Bangladeshi-American comedian Usama Siddiquee is among the performers featured in Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch for 2026, a list highlighting emerging voices in American comedy.

The selection, announced on November 4, comes with an endorsement from comedian Hasan Minhaj, who has followed Siddiquee’s career for almost 10 years. In his tribute, Minhaj pointed to the comedian’s persistence and ability to command a stage, recalling how he worked his way up from open mics to bigger comedy platforms.

One moment that stood out was Siddiquee’s appearance on Kevin Hart’s comedy competition ‘Funny AF’. Minhaj recalled how the crowd began chanting Siddiquee’s name before his performance and how Hart eventually crowned him during a live recording at New York’s Village Underground.

Siddiquee shares this year’s recognition with Wally Baram, Olivia Carter, Aaron Chen, Adam Friedland, Kyle Gordon, Shapel Lacey, Eilise Patton, Josh Ocean Thomas and Lucas Zelnick.

Running since 2000, Variety’s annual list has featured comedians who later established themselves as major names in the industry, among them Zach Galifianakis, Maria Bamford, Patton Oswalt, Nate Bargatze and Nikki Glaser.

The selected comedians are set to take the stage at a special showcase on November 12 as part of the New York Comedy Festival. The event will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Times Square.