Comedy in Philly: Randy Rainbow, Ali Wong, John Cleese and more are here to make you laugh all fall long

Philly’s hot summer is finally coming to an end, and with cooler temperatures on the horizon, we can finally breathe enough to let out a few laughs.

Kick off autumn rolling with Wild ’N Out star Chico Bean or surrealist funnyman Eric Andre, and cap it with sets from veteran comic Sinbad or one-half of 2 Dope Queens Phoebe Robinson. Whether you’re into the blue stylings of reigning queen of Netflix, Ali Wong, or just want to hear a conversation with 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin, we’ve got you covered.

Eric Andre (Sept. 17, Merriam Theater). If you’ve ever caught Eric Andre’s surreal stylings on Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show, now preparing to enter its fifth strange season, then you know what kind of weirdness Philly is in for when he brings his worldwide “Legalize Everything” tour to town. Casual fans, however, will recognize Andre as the voice of hyena Azizi from the recent Lion King remake. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Dan Soder (Sept. 19-21, Helium Comedy Club). Dan Soder may be a New York-based comedian, but he has a strong Philly pedigree — he co-hosts The Bonfire, a weekday SiriusXM radio show on Comedy Central Radio, with area native Big Jay Oakerson, and has a noted affinity for Wawa. Soder even made Wawa-inspired apple fritters on Bert Kreischer’s YouTube cooking show Something’s Burning over the summer, so while he may not be one of us, we accept him as our own. (215-496-9001, philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com)

Randy Rainbow (Sept. 21, Merriam Theater). Randy Rainbow has been creating viral content since the early days of YouTube, but he hit the mainstream in a big way during the 2016 presidential election with his videos mocking President Donald Trump. Rainbow’s work landed him an Emmy nomination earlier this year. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Donnell Rawlings (Sept. 26-29, Helium Comedy Club). You may remember him as Ashy Larry, thanks to his hilarious character from Chappelle’s Show, but Donnell Rawlings is actually a longtime, stellar stand-up who has been in the game since the late ’90s. Since then, Rawlings has made appearances on everything from popular TV shows like Def Comedy Jam and @midnight to podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience and WTF with Marc Maron. (215-496-9001, philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com)

Solomon Georgio (Sept. 27, Good Good Comedy Theatre). Born in Sudan, Solomon Georgio came to the United States as a child, and honed his comedy chops until he made his TV debut on Conan on 2015. Since then, he’s appeared on shows like Drunk History and Last Call with Carson Daly, and is one of Rolling Stone’s 25 Funniest People on Twitter. His debut comedy album, HomoNégro Superior, was released in 2017 via Comedy Central Records. (215-399-1279, goodgoodcomedy.com)

Jordan Temple (Sept. 28, Good Good Comedy Theatre). Up-and-comer Jordan Temple first hit the mainstream comedy radar in 2017 with Hidden Fences, a stage play skewering Jenna Bush Hager and Michael Keaton for mistakenly referring to Hidden Figures (about African American women at NASA) as “Hidden Fences” at the Golden Globes, so that should give you an idea what to expect. Since then, Temple has gone on to write for shows including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, SMILF, and The Rundown with Robin Thede. (215-399-1279, goodgoodcomedy.com)

Chevy Chase (Sept. 28, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa). Chevy Chase has appeared in more than a few iconic films throughout his career, including National Lampoon’s Vacation, Fletch, and Three Amigos, but 1980’s Caddyshack is still in a class of its own. Chase heads to Atlantic City for a screening of the movie, followed by a talk and Q&A session with the audience. (609-317-1000, theborgata.com)

Nick Kroll (Sept. 29, Fillmore Philadelphia). Nick Kroll won the hearts of Philadelphians everywhere with his series of “Pawnsylvania” bits on Kroll Show, thanks to his expert take on the Philly accent. Kroll, who will voice Uncle Fester in the upcoming animated film version of The Addams Family, brings his vocal talents back to the city that inspired his greatest sketch. (215-309-0150, thefillmorephilly.com)

Kathleen Madigan (Oct. 5, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa). Today, we know Kathleen Madigan as a stand-up comic who has been at it since the late 1980s, but the Missouri native actually started out as a journalist in St. Louis while doing open-mic nights in her off hours. The move paid off — Madigan released four full-length comedy specials and six albums, and has made nearly 100 television appearances as herself, across her three-decade career onstage. (609-317-1000, theborgata.com)

Marc Maron (Oct. 10, Merriam Theater). A stand-up veteran with more than 30 years under his belt, Marc Maron for the past decade has been best known for his excellent podcast, WTF with Marc Maron. These days, Maron, is breaking further into the film world with projects like the offbeat comedy Sword of Trust, and the director Todd Phillips’ upcoming DC Comics movie, Joker. Catch him before he goes full-blown movie star. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Cristela Alonzo (Oct. 10, Perelman Theater). Since Cristela Alonzo got started in stand-up in the mid 2000s, her career has been one marked by firsts — she was the first Latina to create, star in, and produce her own sitcom in 2014 (ABC’s Cristela), as well as the first Latina to star in a Disney-Pixar film as the voice of Cars 3’s Cruz Ramirez in 2017. Now, Alonzo is preparing to put out her first book, Music to My Years. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Samantha Ruddy (Oct. 11, Good Good Comedy Theatre). Scranton native Samantha Ruddy is making her way to Philly this fall to record her first-ever comedy album after just a few years in stand-up. Ruddy made her late-night TV debut early this year on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and works as the warm-up comic for TBS’s Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, so don’t miss your chance to catch this localish up-and-comer. (215-399-1279, goodgoodcomedy.com)

Catherine Cohen (Oct. 12, Good Good Comedy Theatre). TV comedy fans may recognize Catherine Cohen from her appearances on Difficult People, High Maintenance, and Broad City, but stand-up junkies know her for her unique brand of cabaret-infused musical comedy. (215-399-1279, goodgoodcomedy.com)

Darryl Charles (Oct. 16, Helium Comedy Club). Darryl Charles is an OG Philly improv comic who has been part of local comedy group ComedySportz since 2011, and is known for appearances on shows like Mysteries at the Museum on Travel Channel, and Delco Proper (which sadly was not picked up by Comedy Central following a pilot order). Now, Charles is preparing to record his first album after a decade onstage. (215-496-9001, philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com)

Ali Wong (Oct. 17, The Met Philadelphia). It’s been nearly 15 years since Ali Wong broke into stand-up, and since then, she’s starred in films like Netflix’s Always Be My Maybe and The Angry Birds Movie, TV shows like Inside Amy Schumer and Fresh Off the Boat, and in her own comedy specials Ali Wong: Baby Cobra and Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife. This fall, Wong brings her decidedly blue act to Philly, but cell phone addicts be warned: You’ll be locking your device in a Yondr pouch, as has become popular among shows for major comics in recent years. (1-800-745-3000, themetphilly.com)

Jo Koy (Oct. 18, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa). Filipino-American comic Jo Koy, real name Joseph Glenn Herbert, has been cracking up audiences since 1989, and with the release of his latest Netflix special, Jo Koy: Comin’ In Hot, he shows no signs of slowing down. These days, you can also keep up with Koy via his popular YouTube channel, where the veteran comic regularly uploads videos to his subscriber base of more than 500,000 fans. (609-317-1000, theborgata.com)

Dena Blizzard (Oct. 19, Perelman Theater). These days, former Miss New Jersey 1995 Dena Blizzard is a viral star with a one-woman show, One Funny Mother, about her life raising three kids. But, personally, we’ll always remember her for the 2017 board game, Chardonnay Go, which Blizzard once described to the Inquirer as a “cross between classic board game and dirty charades.” (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

Bob Saget (Oct. 25, Keswick Theatre). Philly native Bob Saget made a name for himself starring in family-friendly TV shows like Full House and America’s Funniest Home Videos, but his solo stand-up act is typically pretty blue, so be sure to leave the kids at home. Otherwise, you’ll have a lot of questions to answer on the ride home. (215-572-7650, keswicktheatre.com)

Steve-O (Nov. 1-2, Helium Comedy Club). Typically, folks think of Steve-O, real name Stephen Glover, as the guy who has sacrificed his body for our enjoyment on shows like Jackass. But since the early aughts, Steve-O has gone from professional stuntman to professional stand-up comic. (215-496-9001, philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com)

Nick Offerman (Nov. 2, The Met Philadelphia). It’s been almost five years since NBC’s Parks and Recreation ended, but we still can’t think of Nick Offerman as anything but the meat-loving, Libertarian-leaning, department-directing Ron Swanson. Lately, though Swanson — er, Offerman — has been hitting the road on his “All Rise” tour, sadly sans wife Megan Mullally. (1-800-745-3000, themetphilly.com)

Nicole Byer (Nov. 7, Parx Casino). New Jersey native Nicole Byer may be familiar to fans of baked goods as host of Netflix’s Nailed It!, which features her hosting a competition between not-particular-talented home bakers. But Byer has a stellar pedigree in comedy, thanks to her training at the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York, which will be on display when she comes to the Philly area for a rare area appearance this fall. (888-588-7279, parxcasino.com)

Tom Segura (Nov. 8, Parx Casino). Sometimes known to fans as Tommy Bunz, Tom Segura is one of the biggest acts in stand-up today, thanks in part to his popular (and very, very NFSW) podcast Your Mom’s House, which he hosts alongside wife and fellow comic Christina Pazsitzky. (888-588-7279, parxcasino.com)

Alec Baldwin (Nov. 13, Academy of Music). OK, so Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning actor Alec Baldwin isn’t exactly known as a stand-up, but you have to admit he is pretty funny. Known for roles in (among other things) 30 Rock, Beetlejuice, and The Aviator — and for his stellar impressions of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live — Baldwin comes to Philly for a night of moderated conversation. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)

John Cleese (Nov. 22, Parx Casino). Comedy fans everywhere know John Cleese, thanks to influential surrealist comedy troupe Monty Python. Cleese is heading to Bensalem for “An Evening with John Cleese,” and so should you — especially if you know the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow. (888-588-7279, parxcasino.com)

Marlon Wayans (Nov. 22-24, Punch Line Philly). Marlon Wayans has more siblings (nine!) than most families have members, and each one of them seems to have a penchant for comedy. But Marlon is arguably the most famous, thanks to dozens of projects that have reportedly grossed more than $700 million across his 30-year career, including the Scary Movie franchise, Fifty Shades of Black, and White Chicks. (215-606-6555, punchlinephilly.com)

Gina Yashere (Nov. 23, Good Good Comedy Theatre). London native Gina Yashere is best known as the British correspondent for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, a gig she has held since 2017, but her stand-up roots run all the way back to 1995, and she’s released three stand-up specials since: Gina Yashere: Skinny B-, Gina Yashere: Laughing To America, and The Standups with Gina Yashere. (215-399-1279, goodgoodcomedy.com)

Maria Bamford (Nov. 24, Helium Comedy Club). Even though Lady Dynamite star Maria Bamford is a California native, we like to consider her an honorary Philadelphian, thanks to her 2015 marriage to artist and Main Line native Scott Marvel Cassidy. Bamford has made regular trips to Philly, where she has performed at venues ranging from The Fillmore to Good Good Comedy Theatre, and taken in Philly traditions like the Mummers Parade (with her parents!), as she told the Inquirer in 2017. (215-496-9001, philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com)

Phoebe Robinson (Dec. 5-7, Punch Line Philly). Phoebe Robinson is the podcast queen, first for her podcast-turned-TV-show 2 Dope Queens, and now with Sooo Many White Guys, which features interview with non-white, non-male comic guests in response to the prevalence of white men in comedy. Robinson is also a best-selling author, thanks to her 2016 book, You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I still Have to Explain. Former first lady Michelle Obama even asked to moderate her Becoming series of dates. (215-606-6555, punchlinephilly.com)

Sinbad (Dec. 12, Parx Casino). At it for more than 40 years, veteran comic Sinbad (real name David Adkins) is known and respected by a wide swatch of comedy fans — so much so that he is considered one of Comedy Central’s 100 greatest stand-ups of all time. However, he earned a special place in the hearts of many Philadelphians with an appearance on Season Four of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, in which he played himself in an episode that put him in a rehab facility alongside protagonist Dennis Reynolds. (888-588-7279, parxcasino.com)