Nick Kroll's knack for the comedy genre spans several mediums, from television to movies, Broadway to podcasts, two hit cartoon series with renewals on the way, and now, his very first Netflix stand-up comedy special. As the hour-long sequence of stories and jokes has been highly praised since its release at the end of September, many have wondered where they can get their next, similar fix for some giggles.
Some may associate Nick Kroll with specific other comedians like his standup friend group and the people he appears to gravitate toward and create other types of content with. And fortunately, many of those other people have already had some time in the spotlight, allowing for the post-Little Big Boy comedy binge to continue down a very similar, and equally hilarious, path.
Taylor Tomlinson: Look At You
Taylor Tomlinson is a bit newer to the standup comedy scene, but her sense of humor has already been very finely attuned. In a very similar wheelhouse to that of Nick Kroll's comedy, Tomlinson's newest Netflix special, Look At You, is a great mix of self-deprecation and ego boosts that says just as much about the viewer who enjoys the show as it does about her.
Despite her sometimes dirtier choice of topics, in this special, Tomlinson also does a deep dive into mental health, sharing some of her own struggles and the means through which she received diagnoses and learned to cope with life, all while taking the audience along with her for a very funny ride.
Tom Segura: Ball Hog
One of the most vulgar and explicit comedians one will ever find themselves listening to, Tom Segura has several standup comedy specials on Netflix, each one better than the next. If Kroll's cruder topics are something that intrigue, Tom Segura's comedy is the natural next step up.
His most recent special that was released in 2020, Ball Hog is 70 minutes of jokes no one would ever think to tell in public, but are all jokes that leave the audience in tears.
Bo Burnham: Make Happy
Although he doesn't generally perform direct stand-up comedy, instead, the majority of his content taking on a musical form, Bo Burnham, specifically his 2016 standup special Make Happy, shares a very similar sense of humor with comedians like Nick Kroll. Oddball, risqué, and oftentimes dark, the two comedians have a good deal of overlap in their fanbase, as well as in some of their content.
Burnham, who has a number of incredible songs from his specials, has had a rapid rise in popularity over the last two years with the release of his dark comedy, introspective quarantine special, Inside, though older fans of his know from his stage work and more standup-like bits from years past that his comedy has both varied and grown quite a bit over his decade and a half in the spotlight.
Jenny Slate: Stage Fright
Jenny Slate's Stage Fright, her first and only Netflix special, so far, is somehow a perfect mix of funny stories about her life and documentary-like moments about her family and her childhood home. It is fun, genuine, and heartfelt, and a perfect representation of Slate's character, overall.
Slate has been known to work with Kroll on a number of his projects throughout the years, and the two have been shown to have quite a bond, so it comes to no surprise that the two of them would have similar outlooks on life and, as it turns out, a similar knack for hilarious impressions. That said, fans of the two actors' previous work together would more than likely find themselves just as happy with this special as with Kroll's.
Mike Birbiglia: The New One
Though somewhere in between a one-man show and a standup comedy special, Mike Birbiglia's The New One takes the audience through a journey of his life in a manner similar to that of Nick Kroll's. In it, Birbiglia telling stories of his relationship, family, and the things that have come to make him who he is today.
Mike Birbiglia and Nick Kroll have both told stories of being old friends from college and have supported each other publicly for years. Though their storytelling styles greatly vary, they have similar comedic tastes and the energy to match.
Hasan Minhaj: The King's Jester
His second and latest Netflix standup special, Hasan Minjah: The King's Jester is another great chaser for Little Big Boy. The special is incredibly funny and satirical, while simultaneously being heartfelt and serious, giving much insight into who Minhaj is in a manner similar enough to the stories that Kroll tells.
While The King's Jester tackles different issues and, at times, feels as though there are several tonal shifts within, the brand new Netflix special has been topping charts for a reason, resonating with viewers everywhere for its comedy as well as its sincerity.
Wanda Sykes: Not Normal
Wanda Sykes is a decades-long actress and comedian with a wonderful flair for a good dramatic story. Having been in the comedy game for much longer than most, her sense of humor has never diminished and her 2019 Netflix special Not Normal is just as funny as any of her other sets.
Though Wanda Syke's style of comedy is, at times, more reminiscent of Mike Birbiglia's than Nick Kroll's, they do still share a love for sarcastic social media commentary and teasing their families. They also appear to often run in the same circles, both with goofy personalities and wit that are, without a doubt, in the same wheelhouse.
Iliza Schlesinger: Elder Millennial
Similar to Nick Kroll, Iliza Schlesinger has become a Netflix veteran. With an original movie, a comedy sketch show, and five standup comedy specials on the service, the latest as recent as an October 11th, 2022 release, Iliza is most definitely a star with an incredible sense of humor.
As she continues to soar in her career, the laughs keep on coming. Iliza's flair for the dramatic and talent for voices and physical comedy are completely unique to her confident stage personality and every one of her acts, and definitely something that fans of Little Big Boy will find themselves drawn to. Elder Millennial, in particular, showcases Schlesinger's personality at its fullest, and is a must-watch for all fans of fun, absurd, and irreverent comedy.
Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife
Ali Wong's career has taken off in the last few years across network television and streaming services alike. Recently she has taken on a main role in Kroll's show Human Resources, as well as a titular role in the recently renewed Adult Swim show Tuca & Bertie, and just this year released her third Netflix comedy hour, Don Wong.
The second of her Netflix standup routines, in Hard Knock Wife, Wong discusses a lot of what she's learned in her first round of parenthood and jokes about preparation for her second. Both the comedy stylehere and some material is similar to that of Kroll's special, so Hard Knock Wife would be a good addition to the lineup.
John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous
It should come to no surprise that John Mulaney, Kroll's longtime friend, Oh Hello! costar, and partner in Big Mouth crime, would make this list. As the two of them are often paired together in the context of their acting gigs and comedy styles, it is generally a safe bet that a fan of one is a fan of the other.
Of all of his solo comedy hours, Kid Gorgeous is one of John Mulaney's funniest, finely-tuned, and most often quoted works of standup. As he continues to actively tour on his months-long "From Scratch Tour," Mulaney remains a safe bet for anybody with the desire to jump further down the rabbit hole of Nick Kroll-style off-kilter comedy.