Want to improve your French while having a laugh? We’re here to make that possible! Since a little levity is welcome these days, check out our list below for some favorite francophone humoristes !
Looking to discover more French comedians? Be sure to check out virtual stand up! Comedians of the World on Netflix has a season of 4 comedians under “France.” Voulez-vous rire avec moi ce soir? is a series by Yacine Belhousse featuring Eddie Izzard, Bill Burr, Gad Elmaleh, Korine Côté, Guillermo Guiz, Igor Meerson and more. On YouTube, Montreux Comedy features a different comedian every week!
Gad Elmaleh
While American viewers might be more familiar with Gad Elmaleh’s English-language appearances on Netflix like American Dream, Huge in France, and his episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Gad Elmaleh has been a French powerhouse in standup comedy and films like The Valet (with Alice Taglioni and Daniel Auteuil), Priceless (with Audrey Tautou), and many others! His comedy special Gad Gone Wild is delivered in French to a Canadian crowd and features hilarious stories of his time living in the US!Dany Boon
For those of you who enjoy browsing our film collection, Dany Boon is likely another familiar face! With his specific brand of humor, Dany Boon has written and starred in comedies like Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, Lolo, and Supercondriaque. Des Hauts-de-France is his comedy special on Netflix about the region where he grew up, his very first gig, and parenting hostile teenagers.Fary
After getting his start in the comedy clubs of Paris and France 2 TV shows On n’demande qu’à en rire and On n’est pas couché, Fary has developed his own brand of comedy. He is often contrasted with the more “traditional” French comedians on this list - even just on the surface level, his style and “swagger” set him apart! In his specials on Netflix, Fary is the New Black and the two-part Hexagone, he tackles modern French life with playful spins on questions of identity, culture, patriotism, dating and more.Paul Taylor
As an Englishman living in France, Paul Taylor aptly names his YouTube stand up #Franglais while he pokes fun at the differences between his two languages! He also has a few short-form series with Canal+ that further examines the quirks of everyday life in France. Paul’s content will be extra fun for English speakers learning French for the first time!Norman Thavaud
He’s tall, he’s fun, he’s kooky. Norman of Norman fait des vidéos is a French YouTuber and blogger with over 12 million subscribers. His videos are short but deal with a variety of daily, real-life topics. Norman often works with fellow comedians Yvick Letexier, Cyprien Iov, and Hugo Dessioux. One of his early popular videos is the drôle Les bilingues. There is also the charming Ma vie en dessin, and the timely Le déconfinement. Norman’s creative and quirky videos will bring a smile to your face when you need a French pick-me-up!Fadily Camara
Fadily Camara has collaborated with Norman for a satiric take on The Walking Dead and an ensemble cast of comedians for the 2020 film Tout simplement noir on the role of Black people in French society. The title of her special, La Plus Drôle de tes Copines, positions Fadily as “the funniest of your female friends.” We’re heading to La Cigale for this stand up chock full of vivid characters, physical comedy, and (of course) jokes to make you spit whatever beverage you’ve chosen out in laughter!Guillaume Meurice
Born in Côte d’Or Burgundy in 1981, Guillaume Meurice first tried the stand up with sketches but he became famous for working for the radio France Inter in 2012. Currently he is part of the radio program Par Jupiter !. He distinguished himself with his humorous chronicle Le Moment Meurice, composed of caustic micro-sidewalks. He openly defends left-wing ideas and against animal cause. His shows and chronicles are based on the news in France but worldwide as well. Guillaume Meurice, aside from the radio, does a lot of other things but always related to his strong convictions. A few examples of his other activities: in 2016 he had a one man show; in 2017 he published a bande dessinée; and he has a rock band. You can find videos on the France Inter website and on YouTube.Looking to discover more French comedians? Be sure to check out virtual stand up! Comedians of the World on Netflix has a season of 4 comedians under “France.” Voulez-vous rire avec moi ce soir? is a series by Yacine Belhousse featuring Eddie Izzard, Bill Burr, Gad Elmaleh, Korine Côté, Guillermo Guiz, Igor Meerson and more. On YouTube, Montreux Comedy features a different comedian every week!
