Raanan Hershberg: Bio, Comedy Style, and Where to Watch

Who is Raanan Hershberg?

Raanan Hershberg is from Louisville, Kentucky, now based in New York, and is one of the most prolific stand-up comedians working the club circuit today. He describes himself as a loud, neurotic Jew from Louisville — which is accurate and also tells you what you’re getting before the set starts.

He has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden, After Midnight on CBS, Comedy Central, and Amazon. The New York Times included his special Jokes from the Underground in its Best Comedy of 2022, with critic Jason Zinoman calling it the funniest YouTube special of the year. His specials include Downhill Ever Since, Jokes from the Underground (filmed at the Comedy Cellar), It Could Have Been Better (streaming on Amazon), Brave (released February 2025, which explores the political divide in America alongside his chaotic personal life — including his then-girlfriend needing open heart surgery three months into their relationship), and Morbidly Jewish: A New Special (January 2026, filmed at Sesh Comedy Club in Lower Manhattan, directed by Dave Hogsett). In March 2026, he signed with Independent Artist Group for representation. He is also a filmmaker: his short Memory Room won Best Film at the New York Shorts Film Festival. He hosts the podcast Your Favorite Movie Sucks and co-hosts the podcast Joe and Raanan Talk Movies. He is a Comedy Cellar regular.

Raanan Hershberg’s Comedy Style

Hershberg is a high-density joke writer with a high-energy delivery — two things that reinforce each other when they work and create friction when they don’t, but in his case they work. His material is biting, acerbic, and Jewish in the specific sense that it is built on anxiety, overthinking, and a deep suspicion that everyone around him is confident in ways that are not justified by the evidence. The Times endorsement of his Comedy Cellar special is the right kind of credibility for what he does: this is club comedy at its most technically precise.

Where to Find Raanan Hershberg

All specials are on YouTube and streaming platforms. Find tour dates at raananhershberg.com.

Raanan Hershberg has performed at the Comedy Cellar in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Check the current lineup and upcoming shows at comedycellar.com.

Catch Comedy Cellar shows live from New York on Mint Comedy at watch.mintcomedy.com.