Samay Raina's Still Alive Becomes Most-Watched YouTube Comedy Special Globally

Stand-up comedian Samay Raina achieved a major milestone, with his comedy special Still Alive reportedly becoming the most-watched YouTube comedy special of all time globally.

On April 21, Samay took to Instagram Stories to share a screenshot of his interaction with Grok AI, an AI assistant developed by X (formerly known as Twitter). He asked the chatbot, "Which is the most watched YouTube comedy special of all time globally?" To this, he received a reply, "Samay Raina - Still Alive is the most watched YouTube comedy special of all time globally (full-length stand-up special by total views on its primary upload)."

The special, which was uploaded on April 7, has seen massive traction online. As of April 22, the video has garnered 53.78 million views on YouTube. At the time of filing this report, it had also crossed 3.8 million likes and received over two lakh comments from viewers.

Samay’s return to YouTube came months after the controversy surrounding India’s Got Latent, which triggered nationwide backlash. The issue escalated after podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia asked a contestant an inappropriate question, leading to multiple FIRs being filed.

In his one-hour 21-minute special, Samay candidly addressed the controversy, opened up about his parents’ reactions, and spoke about the toll it took on his mental health. The special has resonated widely with audiences, many of whom have praised the comedian for making a strong comeback after a challenging period.

Reflecting on his life before the controversy, Samay said, “I sometimes wonder if I should’ve edited that video. I had such a great life going on till January 2025. Every YouTube video of mine had 5 to 6 crore views. Every reel, every podcast is talking about me. I’m in all their thumbnails. Every celebrity wants to meet me. All other comedians are jealous of me. They were struggling to make similar content. It was so much fun. I was king,” he said.

At the time, Samay had also announced what was expected to be his biggest stand-up tour in the United States, reportedly selling over 50,000 tickets before the controversy overshadowed the moment.

The comedian first gained prominence after winning Season 2 of Comicstaan in 2019. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he further expanded his fan base through his popular chess streams on YouTube, collaborating with well-known personalities and grandmasters.