IMDb lets anyone rate a stand-up special out of ten. We took the ratings for about 80 of the best-known stand-up comedians, past and present, and worked out the average score of each comedian’s specials. These are the ten comedians with the highest averages.
The list runs from the tenth-highest average to the highest. Every rating was taken from IMDb on 13 November 2026, so some numbers will have moved by the time you read this.
How we made the list
- We counted solo stand-up specials only. Documentaries, compilations, roasts, award shows and short sets were left out.
- Each special needed at least 300 votes on IMDb to count.
- A comedian needed at least four specials that met those rules.
- A comedian’s score is the simple average of those specials’ ratings.
Dave Chappelle: 7.85 average
Chappelle has ten hour-long specials, from his first HBO hour in 2000 to his eighth Netflix special in 2025. His first two specials are his highest rated, and his two most recent are his lowest. Peter Kay also averages 7.85 across four specials. Where two comedians tie, we list the one with more total votes, and Chappelle’s ten specials have over 140,000.
- Killin’ Them Softly (2000): 8.7
- For What It’s Worth (2004): 8.4
- The Bird Revelation (2017): 7.8
- Equanimity (2017): 8.1
- Deep in the Heart of Texas (2017): 7.9
- The Age of Spin (2017): 8.1
- Sticks & Stones (2019): 8.3
- The Closer (2021): 7.9
- The Dreamer (2023): 7.0
- The Unstoppable (2025): 6.3
We went through every one of his hours in more detail. Read Every Dave Chappelle Special, Ranked.
Doug Stanhope: 7.86 average
Stanhope has seven specials that meet our vote threshold, released between 2002 and 2016. All seven sit between 7.3 and 8.4.
- Word of Mouth (2002): 8.1
- Deadbeat Hero (2004): 8.4
- No Refunds (2007): 8.1
- Oslo: Burning the Bridge to Nowhere (2011): 7.3
- Before Turning the Gun on Himself (2012): 7.9
- Beer Hall Putsch (2013): 7.6
- No Place Like Home (2016): 7.6
John Mulaney: 7.88 average
Mulaney has four hour-long specials. His first, New in Town, is his highest rated at 8.2.
- New in Town (2012): 8.2
- The Comeback Kid (2015): 7.9
- Kid Gorgeous at Radio City (2018): 7.9
- Baby J (2023): 7.5
Louis C.K.: 7.93 average
Louis C.K. has more specials on this list than anyone else, with twelve. His first two, Shameless and Chewed Up, are tied as his highest rated at 8.5. Ridiculous, released in 2026, is his lowest at 6.9.
- Shameless (2007): 8.5
- Chewed Up (2008): 8.5
- Hilarious (2010): 8.3
- Live at the Beacon Theater (2011): 8.3
- Oh My God (2013): 8.3
- Live at the Comedy Store (2015): 7.7
- 2017 (2017): 7.6
- Sincerely Louis C.K. (2020): 8.2
- Sorry (2021): 7.7
- At the Dolby (2023): 7.7
- Back to the Garden (2023): 7.5
- Ridiculous (2026): 6.9
Dylan Moran: 8.08 average
Moran has five specials, recorded between 2004 and 2015. Every one of them is rated 7.8 or higher.
- Monster (2004): 8.4
- Like, Totally (2006): 8.1
- What It Is (2009): 8.1
- Yeah, Yeah (2011): 8.0
- Off the Hook (2015): 7.8
Robin Williams: 8.10 average
Robin Williams has four specials on the list, spanning 26 years. Live on Broadway, from 2002, is the highest rated at 8.4.
- An Evening with Robin Williams (1983): 7.9
- An Evening at the Met (1986): 8.3
- Live on Broadway (2002): 8.4
- Weapons of Self Destruction (2009): 7.8
Stewart Lee: 8.18 average
Lee has eight specials on the list. Two of them, 90s Comedian and Carpet Remnant World, share his highest rating of 8.5.
- Stand-Up Comedian (2005): 8.3
- 90s Comedian (2006): 8.5
- 41st Best Stand-Up Ever! (2008): 8.1
- If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask for One (2010): 8.3
- Carpet Remnant World (2012): 8.5
- Content Provider (2018): 8.4
- Tornado (2022): 7.7
- Snowflake (2022): 7.6
George Carlin: 8.23 average
Carlin has eleven specials that meet our rules, from 1978 to 2008. Seven of the eleven are rated 8.2 or higher, and Jammin’ in New York and Back in Town share his top rating of 8.6.
- George Carlin Again! (1978): 8.0
- Carlin on Campus (1984): 7.8
- Playin’ with Your Head (1986): 7.9
- What Am I Doing in New Jersey? (1988): 8.0
- Doin’ It Again (1990): 8.3
- Jammin’ in New York (1992): 8.6
- Back in Town (1996): 8.6
- You Are All Diseased (1999): 8.4
- Complaints & Grievances (2001): 8.3
- Life Is Worth Losing (2005): 8.2
- It’s Bad for Ya! (2008): 8.4
Why does his work still hold up? Read Why George Carlin’s Comedy Survived the Test of Time.
Bo Burnham: 8.28 average
Burnham has four specials, and none is rated below 8.0. Inside, made alone during lockdown, is his highest rated at 8.6. Its 60,000-plus votes are the most of any special on this list. The Inside Outtakes is not counted, as it is a collection of unused material.
- Words, Words, Words (2010): 8.0
- what. (2013): 8.2
- Make Happy (2016): 8.3
- Inside (2021): 8.6
Bill Hicks: 8.40 average
Hicks has the highest average on our list. He died in 1994, aged 32. All four of his specials are rated between 8.3 and 8.5.
- Sane Man (1989): 8.3
- Relentless (1992): 8.5
- Revelations (1993): 8.4
- Totally Bill Hicks (1998): 8.4
Just outside the ten
The next highest averages belonged to Peter Kay (7.85), Eddie Izzard (7.75), Jim Jefferies (7.64), Bill Bailey (7.63), Ricky Gervais (7.58) and Jimmy Carr (7.58). Nate Bargatze averages 7.58 across his five specials.
Comedians have their own picks for the greatest of all time. Read We Asked Comedians for Their Mount Rushmore of Stand-Up. Only One Name Kept Coming Back.
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