While it sometimes feels like there's a comedy club around every corner in Los Angeles, knowing which rising talent to catch can be the real trick. Luckily, a new list from Time Out has highlighted four local acts as part of their 2026 class of "Comedians to Watch in America."

The list spans a mix of stand-ups, actors, writers, and sketch performers, all based in the L.A. area, offering a local guide to some of the freshest voices in comedy right now.

Andrew Orolfo, who moved to L.A. from the Bay Area, is a regular at the Comedy & Magic Club and on Don't Tell Comedy lineups. He draws audiences in with a relaxed style that often leads to unexpectedly wild punchlines, touching on subjects like dating experiences or sharing edibles with his mom. Orolfo also created *The Meter*, a game show he devised during long car rides, which challenges players to find the Hollywood actor with the highest IMDb STARmeter rating in niche categories, such as actors who have worn a cowboy hat in a film. *The Meter* is available to stream weekly on YouTube and can be seen live at DSP Studios in L.A.

Curtis Cook arrived in L.A. from Portland in 2016 and has since built a resume that includes TV writing credits for shows like *American Dad!*, *This Fool*, and *Adults*. On stage, Cook’s stand-up is noted for being carefree, provocative, and insightful, whether he's talking about his family identifying as goth or his past thoughts on joining the military. Southern California audiences can catch Cook on Wednesday nights at Zero Lounge in Hollywood, where he cohosts “Zero Hour Comedy” with Brandie Posey, Rick Wood, and John Michael Bond.

Inglewood native Felicia Folkes brings a blend of charm and raw honesty to her stand-up, discussing topics from relationship compromises to overly aggressive encouragement. Folkes began her comedy career after classes at Santa Monica College and was the first Black woman to work as a door person at the Comedy Store, eventually becoming a paid regular there. A breast cancer survivor, Folkes now incorporates her journey into her material, finding that her comedy often provides laughter and healing for audiences. She can often be seen live on Sundays at the Comedy Store and is scheduled to perform at the New York Comedy Festival in November.

For those who appreciate comedy in various forms, the duo Kim Seltzer and Aliya Kamalova, known as Kim & Aliya, deliver truly singular experiences. These improv and sketch collaborators are behind an array of offbeat, often delightfully awkward short videos, ranging from slightly unnerving cooking demos to parodies of commercials from a bygone era. They are also credited with originating the viral "who ate the last powdered doughnut" trend on TikTok. Beyond their online presence, Kim & Aliya are currently developing their debut feature film, *Pistols at 3:45*, a mockumentary about two feuding local politicians attempting to avoid confrontation.