8 Funny Comedy Specials About Fatherhood That'll Make Your Dad Feel Seen

Pictured L-R: Kurt Braunohler, David Cross & Hari Kondabolu.

Being a Dad is often referred to as being one of the most challenging or fulfilling moments of someone’s life (sometimes both). Welcoming a child to the world gives you a new sense of urgency & perspective on life that one may not have had before and also gives you a newfound appreciation for your own father or the father figure(s) you had in your life.

While being a Dad is hard to comprehend, mixing it in with some quality comedy can make it a bit more bearable & feel less daunting. Throughout the history of stand-up comedy, there have been tons of perspectives offered on the state of parenthood whether that’s welcoming a new born baby, raising a young child or teenager, or welcoming the stage of your children being out of the house & becoming a grandparent. Here are 8 laugh out loud funny stand-up specials courtesy of 800 Pound Gorilla that offer these perspectives on fatherhood in a hilarious way.

Former Impractical Joker Joe Gatto's hilarious new comedy special, Messing With People, sheds some more light on what makes Joe tick. Besides taking you through his lifelong experiences of messing with people, Joe dives in sharing his perspective on an array of topics with his signature wit and charm. These range from major plot holes in Disney classics to how Google has ruined his life on multiple occasions and Joe’s unique understanding of family life, fatherhood and living with a pack of twelve dogs.

Emmy winner and two-time Grammy nominee, David Cross, stars in his eighth stand-up special Worst Daddy In The World, shot at Metro in Chicago during his 2023 tour.

When speaking with The Guardian about his latest special, Cross revealed how its title came together. It was the moment when his six year old daughter called him "the worst daddy in the world" in light of his left of center parenting style. While most parents wouldn't desire to hear this kind of affirmation when raising their kids, Cross "felt nothing but gratitude" for that statement given the darkly comic vibe of his stand-up routine.

In the past Kurt Braunohler’s absurdist, high-energy style had him known for large-scale stunts like skywriting “How DoILand” or jet-sking from Chicago to New Orleans. Now a father, Kurt’s newest hour, Perfectly Stupid, is his most personal to date. Packed with a ton of jokes and just as much heart, it’s a fast-moving freight train of comedy that finds Kurt focusing on parenthood, mortality, and the self-discovery gleaned when you drive away with the gas-pump attached to your car.

Jonny Loquasto’s new special Saudi Stepdad is the personal look into how his life has done a complete 180 over the past 4 years. In his second self-produced full special, Jonny tells the story of how he went from living like an adult child while working his dream job in professional wrestling to losing that job in an instant because of the global pandemic to then meeting the woman of his dreams and becoming a stepdad of three. On top of that, his wife and kids are from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so this special follows Jonny navigating the waters of learning a new culture while figuring out how to be a husband and father.

Adam Cayton-Holland's new special Wallpaper tells tales of parenthood that arrive in his unique style: laced in poetic language, chock-full of strange detail, and delivered with equal thoughtfulness and silliness.

Matt Braunger's latest special Doug is a deeply personal hour of insane hilarity named after a terrible person and is his masterwork. Covering his new fatherhood, an appreciation of hot dudes, his marriage to a pirate woman, driving from LA to Boston with his family during the pandemic, and culminating in the reveal of a regrettable butt tattoo, “Doug” is a special for everyone who needs a laugh. That is, the known world.

In his sixth stand up release titled Dad Chaniels, Minnesotan Chad Daniels delivers a brand new hour of comedy of his unapologetic take on parenting teenagers, how America's gone soft as a nation, his plans for growing old, and...cake.

Comedian Hari Kondabolu discusses the strange and unique experience of having a kid during a global pandemic in his latest special, Vacation Baby. From living in a studio apartment in Brooklyn to reluctantly moving to San Diego for the baby’s birth, we see all the challenges he and his partner overcame to create a child… and eventually, this special. Filmed just days after Roe v Wade was overturned, this special is both personal and political. Additionally, he discusses topics that range from loving dark chocolate as proof of aging to the absurdity of white replacement theory to the horrible truth behind Curious George.

Follow 800 Pound Gorilla News on Instagram, Twitter, & Threads.