A new genre of comedy is flourishing on social media, dissecting the often absurd and contradictory experience of being a man in the 2020s. As traditional notions of masculinity are publicly interrogated, a wave of comedians are finding humour not in punching down, but in turning the lens on themselves and their own insecurities.
The Rise of the Self-Deprecating Man Sketch
If 2024 was marked by more thoughtful masculine stand-up, 2025 has firmly become the year of the self-mocking man sketch. Across platforms like TikTok, comedians are building substantial followings with short, sharp videos that cast them as flailing, clueless, or overly performative versions of manhood. These sketches thrive in the space between the earnestness of self-improvement and the persistent pull of outdated alpha-male tropes.
The comedy often stems from the fundamental conflict comedian Robert Webb identified: traditional masculinity as "the pursuit of not being a woman." Comedian Kiry Shabazz encapsulates this in a stand-up bit where he nostalgically misses 'toxic masculinity' while describing a fight with a friend where insults are met with therapeutic phrases like "I hear you and I receive that." The punchline? It made him miss the days "when men handled beef like men."
Key Comedians and Their Viral Takes
Several comedians are at the forefront of this trend. Sahib Singh, with over a million TikTok followers, creates sketches that delve into male insecurity. In one viral clip, he panics when friends notice his genuine enjoyment of the bird-themed board game Wingspan, frantically backpedalling and later asking ChatGPT: "Is it gay to get hit by a car?" after a mishap. The humour lies in the extreme lengths taken to avoid seeming unmanly.
Dan Carney specialises in playing a naive, well-meaning but ultimately buffoonish version of himself. In a video with over half a million views, he documents cringe-inducing attempts to be the 'perfect ally' at a Pride parade, embarrassing his bisexual girlfriend in the process. "I don't want the joke to be at anybody else's expense but my own," Carney explains, noting this approach lets the audience explore subjects earnestly.
Eric Rahill parodies the self-serious, 'bro' influencer—the type who posts narcissistic motivational content. In one classic 2021 clip, he dedicates a set of possibly fake pull-ups "to everyone who's ever dealt with depression." In another, he toasts to "Italy, wine and a new relationship with God" before admitting he nearly killed his friends by overestimating his boating skills.
Roots and Cultural Significance
This trend didn't emerge in a vacuum. It has predecessors in the work of YouTube and Vine comedian Conner O'Malley, and mainstream shows like Saturday Night Live have long parodied modern manhood in sketches such as "Man Park." The film "Friendship," starring Tim Robinson, acts as a feature-length version of these social media sketches.
Comedian Dan Licata, who filmed a stand-up special in front of teenage boys at his old high school, intersperses his set with sketches about imparting flawed wisdom. He sums up the driving force behind the genre: "Dumb masculinity, I think, is very funny. A lot of these self-serious, bro comedians nowadays are funny for reasons that they'll never understand."
While the rise of the 'manosphere' fuels legitimate concern, this wave of self-mocking comedy offers a counter-narrative. It presents modern masculinity as a study in conflicting demands—a clash between honesty and performance. Ultimately, these comedians' willingness to poke fun at themselves is a testament to a self-awareness that provides both laughter and a much-needed reflection on gender in the UK today.
