I Binged Then Ranked Every Kevin Hart Stand Up Special
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Superstar comedian Kevin Hart has reached the pinnacle of his career, having stellar success in film, television, stand-up, and more.
From theatrical blockbuster hits to Netflix gems, Kevin's comedic talent has helped him dominate the film industry, with hits such as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Central Intelligence, Ride Along, Get Hard, Fatherhood, The Upside, and many more. His business acumen has been illustrious, with ventures such as Hart House, Laugh Out Loud Network, Hartbeat, and others. Although Hart has seen success in multiple avenues, his origins start with stand-up comedy. Let's get a definitive ranking of Hart's stand-up specials.
7.What Now? (2016)
Universal Pictures / Via giphy.com
In his third theatrical release, Hart sold a record-setting 50,000 seats in his hometown of Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field. The special began with sort of a mini action movie, with cameos from Halle Berry and Don Cheadle. These scenes led into the stand-up performance in front of a massive crowd. The title of the special ironically aligns with the energy of the jokes, almost like Hart is saying, "I've achieved everything a comedian can achieve, so what now?" His content is on target with his usual jokes, discussing family life with a comedic undertone and poking fun at himself. However, between a record-setting crowd and an electrifying opening scene filled with other superstars, the performance itself seemed inferior to the moment. Take away those two factors, and the jokes may hit substantially harder, but those were the circumstances for this special. Nonetheless, the record-setting crowd is a compliment within itself.
6.Zero F**ks Given (2020)
During the pandemic, Hart delivered another groundbreaking action by performing a special with a live audience inside his own home. COVID-19, the wealth to pull it off, and the chatter about him losing his funny all led to this 2020 special. The debates and gossip that Hart was no longer the comedian he once was seemed to pick up during the pandemic. I'd say he felt the heat, with the name of the special hinting at his displeasure with seemingly being poked at and censored. The jokes subtly aligned with this sentiment, with Hart talking about being sick of people, feeling safer isolated at home, the awkwardness of fame, and more. The special also included bits around his son's school, Walmart, and others that were very humorous. Initially, the special received mediocre reviews, but I found it to be funny, and it's aged gracefully.
5.Irresponsible (2019)
In his sixth stand-up special, Hart performed in front of a packed London crowd to discuss family, marriage, his mistakes, and more. After a few years of successful hit movies along with a few controversies, nothing would please his fans more than to do what comedians do, joke about it. Hart did just that, humorously talking about being in his second marriage, dealing with his kids dating, and owning his mistakes. The standout bit to me would be his joke about having hidden weapons in multiple glove compartments in case of robbers. I'd put this as one of his all-time best bits, and it seemed to be a crowd favorite. Irresponsible was an easy, digestible, and adequately funny special.
4.Let Me Explain (2013)
Hartbeat Productions / Via giphy.com
Following the massive success of Laugh At My Pain two years prior, Hart followed up with the very impressive and hilarious Let Me Explain. A large stage with fire and theatrics to match, this special really showed Hart had transitioned into a superstar act. Fresh off a divorce, a high level of energy and charisma was evident while he discussed cheating on his past wife, his security misunderstanding his level of fame, crazy women, "bum bumps," the famous "debra" (deer and zebra), and more hilarious takes. The standout bit that went on to live amongst fans was the famous horseback riding instructor and his saying "Ok, let's ride." At this point, Kevin was on a hot streak and implementing himself as one of the greatest to ever do it. His energy felt fully present, as if he was ready to step into the role as the next great comedian. This special was simply hilarious.
3.Laugh At My Pain (2011)
Hartbeat Productions / Via giphy.com
A comedian getting a theatrically released special is major and a sign of superstardom. Not only did Kevin have this, but he knocked it completely out of the park. Laugh At My Pain was his first theatrical release, and it seemingly made him a household name. Many of the hilarious jokes centered around his father and his embarrassing moments such as stealing a German Shepherd, attending Kevin's spelling bees, and the famous "alright alright alright" joke. The title fits perfectly, as he found a way to humorize past trauma in a way that told detailed stories in a hysterical way. This method would become Hart's signature content, which is poking fun at himself and the ones around him. This special is undoubtedly a masterful work of comedy.
2.I'm a Grown Little Man (2009)
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Perhaps the stand-up special that placed him on comedy lovers' radars was his 2009 special I'm a Grown Little Man. A younger Hart with a smaller crowd and slightly less energy, he relied heavily on the content of the jokes, and it worked. The bits in this piece were exceptionally efficient, raw, and absolutely hilarious. The thing I loved about this special was there was zero "fat" or wasted moments. Every line was a buildup to another joke, which was funnier than the previous one. His fighting moves, battle rap observations, and the completely hilarious ostrich joke were just a few of the amazing bits in this special. Hilarious is an understatement; this is a timeless stand-up special.
1.Seriously Funny (2010)
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To be quite honest, it doesn't get any funnier than Seriously Funny. All of the great comedians have a standout special that represents them at their highest form; this is it for Kevin Hart. So many of these jokes went on to be legendary bits such as the "say it with your chest" bit, the "she ain't got no nipples," and the all-time great "it's about to go down." There aren't many words to describe how funny this special is, so I'll give the ultimate cosign of a stand-up special and say this: Seriously Funny is an all-time classic.
Let me know your ranking of Kevin Hart's specials in the comments!
