Iliza Shlesinger

I think it's just when you're a performer. And I would imagine I liken myself to an athlete. I think when you are an artist or an athlete, you have a passion. It's not a decision as much as just where you move toward. You know, it was always... whether you're an athlete and you always played sports and you always worked out and you're always on the teams.

And as an artist, like I was always, you know, you're making people laugh. You're when the teacher's like, do you want to do a skit or a report? You're like, what do you think? Like, of course I want to. You're always finding audiences. And so I just knew I was going to be in comedy. And maybe it was stand-up, but I just knew I was going to make people laugh for a living.

And as an artist, like I was always, you know, you're making people laugh. You're when the teacher's like, do you want to do a skit or a report? You're like, what do you think? Like, of course I want to. You're always finding audiences. And so I just knew I was going to be in comedy. And maybe it was stand-up, but I just knew I was going to make people laugh for a living.

And so I just sort of, you know, moved in that direction, whether it was going to film school. Yeah.

And so I just sort of, you know, moved in that direction, whether it was going to film school. Yeah.

It felt good to make people laugh. And that was my currency. You know, I think we all have a currency. Maybe you're good looking and that's why everyone's friends with you or you're the smart kid in the science group, you know, and I was always funny. I was funny before college. it was reinforced. Like I saw people laughing, but I always made the teachers laugh.

It felt good to make people laugh. And that was my currency. You know, I think we all have a currency. Maybe you're good looking and that's why everyone's friends with you or you're the smart kid in the science group, you know, and I was always funny. I was funny before college. it was reinforced. Like I saw people laughing, but I always made the teachers laugh.

And so this was just what I gravitated toward and it's how I handled everything. Not a disruptive funny, but just like that was the goal. And I watched funny things and I cobbled together my own education about what was funny. And I just always knew that that was something, it was just with no real education about like, this is what standup is, or this is what comedy filmmaking is or whatever.

And so this was just what I gravitated toward and it's how I handled everything. Not a disruptive funny, but just like that was the goal. And I watched funny things and I cobbled together my own education about what was funny. And I just always knew that that was something, it was just with no real education about like, this is what standup is, or this is what comedy filmmaking is or whatever.

And I just, no one said I couldn't, So I just did.

And I just, no one said I couldn't, So I just did.

No, because there's no moment. And I wish there were a moment. Because I always envy comics who are like, I saw Richard Pryor live on the Sunset Strip and I knew. For me, it was just always a reinforcement. I saw myself as them. And in many cases, it was men. But I just saw myself as them. I saw myself in these sketches when I watch Kids in the Hall or Saturday Night Live.

No, because there's no moment. And I wish there were a moment. Because I always envy comics who are like, I saw Richard Pryor live on the Sunset Strip and I knew. For me, it was just always a reinforcement. I saw myself as them. And in many cases, it was men. But I just saw myself as them. I saw myself in these sketches when I watch Kids in the Hall or Saturday Night Live.

I didn't see the difference. No one had ever told me women weren't funny. So I never saw it as a gendered thing. Perhaps that's why I have, like, such an ego or a confidence about it. I just never thought I shouldn't talk or the boy is funny. I shouldn't do it. And so because I saw sort of myself as genderless, but the idea of it is genderless. Like, funny is funny. And I just went.

I didn't see the difference. No one had ever told me women weren't funny. So I never saw it as a gendered thing. Perhaps that's why I have, like, such an ego or a confidence about it. I just never thought I shouldn't talk or the boy is funny. I shouldn't do it. And so because I saw sort of myself as genderless, but the idea of it is genderless. Like, funny is funny. And I just went.

And I'm still that way.

And I'm still that way.

Yeah, I guess. Yes. Not I guess. Yes. But I just knew in my bones that this was the direction I was going in. So the awful people just sort of fell by the wayside. It's not to say it wasn't painful or it didn't hurt or that didn't give me pause when someone was weird or creepy.

Yeah, I guess. Yes. Not I guess. Yes. But I just knew in my bones that this was the direction I was going in. So the awful people just sort of fell by the wayside. It's not to say it wasn't painful or it didn't hurt or that didn't give me pause when someone was weird or creepy.

But I also became a headlining comedian so young that the time in which most women are dealing with guys not booking them or harassment and stuff, I was already headlining. So you couldn't tell me nothing because what are you going to hold over my head that I can't do your bar show? Okay, I'm in St. Louis this weekend doing the thing that you wanted to do.