Watching a slew of stand-up comedians delivering their sets for an hour is hilariously side splitting. Nothing beats a group of performers whose creative juices spontaneously flow during a live show. The level of entertainment they bring certainly triggers the spectators’ beaming serotonin.
The recently concluded episodic Netflix show, “Funny AF with Kevin Hart”, became the newest competition arena for stand-up comedians, veterans and newbies alike. Following the same mechanics set by popular reality competition series, Hart and his team travelled to three major cities in the United States to search for participants. They went to cities of New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago where most stand-up comedians thrive.
The concept of Hart’s show was quite straightforward. Hart gathered a vibrant mix of new and emerging comedians from each city to showcase their talents. During the search, each competitor performed a set live on stage for five minutes. Hart then deliberated with a guest professional stand-up comedian and eventually decided who went home and moved forward to the next stage.
After eight episodes of watching these comedians pit against each other, the final winner was announced: Ron Taylor. He was awarded a Netflix special which, according to Hart, is a great deal. Hart symbolically invited Taylor to join him, Nikki Glaser, and Tom Segura to sit side by side in a sofa sharing the same table. It signified a welcoming gesture for a new stand-up comedian to join the roster of greats.
Hart’s show brought back the same concept of “Last Comic Standing” which debuted in 2003. It was NBC’s first major reality competition show intended solely to showcase stand-up comedians. It had a particular format where one comedian would challenge another, until all of them ultimately faced a one-on-one opponent. Whoever survived until the last face off earned the coveted title: last comic standing. The show lasted until 2010 and reemerged in 2014 until 2015.
On one hand, “Last Comic Standing” utilized a panel of chosen judges who scrutinized the participants throughout the show in order to declare a winner. On the other hand, “Funny AF with Kevin Hart” resorted to viewers to fill the role of judges during the finale.
Hart’s point of view mattered to whom he gave an easy pass to proceed to the next stage. Case in point was Usama Siddiquee, a Bengali-American New Yorker whose first two sets resulted in two easy passes. From the first episode up until the final four, Siddiquee performed well on a bigger stage, which ultimately brought him to the final two.
It seemed that in a subtle effort to avoid guilt, remorse, and blame, Hart spared himself and his guests to judge the final outcome. Hart handed the responsibility to the audience who were given only a minute to cast real-time votes during the live show. This final process seemed vague to substantiate the real winner. People who watched the finale may not have watched the show’s previous episodes. The input of Hart and his guests were not taken into account during the final tally; unless it was deliberate to cloak their decision in the guise of audience votes. Ultimately, the chance rested on who was present to vote for whom.
There is a popular mindset in entertainment that goes, “ you are only as good as your last performance.” If this is applicable in choosing between Siddiquee and Taylor, the latter may have delivered the best; thus the winner.
Having said that, consistency plays a crucial sketch in any performance. Even Hart himself emphasized this important detail throughout the show. Any performer, from the first set to the final set, must be precise, sharp-witted, and consistent in wowing the audience no matter the size; and Siddiquee manifested all these.
Hart’s foray into this new reality competition show may have already opened doors for comedians who have been lingering in the shadows of fame for years. Hart himself was a product of many competitions before he rose to fame and fortune. He suffered many boos and chicken throws during his early sets before he finally found his own rhythm and style.
The world of stand-up comedy is generally a white male perspective which was predominantly shaped by Black American legends Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, and Asian comedians later came into the picture.
It is noteworthy that comedians coming from other ethnic cultures, such as Filipino-American Jokoy and Indian-Canadian Russell Peters favourably stamped their own global niches. Peters became the first comedian to get a Netflix stand-up special in 2013. Jokoy also made multiple Netflix specials since.
One can now find Filipino homegrown comedians Alex Calleja and Red Ollero on Netflix. Both delivered their sets mostly in Filipino language amid a Filipino crowd in a Philippine setting. Ironically, they did not compete in a reality show to get a special. According to Calleja, he opted to produce his shows for Netflix to approve and stream: “Tamang Panahon” in 2025 and “Past is Past” in 2026. Both shows achieved the top spot in Netflix Philippines.
The future of stand-up comedy rests on the discovery and exposure of the next generation of talents. Hart’s show promises to mentor those who are still searching for their own space. Whether or not Hart perseveres, the show has already ushered new talents to watch out for. ####