The Comedian List / Comedians / Chad Daniels

Fergus Falls, Minn. · Acme Comedy Co. · Middle of Somewhere

Chad Daniels

Minnesota’s great dad comic, with three top-10 comedy albums and a Netflix hour called Empty Nester.

Born
March 2, 1975
From
Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Started
Acme Comedy Co., 1998
Netflix
Empty Nester (2024)
Wikipedia
Chad Daniels
Up north
01

Who is Chad Daniels?

Chad Daniels is a stand-up comedian from Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He started at an open mic at Acme Comedy Co. in Minneapolis in 1998, then spent a year as house emcee at the Westward Ho club in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

His albums Footprints on the Moon, Dad Chaniels and Natural Selection all hit the Billboard comedy top 10, and his albums have been streamed hundreds of millions of times. Vulture called him “one of the great unsung American comedians.” He released the Netflix special Empty Nester in 2024 and co-hosts the podcast Middle of Somewhere with Cy Amundson.

On Tuesdays with Stories #679, Joe List names him as proof that great comics live outside New York and LA: “as good as it gets,” up in Minnesota.

02

Timeline

  1. 1998First open mic at Acme Comedy Co.
  2. 2008Comedy Central Presents half-hour
  3. 2012As Is; wins Gilda’s LaughFest
  4. 2017Footprints on the Moon hits No. 2
  5. 2019Dad Chaniels
  6. 2024Empty Nester on Netflix
03

Specials, TV & more

Special · Netflix, 2024Empty NesterFilmed at the Fitzgerald Theater
Special/album · 2019Dad Chaniels
Album · 2017Footprints on the MoonNo. 2 Billboard comedy
Special · 2012As Is
PodcastMiddle of SomewhereWith Cy Amundson
TV · 2008Comedy Central PresentsHalf-hour
04

Chad Daniels FAQ

Where is Chad Daniels from?

Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Does Chad Daniels have a Netflix special?

Yes, Empty Nester, released in July 2024.

What podcast does Chad Daniels host?

Middle of Somewhere with Cy Amundson, and Pretend Problems.

05

If you like Chad

More comics on the list.

Nate BargatzeNate BargatzeBrian ReganKathleen MadiganKathleen MadiganJoe ListJoe ListDusty SlayDusty SlayConnor Larsen

Photos: Nate Bargatze: Photo: Lisa Gansky, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Kathleen Madigan: Photo: Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Singsank, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Joe List: Photo: Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Dusty Slay: Photo: Sarah Elizabeth Kohrt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Illustration: initials card by The Comedian List (no free-licensed photo yet). Facts checked Oct 26, 2026.

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