Gen Z comedy can be defined as brooding, ironic or sometimes plain delusional.
Unlike the preceding generations, Gen Z doesn't fret for a setup; the punchline is what's needed for a good laugh. Through TikTok videos, a meme, or a stage, Gen Z comedy is ready to launch into the forefront and overtake what is known as 'Boomer and Millennial' humor, which at times, is categorized as 'cringe' by those born between 1997 and 2012.
Due to an overly gate-kept Hollywood, up-and-comers have flocked to Brooklyn. Here are three Gen Z comedians to check out:
Dan Toomey, 28, is the host of Morning Brew’s Good Work, a funny-yet-informational news-oriented talk show. Toomey, a resident of Gowanus, had auditioned for the role of the podcast host in 2021, but impressed his employers more with his editing skills. He was soon making all of Morning Brew's social media videos and now handles all YouTube content.
Toomey hosts the shows with a twang and a persona twist. “The character himself is modeled after a guy named Kevin Killeen … he had this one viral video where he was just bashing the month of February,” said Toomey.
Unlike many up-and-comers, Toomey found a workaround to making his comedy profitable by incorporating comedy into Good Work, turning the show into his stage. “To me, I've made it in terms of getting paid to do comedy.”
Toomey, of course, still creates his own content under a notable alternate YouTube channel. Back in June, he parodied a Jubilee debate video titled “1 Guy VS 14 of his Girlfriend’s Friends,” which circulated corners of X.
Now Toomey is taking his comedy to the stage, performing at venues like The Stand in Manhattan and Littlefield in Gowanus.
Ivy Wolk, 21, is making use of their namesake to travel across the country to book shows.
"I will never disappear in people's minds. I've had times where I've taken, like, a year off of social media, and people would still talk about me on the internet like I was still there," said Wolk, who is known for her brash remarks and takes about pop culture on TikTok in 2017.
Since then, she’s garnered both fans and critics. “I think being authentic has made me come this far. If I was quiet for anybody, you wouldn't see me,” the Brooklyn resident said.
Wolk is set to star in Netflix’s upcoming comedy film Roommates. Her effortless humor on the internet has led her to star in the TV shows English Teacher, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, and the film Anora.
“Zoomers are just getting started. We have not been really let into those kinds of traditional media or like legacy media avenues that were so accessible just a generation ago, because there's more gatekeepers, there's more money, and it's just harder to break in,” said Wolk.
Wolk said she auditioned for the TV series Adults, a recent take on Gen Z life, but she was told she was too young to be cast.
“It takes time,” Wolk told BK Reader that being an actress requires hoop hurdling, unlike her stand-up comedy, where she’s able to just get on stage.
For Emily Fan, 25, Gen Z comedy starts online.
You might recognize her from Vine, or at least now on YouTube. With over a million subscribers, Fan categorizes Gen Z humor as "ironic, or the punchline without the setup."
Known online as @notevenemily, Fan creates hilarious parodies of pop culture and delivers funny insights in the form of commentary videos.
Though known for her online comedic takes, lately she's been picking up for more dramatic acting roles. “I feel like I'm always playing like this serious, brooding girl who's going through so much. I would love to do a light-hearted thing,” said Fan.
She says she has been choosing more roles in indie films, and even went as far in making her own. Fan told BK Reader that the idea of Hollywood isn’t a rush; choosing artistry is first on her list.
Much like other up-and-comers making their niche their strong point, Fan stays true to her humor and hopes those who want to jump into comedy do the same.
“You want people to like you for the things that you genuinely enjoy making," she said. "Otherwise, you're gonna feel trapped to sort of like, keep making this type of content that you just thought was gonna resonate with other people that you don't particularly like.”
