It’s obvious from your story that one of your dreams was to become a writer. How does it now feel to hold your own book in your hands?
Well, it feels pretty damned good. I’ve been so busy doing pre-publication press and meeting my freelance writing deadlines that I haven’t even gotten to read the whole thing from beginning to end! I wrote it in chunks, but have never read it in its entirety. Holding it reminds me that I need to dive in and see what the reader will experience.
As a comedienne, why did you feel it was important to share your story of struggling with mental and emotional illness in both your show Agorafabulous!, and now in your book?
Well, I think people don’t expect comics to struggle with this sort of thing. They probably expect us to do loads of cocaine or get drunk every night, but they might not realize that many of us struggle with depression and anxiety disorders — what I call Sad Clown Disease. Also, I figured I could bring a funny perspective to a very serious topic and maybe make some depressed folks laugh.
You explain how you stumbled upon comedy in your book, but were there any other people who inspired you to pursue a career in comedy?
Certainly Margaret Cho, Chris Rock, and George Carlin were big influences. I admire the way they combine social and political commentary with less-charged but still hilarious observations.
If Chuck Norris were to corner you in an alley and challenge you to a duel, what would be your weapon of choice?
My brain, since I’m fairly certain his is not in full operational mode.
Your book ends when your career starts. Since then, for the newbie comediennes reading this hoping to glean some wisdom, what are some challenges you’ve faced since going down the comedy track and what, in your experience, has made those obstacles worth overcoming?
Write write write write write. I wish I wrote more. Bring a notebook with you everywhere you go.
Don’t put video on YouTube until you’ve been doing this for at least two years. You’ll thank me later. I wish I’d followed this rule.
You’ll get hit on a lot. You can choose to feel flattered by the attention or feel pissed off. I’d go with “flattered.” Then go onstage and wreck them with how fucking funny you are.
At some point, someone will ask you, “So, are women really as funny as men?” You will need to resist the urge to kick this person in the teeth.
Don’t fuck too many of your fellow travelers. I say this in the “Do as I say, not as I’ve done” vein. If I could do it over, I would date exclusively outside this business. These are the people you will meet in the weird nocturnal fustercluck that is the comedy world, but you must make an effort to meet and fall in love with/shtup civilians.
You want to get booked? Start your own show. Comics are addicted to stage time, and they’ll swap spots with you in order to get their fix.
Which comedienne, dead or alive, would you love to work with that you haven’t already worked with?
Miss Rivers. And I would call her Miss Rivers, too. She is legendary.
When you’re on stage, what is your biggest fear, and conversely, what is your greatest hope?
My biggest fear is that no one will laugh. My greatest hope is that everyone will laugh.
Do you think comedy can change the world?
Absolutely. Socially conscious, politically aware comedy can change minds, galvanize supporters of a revolution, and, at the very least, make very self-important people laugh at themselves. Political movements are full of very self-important people, so puncturing that pretentious bubble is important.
Note: uptight super-leftist liberals and uptight super right-wing conservatives are the worst audiences. Avoid them if at all possible.
What’s your favorite cupcake flavor?
Baked by Melissa has a peanut butter and jelly flavor that is fucking amazing.
When you’re not writing/performing comedy, you’re…
Plotting.
What’s your next big career goal?
I want to sell my second book.
Normally, at the end of a Q&A we ask what the title of your autobiography would be, but in this case, we’ve got that question covered. Instead, let me ask, what do you expect your next book might be about? Any fun titles in the works for that one?
My next book is a YA novel based on The Great Gatsby, but set in modern times among teenagers on Long Island. The working title is Great.
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Sara Benincasa is an award-winning comedian, writer, blogger, and podcast host, as well as the writer and star of the one-woman show Agorafabulous! She frequently contributes opinion pieces to CNN.com and was a citizen-journalist for the 2008 MTV News Choose or Lose Street Team. She hosts the Web series Gettin’ Wet with Sara Benincasa and the popular podcast Sex and Other Human Activities. She travels the country to speak about mental illness and women’s issues at universities and conferences. She lives in New York City.
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