Laughter, as research supports, has serious benefits, from relieving stress and anxiety to easing physical pain to increasing life satisfaction. And one sure way to stimulate laughter is by listening to something funny—like a great comedy audiobook. We've got just the list. With these listens, you can laugh along with stories from some of the world’s greatest comedians and wittiest writers, all delivered with pitch-perfect performances. No matter your sense of humour, we’ve got everything you need to bring a little laughter to your day or night.
This is a modified version of a post originally published on Audible.com.
One of David Sedaris's most beloved works, Me Talk Pretty One Day easily claims a spot on our comedy list. This compelling essay collection takes the reader through wild, too-strange-to-be-fiction stories of Sedaris's life—both his childhood in North Carolina and his equally madcap career adventures. No topic is off limits, as Sedaris explores everything from his early visits to a speech therapist for a burgeoning lisp to his insatiable addiction to crossword puzzles. With musings on tourism, family, identity, and art all told in Sedaris’s inimitable subdued, pleasant delivery (including chapters that are actually recordings of his live performances!), Me Talk Pretty One Day is a must-listen if you’re looking for a clever comedy classic.
Born a Crime was not only rated Audible’s Best Celebrity Memoir in 2016—author Trevor Noah also received the coveted Audie Award for Best Male Narrator. And it’s no wonder this pick is so acclaimed—Noah’s heartfelt, authentic delivery of some of his most personal stories make for an absolutely unforgettable listen. A coming-of-age narrative set against the backdrop of Apartheid-era South Africa, this audio memoir consists of 18 essays that illuminate Noah’s experiences as the so-called "criminal" child of a Black mother and a white father. Rich with honesty and wit and fleshed out with Noah’s impeccable impressions, Born a Crime is not only one of the funniest comedy audiobooks available—it’s easily the most profound.
Creator of a myriad of memorable characters from Lady Whiteadder to Professor Sprout to the Cadbury's Caramel Bunny, Miriam Margolyes is the outspoken auntie (after two sherries) we all wish we had. At age 80, she finally decided to tell her extraordinary life story—and it's far richer and stranger than any part she's played. In This Much Is True, the BAFTA-winning actress reveals how being conceived in an air-raid gave her curly hair; what pranks led to her being known as the naughtiest girl in high school; how she ended up posing nude, swearing on University Challenge (she was the first woman to say f--k on TV) and being told off by the queen. With a cast list stretching from Scorsese to Streisand, Leonardo di Caprio to Isaiah Berlin, this memoir is as warm and honest, as full of life, surprises and hilarity, as the incomparable Miriam herself.
Thanks to 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live, and Mean Girls, American comedy sensation Tina Fey is a household name. But by her own admission, Fey wasn’t always set for stardom—her journey began as an awkward, comedy-obsessed young girl in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. Listen along as Fey spins the tale of her rise to fame, eventually landing as a nine-time Emmy Award-winning writer and performer. Peppered with musings on photoshop, the anxieties of Hollywood, and surprisingly tender moments on motherhood and womanhood, this riotous listen refuses to pull punches. Instead, Fey’s deadpan delivery, self-deprecating humor, and incisive wit rollick through a quick succession of comedic essays and sketches, making for a masterpiece.
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told is a comedic memoir by US sitcom favourites and husband-and-wife duo Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson of Parks and Recreation fame) and Megan Mullally (best known for her Emmy Award-winning portrayal of socialite Karen on Will and Grace). Unraveling the story of their decades-long, star-studded Hollywood romance, the dynamic pair shares cheeky stories, interviews, and hijinks. Mullaly’s distinct chipper, bright high-pitch voice matches perfectly with Offerman’s deep, droll, dry delivery as they share how they got together—and what keeps their love burning with a fiery passion. A sweet, sparkling memoir with chemistry, flair, and energy, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told truly lives up to its name.
Former Saturday Night Live cast member and improv star Rachel Dratch is front-and-center as the writer and narrator of this listen, which follows her path to comedy fame—and unexpected, unplanned motherhood at the age of 44. Ripe with behind-the-scenes SNL anecdotes, recollections of wild improv sketches, stories about Dratch’s fellow famous friends, and retellings of her misadventures in the dating world, Girl Walks Into a Bar… traces the highs and lows of Dratch’s life in colourful and candid detail. Delivering raw, real perspective with comedic charm, this debut memoir is an instant crowd-pleaser.
Writer, actress, producer, director, and Hollywood power bruncher, the incredible Mindy Kaling recently added another role to her repertoire—single mom. In these fresh and hilarious personal essays, Kaling reflects on the perks of being her own husband, the unexpected benefits of hiring a baby nurse, the critical importance of good friends (and the mortifying obligations it takes to keep them), how she deals with social anxiety even at the most glamorous A-list parties, and more. Written and performed with Kaling's signature humour and heart, Nothing Like I Imagined is sure to make you laugh and just maybe nod in recognition of the challenges and joys of striving to have it all and showing up to adult life alone.
Following the popularity of Justin Halpren’s Twitter account of the same name, Sh-t My Dad Says tells the story behind those hilarious viral musings. After a bad break-up, Halpren is forced to move back home with his father—a man he describes as "like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair". What ensues is pure familial ridiculousness, wrapped up in a coming-of-age memoir and uniquely touching portrait of a father and son. Throughout, Halpren’s father’s gruff, no-holds-barred language (and knack for creative profanity) comes alive with Sean Schemmel’s sharp-tongued delivery.
As portrayed by actor Steve Coogan, the incompetent comedic character (and fictional "author" of this audio) Alan Partridge . In Nomad, the bumbling, narcissistic celebrity broadcaster is is, by his own estimation, Britain's foremost authority on all things British. In Nomad, the bumbling, narcissistic celebrity broadcaster is back with an account of his 150-mile walk through the British countryside on foot. Hoping for a spiritual awakening or journey of immense personal significance, the inept Partridge instead finds nothing but madcap mishaps along the way. Witty vignettes and personal perspectives on life's big and small matters make this a rich work of satire you won’t want to stop listening to.
The collaborative product of co-creators Kate McKinnon (renowned for her spot-on impressions of notables ranging from US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Justin Bieber on Saturday Night Live) and her sister Emily Lynne, Heads Will Roll is not merely an audiobook. It’s a 10-episode audio comedy event that follows the evil Queen Mortuana of the Night Realm and her right-hand raven JoJo on their quest to quell a peasant uprising and save the throne. With a show-stopping cast including Meryl Streep, Peter Dinklage, Audra McDonald, Carol Kane, Chris Redd, and Queer Eye’s Fab Five, Heads Will Roll is a raunchy, star-studded satire perfect for comedy fans.
The only work of fiction on our list, A Dirty Job follows Charlie Asher, a fairly normal family man, whose happily mundane life is thrown off-kilter when his wife's unexpected death triggers his selection as a death merchant. In addition to running his secondhand store and raising his daughter as a single father, Charlie is tasked with the protection of souls through the underworld—a job that only becomes more complicated with time. If you have half as much fun listening as actor Fisher Stevens does narrating this darkly funny fantasy, you’ll be howling all the way through to the last word.
From its humble debut on UK commercial radio, The Ricky Gervais Show became an international sensation when released globally as a podcast—in fact, it was consistently ranked as the number one podcast in the world. This audio, a collection of the complete second season, makes for a side-splittingly silly, off-the-wall irresistible listen. With co-hosts and co-creators Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington, Gervais explores everything from the world’s most pressing problems to important "monkey news". The whip-smart delivery, bizarre ruminations, and ludicrous conversation topics are the essence of British humour at its finest.
From Randall Munroe, scientific theorist and creator of the popular webcomic xkcd.com, What If? addresses questions most people never think to ask. Are fire tornadoes possible? Could you build a jetpack with downward-firing machine guns? And what, exactly, would happen if you tried to hit a baseball pitched nearly at the speed of light? Tackling these absurd hypotheticals and more with dedicated, researched answers, this off-the-wall comedic act is as thought-provoking as it is hilarious. Star Trek alum Wil Wheaton lends his wit and eloquence, bringing Munroe's often sophisticated (and always hilarious) jokes and explanations to new heights. If you love strange ideas and crazy experiments, this is the audiobook for you.
Aziz Ansari has been talking about modern love in his stand-up routines for a long time, even translating his fascination with the current dating landscape to his Netflix series Master of None. Ansari returns to the topic yet again in Modern Romance, an investigation that delves into his observations on the nature of love in the 21st century. Taking listeners on a journey spanning cultures and continents while ruminating on the effects of technology and online dating on relationships, Ansari combines his trademark wit and energetic delivery with research from a panel of professors and experts, ensuring an illuminating listen full of hilarious crack-ups.
H. Jon Benjamin has one of the most recognizable voices in animated series for adults (Archer, Bob's Burgers, and more)—his signature droll baritone and spot-on deadpan delivery have made him a favourite of comedy fans everywhere. Failure Is an Option is a gut-busting, self-deprecating "attempted memoir" that reminds us that as wonderful as success is, there’s something to be said about the benefits of failure. In the voice we’ve all come to know and love, Benjamin faithfully reports all manner of his life’s catastrophes, from his inability to "deliver a sizzling fajita" to a trip to a Chinese chain restaurant that unexpectedly "fractures a family". Given the author's voice-acting expertise, the audio adaption of this hilarious collection is a particular treat.
