This year has brought its fair share of gloomy news headlines, so it’s no surprise that people might be needing a solid laugh. As the calendar transitions to 2026, you can check out some of the most popular comedians starring in a series of winter stand-up tours.
Nate Bargatze
Nate Bargatze started his career with gigs from Second City to Comedy Central but has had a stratospheric rise these past few years — so much that he is 2025’s highest-grossing comedian. The deadpan comedian will be embarking on his “Big Dumb Eyes” world tour starting in 2026. The tour will take him across the United States and Canada and showcase a “great storyteller and all-around nice guy,” said The Times. (through August 2026)
Hannah Berner
Hannah Berner is one of several comedians who transitioned from reality television to stand-up. The comedian, who got her start on the Bravo show “Summer House,” has become a recognizable name thanks to her “We Ride at Dawn” Netflix special and two popular podcasts.
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Berner will be performing stand-up shows in the United States and Canada starting next year; her tour comes as she has “made herself ubiquitous in the internet ecosystem, disarming viewers with her unfiltered humor and confessions,” said The New York Times. (through March 2026)
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler has been a mainstay on the comedy stage for years and has worn other hats as an actress, writer and onetime talk show host. People who want to catch her raunchy brand of humor can get tickets to her “High and Mighty” tour, which starts in February and crisscrosses the United States. The tour comes on the heels of Handler’s last stand-up special on Netflix, “Chelsea Handler: The Feeling,” which was described by Decider as “unlike anything else she’s done,” with “wild escapades involving booze, drugs and sexual encounters.” (through June 2026)
Josh Johnson
While Josh Johnson first made a name for himself as a staff writer on “The Daily Show,” his stand-up has established him as one of the best comedians working today. Johnson is mostly known for the YouTube recordings of his stand-up shows, which feature him putting a humorous twist on news that is often just days old.
His shows have been so well-received that he is now the “funniest guy on the internet,” said Wired. Johnson will be touring in several cities next year. (through May 2026)
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes has had one of the more unconventional paths to comedy, getting her start as an NFL cheerleader before embarking on her stand-up career. But this was a wise choice, as Johnson-Reyes’ comedy is “nothing short of legendary and energetic, and she’s guaranteed to put on an amazing show,” said Vegas.com.
Johnson-Reyes often works her Latin American heritage into her stand-up but is just as recognizable for her roles on the sketch show “MadTV,” including as the rude fast food worker Bon Qui Qui. Johnson-Reyes will be touring across the U.S. soon. (through April 2026)
Carlos Mencia
If you were a fan of Comedy Central’s “Mind of Mencia,” then don’t miss your chance to catch the star of the show, Carlos Mencia, when he begins touring. Though the actor has had his fair share of controversial jokes, he remains a recognizable face in the stand-up comedy scene.
Mencia is “absolutely hilarious," said Boston Theater, with a “common-sense approach that makes his comedy incredibly relatable.” The comedian will be heading back on tour this month in cities across the United States. (through April 2026)
Nimish Patel
Nimish Patel made comedy history in 2017 when he became the first Indian American to be hired as a writer on “Saturday Night Live.” Despite working for the show for only one season, Patel made his mark and has appeared on nationally televised shows as well as written material for the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Over the last few years, Patel has become an up-and-coming name in the stand-up world, and he will be touring the U.S. starting next year. (through May 2026)
Katt Williams
This is a man who needs no introduction: Katt Williams has been entertaining people on- and off-screen for years. His film debut in the 2002 comedy “Friday After Next” endeared him to fans, and he could be seen as a recurring guest on the sketch comedy show “Wild ’N Out” for years.
But he has become just as famous for his stand-up comedy specials and his live performances. Williams will be hitting the road again for his “The Golden Age” tour. This comes just months after Williams finished his last “Heaven on Earth” tour in fall 2025. (through May 2026)
