Top 20 Female Comedians

Comedy has been pushed forward by women who wrote their own material, built shows from the ground up, and toured relentlessly. This list looks at twenty performers whose work spans club stages, television, film, audio, and books, with concrete milestones that show how they shaped the craft and the industry.

You will find sketch pioneers, late night writers, hosts, filmmakers, and global headliners. Each entry highlights specific projects, awards, and platforms so you can trace exactly how each comedian made an impact and where to watch their work next.

Joan Rivers

Joan Rivers served as the permanent guest host on ‘The Tonight Show’ and later fronted ‘The Joan Rivers Show’, which earned her a Daytime Emmy. She recorded dozens of albums and specials and published multiple books that documented life on the road and the mechanics of joke writing.

She also helped define modern red carpet coverage on ‘Fashion Police’. Her production company developed programming across cable and digital platforms, and her archives preserve a vast catalog of monologues, interviews, and club sets.

Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett led ‘The Carol Burnett Show’, a landmark variety program that ran for more than a decade and collected multiple Emmys. The show’s writers and ensemble built recurring characters and musical sketches that became templates for future variety and sketch series.

She continued to work on stage and screen and received the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The Golden Globes named a television lifetime achievement award in her honor, which recognizes sustained excellence in the medium.

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin broke through on ‘Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In’ and later created acclaimed one person stage pieces that transferred to Broadway and won top theater awards. Her comedy albums earned Grammys, and her film roles brought Oscar recognition.

She returned to television with ‘Grace and Frankie’, which set records for longevity for a streaming comedy. Tomlin’s collaborations with Jane Wagner demonstrate how character work can move between stage, audio, film, and television without losing comic precision.

Gilda Radner

Gilda Radner was an original star of ‘Saturday Night Live’, where characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna and Emily Litella became cultural touchstones. Her cast albums and concert film preserved that material beyond late night broadcasts.

Her memoir was adapted for television, and Gilda’s Club was founded in her memory to provide community support for people with cancer and their families. Archival releases continue to document her sketches and behind the scenes process for new audiences.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg is an EGOT winner with a career that bridges Broadway, film, and television. Her early one woman show moved to Broadway, and her standup informed roles that later earned an Academy Award.

On television she moderated ‘The View’, bringing a comedian’s perspective to daily news and culture. She also hosted Comic Relief benefits on HBO, helping raise significant funds for homelessness services while building a long running televised comedy franchise.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres delivered a historic primetime moment on the sitcom ‘Ellen’ with The Puppy Episode, which drew massive viewership and industry recognition. She later anchored ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’, a daytime talk program that won dozens of Daytime Emmys.

She hosted the Oscars multiple times and released streaming specials that brought her back to long form standup. Her production banner developed series and game shows, expanding her presence beyond hosting.

Margaret Cho

Margaret Cho starred in ‘All American Girl’, the first network sitcom centered on a Korean American family. She released a steady run of specials that addressed identity, politics, and touring life, and she recorded Grammy nominated comedy albums.

Cho also appears regularly on television competition and panel shows and tours internationally. She supports emerging comics through festivals and showcases and maintains an active podcast presence that features extended interviews with artists and activists.

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman headlined ‘The Sarah Silverman Program’ on Comedy Central and later created ‘I Love You, America’ for Hulu. Her specials and musical numbers earned multiple Emmys, including awards for original songs written for television.

She has authored a bestselling memoir and voices roles in animated films and series. Silverman’s live touring schedule remains active, and she regularly tests new material at club residencies before taping longer sets.

Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes won an Emmy for writing on ‘The Chris Rock Show’ and then built a prominent on screen career with roles in ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘Black ish’, and ‘The Upshaws’. Her standup specials cover politics, family, and work culture with tightly crafted bits.

She has hosted major televised events and co hosted the Academy Awards. Sykes also writes and produces for other comedians and maintains a production slate that includes both scripted and unscripted projects.

Tina Fey

Tina Fey became the first female head writer of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and co anchored ‘Weekend Update’. She created and starred in ‘30 Rock’, a workplace comedy that earned a large collection of Emmys for writing and series.

Fey co wrote ‘Mean Girls’ for film and later adapted it for Broadway and then screen again. She continues to develop and produce shows, including ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’, and frequently appears as a guest writer and performer on live television specials.

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler came to national attention with ‘Saturday Night Live’ and later starred in ‘Parks and Recreation’ as a lead who became a pop culture fixture. She co founded the Upright Citizens Brigade, which trained and launched many successful improv and sketch performers.

Poehler directed and produced multiple documentaries and comedy series through her company. She also built Smart Girls, a digital platform that supports young creatives with interviews, resources, and live events.

Maria Bamford

Maria Bamford created ‘Lady Dynamite’ for Netflix, a scripted series that drew on her life and touring experiences. Her standup specials such as ‘The Special Special Special’ and ‘Old Baby’ used inventive formats, including performing for an audience of two and performing in public spaces.

She is widely credited with advancing candid discussions of mental health within comedy, and she supports comics through scholarships and small grants. Bamford’s voice work spans major animated series and video games, adding another dimension to her career.

Tig Notaro

Tig Notaro’s landmark club set at Largo led to the album ‘Live’, which captured deeply personal material and earned wide acclaim. Her subsequent specials, including ‘Boyish Girl Interrupted’, established a signature deadpan delivery and meticulous pacing.

The documentary ‘Tig’ followed her life during a period of major change and brought her story to streaming audiences. Notaro also acts in film and television and tours with both standup and storytelling shows.

Ali Wong

Ali Wong’s specials ‘Baby Cobra’, ‘Hard Knock Wife’, and ‘Don Wong’ turned her into a global touring headliner. She also co wrote for television and published an essay collection that documented her career and family life.

Wong starred in the Netflix series ‘Beef’ and received major awards for her performance. She continues to develop film and television projects as a writer, actor, and executive producer alongside an active tour calendar.

Hannah Gadsby

Hannah Gadsby’s Netflix special ‘Nanette’ combined standup with art history and memoir and received an Emmy and a Peabody. They followed with ‘Douglas’ and ‘Something Special’, each built on extended touring before streaming release.

Gadsby curates art exhibitions and hosts programs that connect visual art and comedy. They maintain an international touring schedule that includes Europe, North America, and Australia with shows that sell out major theaters.

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer created and starred in ‘Inside Amy Schumer’, which won multiple Emmys for sketch and writing. She headlined the film ‘Trainwreck’, which opened at number one in North America and led to additional film roles.

Schumer has released several streaming specials and continues to tour arenas and theaters. She also produces and writes for series and films and has hosted high profile live events, including awards broadcasts.

Michelle Wolf

Michelle Wolf wrote for ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ and ‘The Daily Show’ before launching ‘The Break with Michelle Wolf’ on Netflix. Her White House Correspondents Dinner set became one of the most discussed routines in the event’s history.

She tours internationally and releases long form specials that showcase tight joke density and topical writing. Wolf also appears on festival lineups across Europe and North America and records audio albums from those shows.

Iliza Shlesinger

Iliza Shlesinger won ‘Last Comic Standing’ and immediately began releasing a run of Netflix specials including ‘War Paint’, ‘Freezing Hot’, ‘Confirmed Kills’, ‘Elder Millennial’, ‘Unveiled’, and ‘Hot Forever’. She wrote and starred in the film ‘Good on Paper’, which premiered on streaming.

Shlesinger tours heavily with themed shows and releases companion books and podcasts. She also develops lifestyle content and live productions that tie into her specials and fan community.

Tiffany Haddish

Tiffany Haddish broke out with the film ‘Girls Trip’ and followed with the Grammy winning album for ‘Black Mitzvah’. She executive produced the Netflix showcase ‘They Ready’, which introduced wider audiences to multiple up and coming comedians.

Haddish has hosted ‘Kids Say the Darndest Things’ and appeared in a wide range of film and television projects. She continues to tour and to produce specials for other comics through her company.

Nikki Glaser

Nikki Glaser hosted ‘Not Safe with Nikki Glaser’ and became a mainstay of ‘Comedy Central Roasts’. She later hosted the reality series ‘FBoy Island’, expanding her profile beyond club stages.

Glaser releases specials and albums while touring clubs and theaters across the country. She also hosts daily radio and podcast programs, giving her a consistent platform to test new material and interview fellow comics.

Share your favorite sets and specials from these comedians in the comments so everyone can add them to their watch list.