Best Stand-up Comedy Specials on Netflix (2020)

25. Hasan Minhaj – Homecoming King

You may know Hasan Minhaj from The Daily Show and you may know the name from the White House Correspondents Dinner earlier this year. But if you’ve never seen Hasan Minhaj performing stand-up, you’re really missing out. I was so blown away by Homecoming King where Minhaj performed at Mondavi Center in his hometown of Davis, Calif. and it’s really a special that gets better with each subsequent viewing. I think I’ve seen it four times now and it’s just so darn good.

Homecoming King was such a great visual experience and director Chris Storer should get a lot of credit for carrying out the vision so well. This was more than just a comedy special, it felt like an educational experience where viewers were able to learn about Hasan Minhaj, who he is today, but more so to learn about who he was as a child, the racism he experienced as a kid and in high school and how it’s shaped his worldview and him as a person.

I loved hearing about his family dynamic, especially his relationship with his father and younger sister, who he didn’t even know existed until she was already a few years old and arrived in the United States from India with their mother who was finishing her schooling.

Hasan’s prom story is one of the most profound moments of the special. It’ll make you feel sick to your stomach, but also make you laugh. It’s a weird combination, but it works and I think Hasan Minhaj is about to break out as one of the top comedians working today.

Next: Tom Segura: Completely Normal