Can you believe we’re nearly halfway through the year? There’s already been a slew of amazing specials and albums in 2024, including Conner O’Malley’s goofy critique of AI, Kate Willett’s lovably messy Loopholes, Clare O’Kane’s sophomoric yet sweet Everything I Know How to Do, and plenty more.
And yet, the comedy release cycle does not stop for anyone, even tired assistant comedy editors. I won’t let you down, dear reader: below I have assembled, in chronological order, the albums and specials we are most looking forward to in June.
Rachel Scanlon: Gay Fantasy
Where to stream: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and more
Release date: June 4
Just in time for Pride Month, comedian Rachel Scanlon is releasing her comedy special Gay Fantasy via Comedy Dynamics. The LA-based comedian’s new hour promises to be an uproarious time, as Scanlon gets into the nuances of dyke culture, accuses an audience member of lying, and keeps the crowd in stitches. And, as is legally required for comedians, Scanlon has her own podcast, Two Dykes and A Mic, with fellow queer stand-up McKenzie Goodwin. You can dig into the Two Dykes and A Mic backlog once you’ve polished off Gay Fantasy.
Sam Ellefson: Minnesota Nice
Where to stream: Wherever you listen to comedy
Release date: June 4
We here at Paste are thrilled about the new comedy label Burn This Records, which was started by comedian and podcaster Brandie Posey and brings a much-needed DIY ethos to the stand-up scene. In June, they’re releasing Denver-based comedian Sam Ellefson’s debut album, Minnesota Nice. As the title suggests, Ellefson is a wholesome Midwesterner, and the record itself was actually recorded in his high school auditorium in Hutch, Minnesota—on the same boards he used to tread when he was doing choir and musicals back in the day. While he’s billed as a “clean” comic, Ellefson still brings plenty of spice (especially around the sexual appetites of geriatric women).
Jeff Cerulli: Live at the Bomb Shelter
Where to stream: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and more
Release date: June 11
As a promoter, filmmaker, and comedian, Jeff Cerulli wears many hats, but in Live at the Bomb Shelter, we get to see his stand-up side. Recorded in the basement of a busy bar, Cerulli’s debut special includes bits about being the IT guy for his octogenarian dad, watching pornography with your friends, sympathizing with the EPA guy in Ghostbusters, and living in an unlivable New York apartment (a perennial issue).
Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go
Where to stream: Max
Release date: June 13
Hacks Season 3 ends this week, but if you need your Hannah Einbinder fix, thankfully she’s got her debut special comedy special coming to Max in June. Einbinder drew attention at Just For Laughs in 2019 with her noir-ish, stylized set (you can get a taste of it from her Late Show with Stephen Colbert appearance), so we’re anxious to see what she has in store for this hour. Can she live up to the Hacks hype? Are funny bones genetic (her mom is SNL alum Laraine Newman)? Can I stop asking questions? (Yes.)
Mo Welch: Dad Jokes
Where to stream: 800 Pound Gorilla and YouTube
Release date: June 14
Mo Welch’s part-special, part-documentary Dad Jokes looks to be both hilarious and deeply intimate. While the traditional stand-up part of Dad Jokes was filmed at the Lodge Room in Highland Park, Los Angeles, the rest of the doc follows Welch around Illinois as she tries to find her estranged father—made all the more poignant by the revelation that Welch has just become a parent herself. Color us intrigued.
Tracy Hamilton: Human Person
Where to stream: Wherever you listen to comedy
Release date: June 14
Tracy Hamilton may look straight out of Mad Men with her bright 1950s style dresses and cardigans, but her comedy is firmly rooted in the present day. The Toronto-based comedian’s debut album touches on mental health and exploring one’s sexual orientation, among other topics. Hopefully it includes her innovative perspective on anxiety, which is both funny and oddly soothing.
Emily Catalano: HEY
Where to stream: Wherever you listen to comedy
Release date: June 28
LA-based stand-up Emily Catalano began her comedy career in earnest at the San Francisco Punch Line, so fittingly that’s where her debut album, HEY, was taped. The record is a personal one, exploring Catalano’s experiences with religion, divorce, and much more, all in her signature deadpan style. As she puts it: “Think of it as a therapy session, but with more laughs and less co-pays.”
Ava Val: So Brave
Where to stream: 800 Pound Gorilla and YouTube
Release date: June 30
Besides being very prolific on her YouTube channel, trans stand-up Ava Val is releasing her debut comedy special So Brave at the end of the month. Val is utterly charming, particularly in this side-splitting bit on YouTube about “boy moding.” Fingers crossed she includes some of her hilarious impressions in So Brave.
Clare Martin is a cemetery enthusiast and Paste’s assistant comedy editor. Go harass her on Twitter @theclaremartin.