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We have all heard the saying that laughter is the best medicine. There is nothing quite like a good laugh, whether from a friend making a joke, binge-watching a comedy show on television, or watching a stand-up comedian. Luckily, there are many professional comedians to choose from, depending on what hits your funny bone, including a wide range of female comedians who find humor in midlife mayhem.
The most well-known female comedians over 40 include Chelsea Handler, and Sarah Silverman,. Ali Wong, Wanda Sykes and Whitney Cummings. But there are many more hilarious women comedians you may not have heard of before. If you’re in the mood to laugh, here are five stand-up comedians to check out:
Cory Kahaney, (62 Years old)
“This is my second marriage, and I have a kid from my first marriage 'cause I like souvenirs.”
Kahaney has been a stand-up comedian for over 26 years, performing on talk shows such as The View, Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She was a grand finalist on NBC's Last Comic Standing and a semifinalist on America's Got Talent.
A domestic violence survivor, Kahaney has been open about how finding comedy saved her life. She describes her sets' humor as "smart comedy for grown-ups." She finds humor in relatable everyday topics, including online shopping, parenting, and marriage. Kahaney’s 2024 comedy special, Antique Joke Show, is available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and other streaming services.
Sarah Millican, (49 years old)
“I don’t like exercise. Exercise is for people who don’t know how to eat chocolate.”
Millican is an English comedian known for her observational humor. She often jokes about relationships and body image. In 2008, she won the Comedy Award for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a set she wrote about her divorce. In her second Edinburgh show in 2009, she received rave reviews for her material on the battle of the sexes.
Millican's autobiography, How to Be Champion, was published in 2017. Her current tour, Late Bloomer, runs through 2024 in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe.
Leanne Morgan, (59 years old) @leannemorgancomedy
“I would be doing flashcards, and I’d be drilling [my] first two [kids]. ‘You’re gonna make 100 on this spelling test and I mean it!’ And they were scared to death. That third baby… I remember asking one of her teachers, ‘Can she read?’”
Have you ever met someone and thought of saying, "You are so funny, you should do stand-up comedy?" Well, that’s exactly how Morgan got her start in this business. After the birth of her first child, Morgan worked as a door-to-door jewelry salesperson. She joked about motherhood with her clients, who found her humor relatable. Eventually, with their help, Morgan began booking stand-up comedy gigs.
Morgan’s first comedy special on YouTube had over 50 million views. Her 2023 Netflix comedy special, Leanne Morgan: I'm Every Woman, was in the top 10 comedy specials on the streaming platform. In 2024, Morgan released her first book, What in the World?! A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings. She is currently on a U.S. Tour through June 2025.
Susan Rice, (73 years old)
“I got a tattoo so people would stop asking how old I am. Now they just stare and whisper, ‘Silver Alert!’”
Rice has made people laugh for over 40 years, performing on her first comedy stage in 1983. While she worked steadily in the 1980s, as she got older, she found herself doing less professional comedy, although she continued to perform locally at charity fundraisers and community events.
But in 2023, things changed. A Don’t Tell Comedy producer invited her to record a 10-minute set for their YouTube channel. Rice had no expectations but decided to give it a try.
Her set on the good and bad parts of getting older premiered in March 2024 and immediately went viral. Rice was invited to perform for the television judges on America's Got Talent. Later that year, Rice (known by her stage name, Funny Old Bag) filmed her first-ever comedy special, Silver Alert, which is currently streaming on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and other streaming services. Rice is currently on a U.S. tour through July.
Ms. Pat, (53 years old)
“Real life ain’t never black and white … it's more like that gray hair on your grandma’s chin.”
Patricia Williams (who goes by the stage name Ms. Pat) is a multi-hyphenated comedian, author, radio host, podcaster and actress. The Washington Post called her "unforgiving and darkly hilarious," and The New York Times described her as "brutally honest and outrageous."
Ms. Pat performed her first stand-up gig in 2002, encouraged by her case worker. In 2006, she moved to Indianapolis and performed at Morty’s. In 2015, she competed in NBC’s Last Comic Standing.
In 2022, her special, Ms. Pat: Y’All Wanna Hear Something Crazy? premiered on Netflix. Ms. Pat also has a series, The Ms. Pat Show (on BET and Paramount), based on her life story as an inner-city drug dealer turned suburban mom.
Ms. Pat is currently on tour in the U.S. and Canada through November 2025.
Have you heard of any of the above? Who is YOUR favorite comedian? Let us know in the comments below.
AARP (Getty Images, 4)
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