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Dave Chappelle - Dave Chappelle is one of the most celebrated stand-ups in America. He made his name on 'Chappelle's Show,' which saw great success until its finale in 2006.

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Dave Chappelle - More than ten years after he left the show, Chapelle made a big comeback with two new Netflix specials. The routines have polarized audiences, with some finding an issue with his comments about the transgender community.

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Louis C.K. - Louis Székely was one of America's most-beloved stand-ups, but after he admitted to abuse allegations last year, he went into hiding with a ruined reputation.

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Louis C.K. - C.K. made his return in late last year, performing low-profile sets at comedy clubs around America. His comeback has been controversial, with many concerned with C.K.'s anti-PC material.

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Aziz Ansari - In January 2018, Ansari was hit with sexual misconduct accusations, with a polarized response from the public. He swiftly retreated from the public eye.

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Aziz Ansari - Ansari returned later that year, with a new tour called 'Working Out New Material.' This was met with praise, as well as calls for a boycott.

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Chris Rock - Rock got his start as a stand-up, and has since become a movie star. His 2008 special, 'Kill the Messenger,' won him an Emmy Award.

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Chris Rock - In 2018, Rock made his return with 'Tamborine,' a comedy special which premiered on Netflix.

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Dane Cook - In 2011, Dane Cook announced that he was quitting stand-up, after troubles in his personal and professional life.

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Dane Cook - Just two years later, Cook made a quiet return to the stage. "I'm going into a new era of my career and professional life," he told the Washington Post.

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Pete Davidson - The young stand-up reached new levels of fame this year, after he became engaged to Ariana Grande.

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Pete Davidson - The relationship didn't work out, and Davidson went public about his depression and mental health. After a reported suicide scare, Davidson returned to stand-up comedy with two sold-out shows in the Boston area.

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Steve Martin - He rose to fame as a writer, and for his absurdist stand-up routines. Then, Steve Martin became a star, leaving his stand-up days behind him.

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Steve Martin - In 2016, Martin performed his first stand-up in 35 years, coming out as a surprise guest at Jerry Seinfeld's year-long residency at New York's Beacon Theatre.

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Ellen DeGeneres - Ellen started out in stand-up, and has risen through the ranks of fame in order to have her own TV show. 

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Ellen DeGeneres - In 2018 she announced her first stand-up show in 15 years. It premiered on Netflix December 18, 2018.

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Jamie Foxx - Jamie Foxx is another man with a diverse career. His stand-up sets can combine comedy, music, and acting too.

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Jamie Foxx - In 2017, it was widely-reported that Foxx was making a return to stand-up after 15 years. This followed a short set he tried out at the HaHa Comedy Club in Los Angeles

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Gabriel Iglesias - The hit comedian suffered a nervous breakdown in 2017, with his tour being called off. "I'm dealing with some serious health and emotional issues that needed attention asap," he told fans on Instagram.

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Gabriel Iglesias - The comedian, also known as Fluffy, returned with a new show, 'One Show Fits All.' The show stopped off in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

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Ben Elton - Ben Elton has had a diverse career, writing series like 'Blackadder,' publishing novels, and writing musicals like 'We Will Rock You.'

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Ben Elton - In December last year, Elton announced his first stand-up tour in 15 years. He will set out on a 53-date tour of the UK and Ireland.

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Judd Apatow - Apatow is best known for working on films like 'Happy Gilmore,' 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin,' and 'Knocked Up.'

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Judd Apatow - Apatow started his career in comedy with stand-up, which he returned to in 2015. He performed at the Comedy Cellar in New York, after a two decade hiatus.

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Greg Davies - The British stand-up is also known as an actor, appearing on shows like 'The Inbetweeners' and 'Doctor Who.'

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Greg Davies - After taking a four-year hiatus, Davies returned to stand-up in 2017, with a new nationwide tour titled 'You Magnificent Beast.'

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Udom Taepanich -

Also known as Nose, this stand-up comedian is a hit in Thailand. In 2013, he went on hiatus, but returned two years later.

(Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Udom Taepanich -

Taepanich made a comeback with his 'Deaw 11' show, which took aim at Thailand's political situation.

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Papa CJ -

CJ is one of India's most-celebrated stand-up comedians. He is one of the country's few comedians who made it big on the international scene.

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Papa CJ -

CJ took a hiatus in 2009, and returned in 2015. He returned with his hit show, 'Naked,' which was well received across the board.

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Siv Ngesi -

Otherwise known as Siv-ilised Ngesi, this South African comic told IOL that "you either love me, or you hate me."

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Siv Ngesi -

Ngesi returned to stand-up in 2017, after a four-year hiatus. He performed at the Baxter Theater in Cape Town.

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