John Mulaney directed Robby Hoffman’s first Netflix stand-up special, “Wake Up,” which will be available to watch around the world on December 14, 2025. The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever hosted the hour-long show on October 21. Hoffman was the executive producer, along with Mulaney, John Foy, and Shoo Fly Productions. Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, went up to her after she was on Mulaney’s show and started the deal.
Hoffman grew up in a Hasidic community in Montreal, where he was one of ten siblings in a single-parent home. He went from being an accountant to a comedian, using a Brooklyn accent to tell sharp observational jokes. She became well-known as a quirky talent agent in Season 4 of HBO’s Hacks, which earned her a 2025 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She has written for PBS’s “Odd Squad” (which won a Daytime Emmy), FX’s “Dying Sex,” and her 2019 Crave special “I’m Nervous.”
Hoffman says that Wake Up is like Minute Maid frozen orange juice, with jokes about AIDS and other non-PC topics in the middle of debates about political correctness and “woke” culture. Sarah Silverman calls her a “telephone star” because of her friendly, positive venting style, which comes from a rough childhood and a strong belief in herself. The special pushes the boundaries of comedy with controversial points of view, making her a modern voice in stand-up.
