Comedy Queens: Here's Who Made Us Laugh in 2014

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Kate Berlant

Like Aparna Nancherla, Kate Berlant isn’t be exceedingly well-known outside of the coastal comedy scene, but is more than worthy of your attention. She is a creative, abstract and a totally delightful weirdo who—after touring alongside Father John Misty and producing brilliantly funny videos with her friend John Early—will surely be popping up more and more in 2015.

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Sasheer Zamata

2014 was bound to be a big year for Sasheer Zamata, the comedian who, after years of performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade, was added to the cast of SNL when the show was put under extreme pressure to diversify their very white cast. It was inevitable that some viewers would question Zamata’s place initially, but fuck those people: Zamata proves them wrong week after week with her stellar performance.

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Kate McKinnon

Oh, forget my long winded yammering and watch this.

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Maria Bamford

Bamford has always been straightforward about her struggles with mental illness, but this year—thanks to her standup
and recognition from The International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation—she was even more prolific.

From her New York Times profile:

Bamford talks about mental illness the same way Sarah Silverman talks about being Jewish or Louis C.K. talks about being divorced, with the flippant knowingness of an insider. Occasionally, the sharper pieces of her agenda poke through. One of her more jarring bits is about war veterans. She points out that more than 7,000 U.S. veterans die of suicide every year. “Which is funny,” she says, breaking into a giggle as a predictable hush falls over the room, “Because you’d think they’d die overthere, but they come home. . . . ” The audience quickly explodes into laughter — not because it’s funny, but because it’s funny coming from her.

I said this about 2013 and I will say this about 2015—let [insert current year here] be the year of Maria Bamford.

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Lisa Kudrow

Valerie Cherish is baaaaaaaack.

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Lea DeLaria

Not only does Lea DeLaria continue to delight (and upset) on Orange Is the New Black—she also became a real life Subway Hero after telling a homophobic subway preacher to shut the fuck up on a crowded train car.

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Chelsea Peretti

Chelsea Peretti’s One of the Greats (which debuted on Netflix this fall) was the best comedy hour to come out all year (please don’t let the trailer make you think otherwise). In it, Peretti—who also plays Gina on the highly enjoyable Brooklyn 99—addresses sexism, confidence and double standards and presents it all with stage presence and expert comedic sensibilities of—yes—one of the greats.

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Jenny Slate

Jenny Slate—thanks to her stints on Saturday Night Live, Kroll Show and Parks and Recreation—has long been adored by comedy fans. This year, she took things to a new level with her star-making turn in the feature length Obvious Child. A safe bet: We’ll be seeing Slate in much more high profile roles (both comedic and dramatic) in the years to come.

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Broad City

We’ve been needing a show like Broad City (created by Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer) for a long time and I’m glad to say that it doesn’t disappoint. While the series could easily be yet another self-indulgent look at highly (WINK WINK) flawed 20-somethings, it somehow manages to avoid pretension and self-congratulations—replacing them with finely crafted jokes and characters who, despite their problems, are enthralling and charming.

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Tina Belcher

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Jessica Williams

BE STILL OUR HEARTS. JESSICA WILLIAMS IS WOMAN OF THE YEAR.

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And an honorable mention to Jan Hooks and Joan Rivers, two comedy angels.

Thank you, hilarious women, for making our miserable lives a little more bearable.

Image by Tara Jacoby.