2020's Funniest Female Comedians Stars on the Rise

by DAVIS BROWN PRC Agency

Since early 2013, I’ve been involved in and surveying the comedy world to find the up-and-coming names that I believe represent the future crop of comedic stars. I first found via YouTube — performers like Bo Burnham (2013), and even Michelle Wolf (2015), and at an off beat LA show at UCB theater Jaboukie Young-White (2017). Often in my field in journalism I speak to casting agents, comedy club bookers and producers of live comedy shows, festivals, and late-night TV; execs at networks like Comedy Central, HBO, IFC, and TBS.

Based on which names came up most often, I have pared the list down to a strong 10 comedy writers and performers whose stars seem to be rising fastest. So, be on the look out...let’s follow them and see how well I’ve done this year...2020...did I have 20/20 vision...get it...let’s see. (yep, another vision pun)

Janelle James

Instagram: @janellejamescomedy

Location: Los Angeles

A direct recommend from legendary Chris Rock himself, (similar to how her did Leslie Jones for SNL) to the world might be all you need to get onboard with Janelle James. Her unapologetic fearlessness onstage has taken her up the ranks through New York and now L.A. Along the way, she has scored a Netflix semi special in 2018 and landed a writing gig on Showtime’s Black Monday.

Ayo Edebiri

Instagram:@ayoedebiri

Location: New York

We've have all been infected by Ayo Edebiri's young energy and endless excited interest for the embarrassing grind of life as a 20-something in New York City. Edebiri has quickly made her name for herself in only a few short years, writing for the New Yorker, BET's The Rundown, and NBC's Sunnyside and with her sketch group Lo-Fi, or co-hosting her with Olivia Craighead. So, expect to see so much more from Edebiri soon.

Hannah Einbinder

Twitter: @Hannah Einbinder

Location: Los Angeles

Hannah Einbinder and her penchant for restrained silliness (like ingratiating herself to the crowd like she’s in a classic noir) has quickly managed to capture the attention of indie comedy taste-makers and network suits alike, becoming one of the fastest-rising stars to come from the stand-up-comedy world in quite some time. Of course, Einbinder has put the work in, hitting as many open mics and dive bars as she possibly could over the last few years, honing her refreshingly absurdist charm (with a bit of a Billie Eilish-ish flair).

Vanessa Gonzalez

Twitter: @buhnessa

Location: Los Angeles

Vanessa Gonzalez swooped on up from being one of Austin’s best comedians (as voted on annually by the Austin Chronicle) to scoring JFL New Faces, a Comedy Central half-hour special, and an HBO Latino special to boot. Her low-key delivery makes her incredibly crafty writing land big laughs, much to the delight of so many audiences she has performed for, whether it be at big crowds at SXSW or in intimate settings like L.A.’s hot new comedy-centric theater, Dynasty Typewriter.

Jacqueline Novak

Twitter: @jacquelinenovak

Location: New York

If you didn’t get a chance to see Jacqueline Novak’s one-woman show Get on Your Knees, produced by Natasha Lyonne and Mike Birbiglia, the first thing to know is it’s about so much more than blow jobs. A glimpse into her innate charm and intellectual approach to the seemingly mundane: from what to wear on TV, how to sit in a chair, etc. Novak has proved herself to be a woman of deeply inventive comedy.

Rachel Pegram

Twitter: @rachelpegram

Location: New York

You might know her from her appearances in Adam Sandler’s The Week Of, or Don’t Think Twice, or The Chris Gethard Show, or Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, or … well, you get the idea. Pegram’s ability to be this prolific is thanks to the fact that she makes being just plain funny look easy, something Just for Laughs clearly realized when it featured her in its New Faces showcase this year. Pegram is a master at delivering monologues that slip in and out of characters, building to punch lines that she seemingly pulls from the ether.

Luc Ashley

Instagram: @Luc.Ashley

Location: Los Angeles

Stand-up comedian and actress, Luc Ashley, delivers qui