Women in comedy have never just existed to entertain. They have existed to disrupt an industry that once openly questioned whether women were funny at all, female comedians learned to use humor as both shield and sword. They turned dismissal into momentum and skepticism into fuel. Comedy became a way to speak truths that were otherwise ignored, to laugh at systems that tried to minimize them, and to take up space without apology. When women step on stage, they are not just delivering punchlines. They are claiming authority over their own stories.
What gives women’s comedy its power is emotional range. It is sharp and blunt, but also intimate and revealing. They talk openly about sex, ambition, anxiety, aging, desire, grief, and joy, based less on observations, but mostly on personal experience. We wanted to take a moment to highlight some of our favorite women who have not only made us laugh out loud, but have been trailblazers impacting generations of women around the world.
Hannah Berner
Hannah’s influence reflects how comedy has expanded beyond the traditional stage and into community-building. As one half of the Giggly Squad podcast, she has helped create a massively successful platform rooted in humor, honesty, and the kind of conversations women usually save for close friends. The podcast does not just entertain, it validates. It speaks to modern womanhood with humor that is self-aware, anxious, ambitious, and unapologetically real. As a fellow Giggler myself, I can vouch for that. Getting not one but two episodes a week now has been the kind of therapy I needed. And one that doesn’t require pouring your heart out to a licensed stranger with a degree on the wall.
Beyond podcasting, Hannah’s career shows discipline and momentum. She co-wrote one of our favorite books How To Giggle, released her own Netflix special We Ride at Dawn, returned to touring with major demand, and is already set to record another Netflix special this year. Her comedy does not present confidence as flawlessness. Instead, it embraces contradiction. She proves that vulnerability can be strategic, that relatability can be powerful, and that women can build serious careers without losing their authenticity or softening their voices. The only thing she hasn’t given us (yet) is a European Tour, but we are manifesting Hannah!
Nikki Glaser
She operates with a level of fearlessness that has reshaped how women are allowed to speak onstage. Hosting the Golden Globe Awards twice placed her in one of the most high-pressure comedic environments imaginable, where every joke is scrutinized instantly and publicly. She succeeded not by playing it safe, but by trusting her intelligence, timing, and command of the room. Beyond hosting, Nikki’s work is defined by radical honesty. She exposes double standards by walking directly into discomfort and staying there until it loses power.
Her comedy strips shame of its authority. By saying out loud what women are often taught to internalize or soften, she reclaims control of the narrative. Nikki’s success proves that women can be explicit, emotionally transparent, and intellectually sharp while commanding respect on the biggest stages in entertainment.
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea represents longevity, authority, and evolution in comedy. She has written numerous bestselling books, built a successful podcast, hosted talk shows, produced stand-up specials, and remained a prominent cultural voice for years. Her career is not defined by a single moment or format, but by expansion. Chelsea blends personal storytelling with social and political commentary, often using humor to challenge audiences rather than comfort them. She does not ask permission to take up space or share her perspective.
What makes her impact especially powerful is her refusal to fade quietly. She demonstrates that women do not age out of relevance, leadership, or influence in comedy. Her career has helped redefine what long-term success looks like for women in entertainment, showing that authority can deepen, sharpen, and grow louder over time.
Jessie J
Her relationship with humor reveals another dimension of its power. Known globally for her vocal talent, she has consistently used humor as a coping mechanism and a way to connect. She has spoken openly about personal struggles, using laughter as a way to process pain and invite audiences into something honest and human. On stage, her humor transforms concerts into intimate spaces, where storytelling, spontaneity, and vulnerability dissolve the distance between performer and crowd. Her jokes are not about performance, but presence.
By allowing humor to coexist with strength and struggle, Jessie has lit up lives in moments when joy felt fragile. She reminds us that comedy does not always come from comedy clubs or scripted sets. Sometimes it comes from resilience, openness, and the courage to be seen fully. If you want to see her in action, make sure you buy tickets to the No Secrets World Tour happening this year. You won’t regret it.
Women in comedy are not just breaking boundaries. They are redefining it entirely. Through podcasts, books, global stages, Netflix specials, and moments of unexpected laughter, they continue to shape culture and expand what humor can do. Their comedy challenges, comforts, and empowers all at once. When women take the mic, laughter becomes more than entertainment. It becomes authority, liberation, and proof that power can sound like joy.
ROARA Magazine 