What Is a Stand Up Special?

The stand-up special is growing cultural significance just as it is maturing and becoming more distinct as an art form.  Philosophical treatments of the special are therefore neither frivolous nor redundant.  I argue here that such inquiry can be aided by a definitional account of “special” and that an essential definition – if one is available- would serve us best.  I then offer a candidate definition of this kind and reply to some likely objections to it.