Laughter, as research supports, has serious benefits, from relieving stress and anxiety to easing physical pain to increasing life satisfaction. And one sure way to stimulate laughter is by listening to something funny—like a great comedy audiobook. We've got just the list. With these listens, you can laugh along with stories from some of the world’s greatest comedians and wittiest writers, all delivered with pitch-perfect performances. No matter your sense of humor, we’ve got everything you need to bring a little laughter to your day or night.
Winner of the 2001 Lambda Literary Award for Humor and one of David Sedaris's most beloved works, Me Talk Pretty One Day easily claims a top spot on our comedy list. This compelling essay collection takes the reader through wild, too-strange-to-be-fiction stories of Sedaris's life—both his childhood in North Carolina and his equally madcap career adventures, all told in the author’s own voice. No topic is off limits, as Sedaris explores everything from his early visits to a speech therapist for a burgeoning lisp to his insatiable addiction to crossword puzzles. With musings on tourism, family, identity, and art all told in Sedaris’s inimitable subdued, pleasant delivery (including chapters that are actually recordings of his live performances!), Me Talk Pretty One Day is a must-listen if you’re looking for a clever comedy classic.
Born a Crime was not only rated Audible’s Best Celebrity Memoir in 2016—author Trevor Noah also received the coveted Audie Award for Best Male Narrator. And it’s no wonder this pick is so acclaimed—Noah’s heartfelt, authentic delivery of some of his most personal stories make for an absolutely unforgettable listen. A coming-of-age narrative set against the backdrop of Apartheid-era South Africa, this audio memoir consists of 18 essays that illuminate Noah’s experiences as the "criminal" child of a Black mother and a white father. Rich with honesty and wit and fleshed out with Noah’s impeccable impressions, Born a Crime is not only one of the funniest comedy audiobooks available—it’s easily the most profound.
Thanks to her work on television shows like 30 Rock and SNL as well as films like Mean Girls and Date Night, Tina Fey is now a household name. But by her own admission, Fey wasn’t always set for stardom—her journey began as an awkward, comedy-obsessed young girl in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. Listen along as Fey spins the tale of her rise to fame, eventually landing as a nine-time Emmy Award-winning writer and performer on not one but two of the most well-known and best-loved comedy shows in history. Peppered with musings on photoshop, the anxieties of Hollywood, and surprisingly tender moments on motherhood and womanhood, this riotous listen refuses to pull punches. Instead, Fey’s deadpan delivery, self-deprecating humor, and incisive wit rollick through a quick succession of comedic essays and sketches, making for a masterpiece that was named 2012’s Audiobook of the Year.
For Parks and Recreation fans, Yes Please is a heartfelt, hilarious rendering of all things Amy Poehler. In this listen that’s part memoir, part life lesson, Poehler shares previously unheard stories, detailing her path to stardom from the basement of the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City to the soundstages of Hollywood. The audiobook includes extra tidbits like a recording from one of Poehler’s improv performances, firsthand input from her parents, and guest appearances from famous friends ranging from Seth Meyers to Kathleen Turner. There’s a good reason Yes Please won the Audie for Humor in 2015—Poehler’s warmth and knack for storytelling give the impression of a close friend sharing a great anecdote over a cup of coffee.
Another surefire winner for sitcom fans, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told is a comedic memoir by industry favorites and husband-and-wife duo Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson of Parks and Recreation fame) and Megan Mullally (best known for her Emmy Award-winning portrayal of socialite Karen on Will and Grace). Unraveling the story of their decades-long, star-studded Hollywood romance, the dynamic pair shares cheeky stories, interviews, and hijinks. Mullaly’s distinct chipper, bright high-pitch matches perfectly with Offerman’s deep, droll, dry delivery as they share how they got together—and what keeps their love burning with a fiery passion. A sweet, sparkling memoir with chemistry, flair, and energy, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told truly lives up to its name.
Have you ever wondered how comedy legend Steve Martin got his start? In Born Standing Up, Martin tells the whole story, detailing how he launched headfirst into the industry decades before his big break. Martin got his first gig as a 10-year-old guidebook salesman at Disneyland before quickly working his way up to a comic-magician, fine-tuning the performance skills that would soon make him a star. Offering a candid look into the fantastical and sometimes lonely life of a traveling comedian, Martin's tale of determination and daring, told in his familiar voice, will be one you don't want to pause until it’s finished.
Stand-up comedian and host of the wildly popular podcast and series Two Dope Queens, Phoebe Robinson’s You Can’t Touch My Hair is a lively collection of essays that touches on topics that both amuse and frustrate her—from the personal to the political. Robinson doesn’t hesitate to get real about her experiences as a Black woman in the United States, finding the funny in painful topics like microaggressions in the workplace, racial profiling by store security guards, and being endlessly typecast as "the Black friend." Robinson shares these anecdotes, thoughts, and advice in her cool, conversational voice, keeping you waiting for each new punchline. With a foreword written and read by former Daily Show correspondent Jessica Williams, this crackling debut is one you can’t miss.
Just about anything written by a stand-up comedian is going to be best delivered by the comedian themself, as they stridently hit each punchline and zinger as intended. But How to American is especially poignant in audio, as author and narrator Jimmy O. Yang—a fan-favorite lead on HBO’s excellent start-up sitcom Silicon Valley and a stand-out from 2018’s rom-com Crazy Rich Asians—breaks up the hilarity with recollections from his family’s immigration to the United States. By turns quick-witted and stirring, Yang touches on everything from his time working as a strip club DJ to a near-deportation on a college trip to Tijuana, all the while offering playfully presented though very real lessons on what America looks like from the perspective of someone who doesn’t get the luxury of taking it for granted.
This title is unlike anything else on our list—and quite possibly unlike anything else that’s ever been done in the world of audio entertainment. The collaborative product of co-creators Kate McKinnon (a Saturday Night Live cast member renowned for her spot-on impressions of familiar faces ranging from Elizabeth Warren to Justin Bieber) and her sister Emily Lynne, Heads Will Roll is not merely an audiobook. It’s a 10-episode audio comedy event that follows the evil Queen Mortuana of the Night Realm and her right-hand raven JoJo on their quest to quell a peasant uprising and save the throne. With a show-stopping cast including Meryl Streep, Peter Dinklage, Audra McDonald, Carol Kane, Chris Redd, and Queer Eye’s Fab Five, Heads Will Roll is a raunchy, star-studded satire perfect for comedy fans.
Though originally run on a commercial radio station in the United Kingdom, The Ricky Gervais Show became a worldwide sensation when released globally as a podcast—in fact, in 2006, it was consistently ranked as the number one podcast in the world. This audio, a collection of the complete second season, makes for a side-splittingly silly, off-the-wall irresistible listen. With co-hosts and co-creators Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington, Gervais explores everything from the world’s most pressing problems…to important members of society like the NASA chimp. The whip-smart delivery, bizarre ruminations, and ludicrous conversation topics are the essence of British humor at its finest.
The only work of fiction on our list, A Dirty Job follows Charlie Asher, a fairly normal family man, whose happily mundane life is thrown off-kilter when his wife's unexpected death triggers his selection as a death merchant. In addition to running his secondhand store and raising his daughter as a single father, Charlie is tasked with the protection of souls through the underworld—a job that only becomes more complicated with time. If you have half as much fun listening as actor Fisher Stevens does narrating this darkly funny fantasy, you’ll be howling all the way through to the last word.
Following the popularity of Justin Halpren’s Twitter account of the same name, Sh-t My Dad Says tells the story behind those hilarious viral musings. After a bad break-up, Halpren is forced to move back home with his father—a man he describes as "like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair." What ensues is pure familial ridiculousness, wrapped up in a coming-of-age memoir and uniquely touching portrait of a father and son. Throughout, Halpren’s father’s gruff, no-holds-barred language (and knack for creative profanity) comes alive with Sean Schemmel’s sharp-tongued delivery.
From Randall Munroe, scientific theorist and creator of the popular webcomic xkcd.com, What If? addresses questions most people never think to ask. Are fire tornadoes possible? Could you build a jetpack with downward-firing machine guns? And what, exactly, would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched nearly at the speed of light? Tackling these absurd hypotheticals and more with dedicated, researched answers, this off-the-wall comedic act is as thought-provoking as it is hilarious. Star Trek alum and fan favorite narrator Wil Wheaton lends his wit and eloquence, bringing Munroe's often sophisticated (and always hilarious) jokes and explanations to new heights. If you love strange ideas and crazy experiments, this is the audiobook for you.
H. Jon Benjamin has one of the most recognizable voices in media as the man behind characters like Archer and Bob Belcher, his signature droll, deep voice and spot-on deadpan delivery have made him a favorite of comedy fans everywhere. A gut-busting, self-deprecating "attempted memoir," Failure Is an Option reminds us that as wonderful as success is, there’s something to be said about the benefits of failure. In the voice we’ve all come to know and love, Benjamin faithfully reports all manner of his life’s catastrophes, from his inability to "deliver a sizzling fajita" to a trip to a Chinese chain restaurant that unexpectedly "fractures a family." Given the author's voice-acting expertise, the audio adaption of this hilarious collection is a particular treat.
Saturday Night Live alum and improv star Rachel Dratch shines as the writer and narrator of this listen, which follows her path to comedy fame—and unexpected, unplanned motherhood at the age of 44. Ripe with behind-the-scenes SNL anecdotes, recollections of wild improv sketches, stories about her fellow famous friends, and retellings of her misadventures in the dating world, Girl Walks into a Bar… traces the highs and lows of Dratch’s life in colorful and candid detail. Delivering raw, real perspective with comedic charm, Dratch's audiobook debut is an instant crowd-pleaser.
Writer, actress, producer, director, and Hollywood power bruncher, the incredible Mindy Kaling recently added another role to her repertoire—single mom. In these fresh and hilarious personal essays, Kaling reflects on the perks of being her own husband, the unexpected benefits of hiring a baby nurse, the critical importance of good friends (and the mortifying obligations it takes to keep them), how she deals with social anxiety even at the most glamorous A-list parties, and more. Written and performed with Kaling's signature humor and heart, Nothing Like I Imagined is sure to make you laugh and just maybe nod in recognition of the challenges and joys of striving to have it all and showing up to adult life alone.
Parenthood can be rewarding … but so are margaritas at the adults-only pool. These are the types of pithy observations offered by stand-up comedian and performer Jen Kirkman in her debut memoir, a rumination on the author's intentional childlessness and how hard it can be to be a person—without adding kids to the mix. Blending snark, wit, and sharp-tongued wisdom with sensitivity and compassion, Kirkman opens up about her journey to find fulfillment in a world that pressures women to reproduce. Whether you're happily surrounded by offspring or planning to skip the parenthood experience, Kirkman's observational humor and lighthearted delivery makes for a fun, relatable, downright hilarious listen.
Aziz Ansari has been talking about modern love in his stand-up routines for a long time, even translating his fascination with the current dating landscape to his Netflix series Master of None. Ansari returns to the topic yet again in Modern Romance, an investigation that delves into his observations on the nature of love in the 21st century. Taking listeners on a journey spanning cultures and continents while ruminating on the effects of technology and online dating on relationships, Ansari combines his trademark wit and energetic delivery with research from a panel of professors and experts, ensuring an illuminating listen full of hilarious crack-ups.
As portrayed by actor Steve Coogan, the incompetent comedic character (and fictional "author" of this audio) Alan Partridge could be described as a British version of Stephen Colbert (the character, not the man). In Nomad, the bumbling, narcissistic celebrity broadcaster is back with an account of his 150-mile walk through the British countryside on foot. Hoping for a spiritual awakening or journey of immense personal significance, the inept Partridge instead finds nothing but madcap mishaps along the way. Witty vignettes and personal perspectives on life's big and small matters make this a rich work of satire you won’t want to stop listening to.
As a Thurber Prize-winning humorist, Harrison Scott Key is no stranger to what makes an exceptional piece of comedic writing. In Congratulations, Who Are You Again?, he recounts the lessons and learnings he’s gathered on the path to achieving his goal of becoming a great American writer, opening up about the process of pursuing such an ambitious aspiration with unrelenting and, at times, ill-advised fervor. Longtime audiobook narrator Josh Bloomberg lends his steady cadence to an honest, heartfelt, hilarious, and practical memoir designed to capture the heart of any listener who’s ever had a dream.
Creator of a myriad of memorable characters from Lady Whiteadder to Professor Sprout to the Cadbury's Caramel Bunny, Miriam Margolyes is the outspoken auntie (after two sherries) we all wish we had. At age 80, she finally decided to tell her extraordinary life story—and it's far richer and stranger than any part she's played. In This Much Is True, the BAFTA-winning actress reveals how being conceived in an air-raid gave her curly hair; what pranks led to her being known as the naughtiest girl in high school; how she ended up posing nude, gaining infamy as the first woman to say f**k on British TV, and being told off by the queen. With a cast list stretching from Scorsese to Streisand, Leonardo di Caprio to Isaiah Berlin, this memoir is as warm and honest, as full of life, surprises and hilarity, as the incomparable Miriam herself.
