Ali Wong used to be the patron saint of the "trapped" housewife. She walked onto those early Netflix stages pregnant—twice—sporting those iconic leopard print dresses and glasses, joking about how she just wanted to lie down and let her husband, Justin Hakuta, take care of everything. It was a specific kind of subversion. She was the breadwinner pretending she didn't want to be.
Then everything changed. The leopard print stayed, but the marriage didn't.
If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you know that Ali Wong: Single Lady isn't just a catchy tour name. It’s a full-on lifestyle shift that culminated in her fourth Netflix special, which hit the streamer in late 2024. But here’s the thing: while the special is out, the "Single Lady" era is still very much in motion as we head into 2026.
Honestly, it’s been a wild ride. From the shock of her 2022 separation to the ink finally drying on the divorce in May 2024, Ali hasn't just been living her life—she’s been beta-testing her new reality in front of sold-out crowds.
The Reality of the Ali Wong Single Lady Special
People expected "Single Lady" to be a sad, reflective piece about the end of a decade-long marriage. They were wrong. Dead wrong.
Filmed at The Wiltern in Los Angeles during the "Netflix Is A Joke" festival, the special is basically an hour of Ali Wong flexing. She isn't mourning the loss of her marriage; she’s celebrating the fact that she’s rich, famous, and suddenly back on the market. It’s raunchy. Like, "make you want to look at the floor if you're watching with your parents" raunchy.
She spends a huge chunk of the set talking about the "quest for love," but mostly it’s about the quest for... well, other things. She leans heavily into the absurdity of dating as a 40-something woman who has an Emmy and a Golden Globe for Beef.
One of the most talked-about bits in the set involves a certain "man who sent her flowers in Europe." If you're a fan of celebrity gossip, you already know we’re talking about Bill Hader. Ali actually uses the stage to confirm that the Barry star reached out to her the second he heard she was getting a divorce. He told her he’d had a crush on her "forever."
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It's the kind of rom-com moment that feels too good to be true. And as it turns out, in the world of high-stakes comedy careers, maybe it was.
The Bill Hader Split: What Happened?
As of January 2026, the "Single Lady" title has taken on a literal meaning once again.
After roughly two years of being comedy’s biggest power couple, Ali Wong and Bill Hader have officially split. The news broke just over a week ago, and it’s been the talk of the industry. According to reports from People, the breakup was "very amicable." No cheating scandals, no messy public spats. Just the boring, reality-check reason: schedules.
Ali is currently gearing up for her massive Ali Wong Live 2026 tour, which kicks off this month in Houston. Bill has a slate of film and TV projects that are basically keeping him glued to a set. When you both have kids from previous marriages and careers that require 80-hour weeks, something eventually has to give.
It’s kinda ironic, right? The very special that celebrated her finding love again is now a time capsule of a relationship that couldn't survive the grind. But that’s the risk of being a confessional comedian. You tell the truth on Tuesday, and by Friday, the truth has changed.
Is the New Material Actually Funny?
If you go back and look at the reviews for the live "Single Lady" shows—the ones Ali performed before the special was even a thing—the reaction was surprisingly split.
On one hand, you have the die-hards who love her "I don't give a damn" attitude. They find the vulgarity empowering. They love that she’s an Asian woman taking up space and talking about sex with the same graphic indifference as a male comic from the 90s.
But there’s a vocal group of fans who felt... well, a bit alienated.
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- Redundancy: Some concert-goers complained that the show stayed on one topic—her sex life—for the entire 90 minutes.
- Relatability: It’s hard to feel bad for someone complaining about the "struggles" of dating when they're talking about flying to Europe on a whim or having A-list actors chase them down.
- The "Vibe" Shift: Early Ali was about the relatable struggle of motherhood and career. "Single Lady" Ali is about the victory lap.
If you're heading to one of her 2026 tour dates, expect more of the latter. She’s not going back to the suburban mom jokes. She’s leaning into her status as a mogul.
Upcoming 2026 Tour Dates
If you want to see if she's added a "post-Hader" chapter to the set, she’s hitting these cities soon:
- Houston, TX – Jan 16
- San Antonio, TX – Jan 18
- Las Vegas, NV – Feb 27-28
- Orlando, FL – March 29
She’s also hitting Charlotte, Atlanta, and Cincinnati later in the spring. Tickets aren't cheap—some Vegas seats are pushing $200—but she’s still one of the few comics who can guarantee a sold-out room.
Why This Matters for Comedy in 2026
Ali Wong is effectively redefining what a "divorce special" looks like. Usually, these are soulful, slightly bitter, or deeply introspective. Think Louis C.K. or John Mulaney’s Baby J (though that was more about rehab, the divorce was the backdrop).
Wong refuses to be the victim.
She portrays divorce not as a failure, but as a graduation. In her world, Justin Hakuta isn't the villain; he’s still the "best friend" who co-parents their kids and even joined her on tour while she was developing the "Single Lady" material. That’s a level of maturity (and perhaps financial insulation) that we don't often see in the messy world of celeb breakups.
Final Takeaways and What to Do Next
Whether you love the raunch or miss the "Baby Cobra" era, Ali Wong is the blueprint for how to pivot a brand. She didn't let the divorce define her as "lonely." She defined herself as "available."
If you’re planning on following the "Single Lady" journey or seeing her live this year, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Netflix Special First: Don't go to the 2026 tour expecting the same jokes. The Netflix special is the "old" version. The live show is where she's testing out the new reality of being single again.
- Expect the Unexpected: With the Hader split being so fresh, the 2026 tour is likely to be much more raw and unpolished than her previous work.
- Check the Venue Rules: Ali is notorious for using Yondr pouches. If you go to a show, your phone is going in a locked bag. Don't plan on taking selfies mid-set.
To stay updated on her latest tour additions or to grab tickets before they hit the secondary market (where prices triple), your best bet is to keep an eye on her official site or Ticketmaster's verified fan portals. The 2026 run is expected to be one of the highest-grossing comedy tours of the year.