A major cultural phenomenon, how has this distinctly American art of comedy managed to transcend language barriers and cultural differences to spread across the globe? From New York to Kyiv, this episode takes us to the farthest reaches of stand-up territories, even into war zones where comedians strive to resist armed with nothing but their microphone.

Stand-up comedy has gradually become a tool for the empowerment of all identities. By moving beyond comedy clubs to conquer streaming platforms and social networks, it has been exposed to the world, at the risk of shocking audiences and, perhaps at times, losing its way. In becoming a vehicle for political discourse, has stand-up forgotten its primary mission: to make people laugh?