he performed well the first time, his next appearance was a flop. Eventually, he realized that he would need to move to the UK if he really wanted to make it as a comedian. While his career began to flourish, it wasn't until he was punched during a set in 2007 that he became famous. The venue's security cameras caught the incident on film, and the footage became one of the very first “viral” videos.
Why He's Trending: Jefferies has had nine comedy specials, and hosted his own show, The Jim Jefferies Show. In 2022, he became the host of a game show, The 1% Club.
What He Is Known For: Jefferies is known for his unapologetic and sometimes controversial comedy style.
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Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr)
How She Got Her Start: Sarah Cooper started college as a theater major but eventually switched to economics. She was hired to be a designer for Google but never gave up on her dream to entertain audiences. She initially tried her hand at comedy by doing stand-up at local clubs, hoping to be discovered. Instead, she found her big break on social media amidst the COVID-19 lockdown.
Why She's Trending: Cooper, an immigrant woman of color, first went viral for lipsynching to an audio clip of then-President Donald Trump suggesting that injecting disinfectant into the body may provide a cure to the virus. Despite believing that her video wasn't all that remarkable, she quickly rose to fame. Since then, she's been invited to the Democratic National Convention and guest hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live. Cooper has also penned two satirical books advising on how to make it in the business world.
What She Is Known For: Cooper impersonates Trump by lipsynching to audio clips featuring the former president.
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Ronny Chieng (@ronnychieng)
How He Got His Start: Ronny Chieng attended the University of Melbourne Law School, where they held an annual comedy competition. Usually, he would sign up and then get cold feet the night before and wouldn't show up for the big event. His final year before graduating, Chieng realized it was his final chance.
Why He's Trending: Chieng won the competition and quickly rose to fame in Australia. It wasn't long before he was having to upgrade to larger venues, as his shows were quickly selling out. Since then, Bill Burr has invited him to open for both his Australia and LA shows. He capitalizes on creating original content that moves beyond what normally garners a positive reaction from the crowd, helping him to stand out among others in the industry. He's also responsible for creating a humor-filled guide for visiting restaurants and other attractions throughout Melbourne.
What He Is Known For: Chieng's brand of comedy is reliant on his feigned arrogance, and he often makes his audience the butt of his jokes. Chieng has also served as a correspondent for The Daily Show since 2015 and appeared in films like M3GAN and Crazy Rich Asians.
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Natalie Friedman (@nataliefriedman)
How She Got Her Start: Natalie Friedman began cracking jokes at a young age, doing impressions of her teachers for her friends at her Eden Prairie, MN, grade school. She attended open mic nights in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area from the time she was in high school, then moved to New York to pursue an acting career. Building a following on social media to showcase her work, her account gained steady traction after Nicki Minaj shared a video of Friedman impersonating her.
Why She's Trending: Friedman's videos have garnered millions of followers across multiple platforms. She's toured throughout the US with her acts, including holding a residency at the Laugh Factory.
What She Is Known For: Friedman has the ability to flawlessly morph her voice into sounding like other celebrities. Over the years, she's parodied Kim Kardashian, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Melania Trump and many others.
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Eva Victor (@evavictor)
How She Got Her Start: Before Eva Victor found her love for comedy, she was an aspiring actress for more serious roles. It wasn't until her sophomore year of college that she began exploring the more humorous side of life. Still, she kept auditioning for Shakespearean plays for years before she finally conceded that comedic work was what ultimately fulfilled her.
Why She's Trending: Victor became an intern for Reductress and was eventually promoted to editor before she decided to leave the company to find her own voice. She accrued a massive following on Twitter, where she shares her short, less-than-two-minute sketches, with multiple videos reaching over a million views. She's also been seen on MTV's Decoded and works with an arts and theater education program, Story Pirates.
What She Is Known For: Victor is a feminist whose content includes jokes about the Amazon show Fleabag, depression, and astrology.
- Photo: The 85 South Comedy Show / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY 3.084 VOTES
Desi Banks (@iamdesibanks)
How He Got His Start: Before Desi Banks was a comedian, he was a collegiate athlete. Banks got his big break in the stand-up scene in 2018 when he accompanied B. Simone on the 30-city You're My Boyfriend Tour.
Why He's Trending: Desi Banks's ability to appeal to a wide range of audiences, including sports fans, college students, and comedy lovers, allows his unique brand of entertainment to reach and resonate with millions. Banks also produces and creates his own content, earning him clout that sets him apart from other comedians. In addition to working with Ed Sheeran in the 2021 NFL kick-off celebration and the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, Banks has also produced and promoted content for the professional sports teams in his hometown of Atlanta. Numerous companies, including Google, Nascar, Best Buy, Burger King, Madden, and the NBA, have collaborated with him over the years for social media promotions, and he has also worked with leaders in the music industry like Ludacris and 21 Savage. Apart from over 2,000 personal produced videos of content, Banks produced the Friday spinoff web series How It Goes Down in the Hood and the short film, The Banks Family Christmas.
What He Is Known For: Banks is known for his unique and original skits.
- Photo: The 85 South Comedy Show / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY 3.094 VOTES
Druski (@Druski)
How He Got His Start: While Druski found he enjoyed keeping his classmates entertained at a young age, he didn't realize he wanted to pursue a career in comedy until the 2020 pandemic. As he continued to produce a steady stream of laughter-inducing content, he discovered his love for the art.
Why He's Trending: Druski's videos quickly went viral, and the comedian now boasts over 3 million followers - including celebrities like Drake, Odell Beckham Jr., and Jack Harlow. He's also collaborated with Drake, appearing in the music video for “Laugh Now, Cry Later,” and has an Adidas-sponsored video series on YouTube. He has also been seen chilling courtside with LeBron James.
What He Is Known For: Most of his skits are parodies where he relies on two characters he created: the typical frat bro and the hard-to-please record label executive.
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Samay Raina (@maisamayhoon)
How He Got His Start: After deciding that the Print Engineering course he was enrolled in was “a waste of time,” Samay Raina began trying his hand at several artistic entertainment endeavors, including poetry, playing the guitar, and open-mic nights. His cynical perspective earned him second place in a comedy competition, leading him to become a regular in comedy clubs around Pune, India.
Why He's Trending: Raina reached international fame when he began vlogging chess matches, which he played with other comedians and chess experts. As his channel grew, he began raising money for multiple different causes, including everything from providing resources for stray dogs to natural disaster relief.
What He Is Known For: Raina's chess streams continue to be very popular, and the comedian also dishes on pop culture and his culture.
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Dale Elliott (@daleelliottjr)
How He Got His Start: Jamaica native Dale Elliott began creating content for Vine (a social media platform that featured six-second video clips) as a means to relieve some of the pressure he felt studying for exams when he was in high school. After garnering millions of views on the app, his transition to posting on Instagram was a smooth and easy process, as his old and new followers continued to engage in his comedic content.
Why He's Trending: After finding success on Vine and Instagram, Elliott expanded his reach to just about every other major social media platform and accrued millions of followers. He starred in the 2018 Jamaican film Sprinter. Elliott now tours worldwide.
What He's Known For: Elliott is known for his reels and TikToks mimicking his Jamaican mother and her antics.
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Elsa Majimbo (@majimb.o)
How She Got Her Start: Elsa Majimbo began making videos for her friends in 2016 but didn't really put much effort into her content until the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. When the journalism major began posting her comedic commentary, she had 7,000 followers on Instagram. Now, that number has reached over two million.
Why She's Trending: Majimbo first went viral during the pandemic, where she cheered the world up by cracking jokes from her bedroom in Nairobi, Kenya. Her content initially featured her quest to find a boyfriend during lockdown and called out friends and family for dramatizing their emotional experiences during the events. Since then, she's grown to international popularity with a worldwide fanbase, secured partnerships with brands like MAC and Fenty, and been interviewed by Anderson Cooper.
What She Is Known For: Majimbo is recognized for her sarcastic humor, her contagious laugh, her '90s Matrix-style shades, signature low-quality videos, and the viral clips of some of her best quotes that other content creators widely use throughout multiple social media platforms.
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Caitlin Reilly (@hicaitlinreilly)
How She Got Her Start: Caitlin Reilly dreamed of being an actor but eventually grew tired of failed auditions and went to work for a real estate company two months before the 2020 lockdown. Looking for a hobby to fill her time, she downloaded TikTok and began making videos that led to her finding her passion for theatrical entertainment again.
Why She's Trending: Reilly's relatable TikTok characters made her a viral sensation, as she pokes fun at stereotypical versions of people we all love to hate. Since becoming famous on social media, she's acted in General Hospital, the soap opera her late father, John Reilly, starred in.
What She Is Known For: While Reilly has numerous popular characters, she first went viral for her “WASP Mom” skit.
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JR De Guzman (@jrdguz)
How He Got His Start: JR De Guzman fell in love with music at a young age and initially learned to play the drums and guitar to impress girls. It wasn't until he entered college, however, that he also found a passion for comedy. He enrolled in a stand-up class with a little encouragement from his friends and found a natural ability to combine his two interests to create one-of-a-kind content.
Why He's Trending: He took home first place in the 2006 Stand-up NBC search, earned the title “New Face” at Just for Laughs 2017, and landed parts for Kevin Hart Presents: Hart of the City and The Comedy Lineup the following year. Realizing the value of De Guzman's brand of humor, Comedy Central began featuring bits of his work on social media during the pandemic, and his popularity soared. De Guzman's album, Dual Citizen, debuted at #1 on iTunes and Billboard comedy charts.
What He Is Known For: De Guzman weaves comedic stories into his improvised musical skits.
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Benito Skinner (@bennydrama7)
How He Got His Start: Benito Skinner began posting material on his private Instagram account, @bennydrama7, during his high school years. His initial content was very different, as he tried to suppress who he truly was in an effort to fit in at his Catholic school. It wasn't until he moved to New York and found his first boyfriend that he felt comfortable coming out, both literally and figuratively, as he made his account public and began focusing on creating content that better fit his personality and style.
Why He's Trending: Like many other social media comedians, Skinner first went viral during the pandemic, when the world was looking for a reason to laugh during an otherwise bleak time. Since then, he has acquired millions of followers on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. In 2023, Forbes featured him in its 30 under 30 list for social media.
What He Is Known For: Skinner's uncanny ability to impersonate and roast A-list celebrities like Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, and the Kardashians is so spot on that he even won approval from Khloé and Kourtney.
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Matteo Lane (@matteolane)
How He Got His Start: Chicago-born Matteo Lane was a storyboard artist for fashion ads and TV commercials when he first started doing stand-up. When he was offered a business opportunity in New York, Lane knew he had a chance to make it big and began performing nightly at open-mic venues.
Why He's Trending: Lane has over one million followers on social media, but the comedian's reach goes well beyond the internet and onto the worldwide stage. He's shared the stage with Bob the Drag Queen, Chelsea Handler, Hasan Minhaj, and Aziz Ansari. Lane was featured on Netflix's Stand Out and The Comedy Line Up.
What He Is Known For: Lane is known for his storytelling, as well as highlighting underrepresented voices.
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Boman Martinez-Reid (@bomanizer)
How He Got His Start: Boman Martinez-Reid has always had a flare for dramatic comedy and created his YouTube channel featuring his own fake reality TV show, Reid It and Weep, in 2016. While the show had mild success, he began taking his comedic endeavors more seriously shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began. New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz reposted one of his TikTok videos in early March 2020, and his account quickly grew.
Why He's Trending: Since becoming a viral sensation, Martinez-Reid has been featured on TikTok billboards across Canada, walked the 2022 red carpet at the Oscars, and was invited to the 2022 Met Gala afterparty and the 2023 Venice Film Festival. In 2024, he was given his own TV show, Made for TV with Boman-Martinez Reid.
What He Is Known For: Martinez-Reid has made his mark on social media with his hilarious parodies of reality TV shows, like The Real Housewives and Vanderpump Rules.
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Andrew Bachelor (@kingbach)
How He Got His Start: Born into a family that loves to laugh, Andrew Bachelor was a natural at comedy even before he decided to create funny content. Bachelor began filming YouTube videos for his channel, BachelorsPadTV, while in college at Florida State University on a full athletic scholarship. As the channel grew in subscribers, he branched out to creating Vine videos, which were comedic clips up to six seconds in length. Since then, he's entered the Hollywood scene, acting in shows like The Mindy Project, House of Lies, Wild 'N Out, and Black Jesus.
Why He's Trending: It wasn't long before Bachelor recognized what type of content performed well on the app, and he quickly grew to attract the attention of major brands.
What He Is Known For: Bachelor is known for his catchphrase, “But that backflip tho.”
