The brilliant writer and comedian, filled the theatre Sunday night: a one woman Pyramid Scheme scrambling Tony Robbin’s pitchman energy. Sara started a podcast during COVID. She had saved up a lot of clues from her Twitter trolls, mostly peer comics and fans that they had sicked on her, and information about the so-called the way to make it in comedy. The industry model. Multi Level multi-discipline classes in avoiding misogyny in the comedy business.
Many of these ill-advised or un-advised things are left to the wayside when coming up in comedy. She was humiliated or harassed regularly, but you weren’t supposed to talk about that. Just show up and be cool, be likable, and then you make it.
But don’t talk about that.
Or that.
Don’t be shrill or bitchy.
Don’t say anything to anyone cause that’s the comedian’s code.
“They may have even bullied or assaulted you, and you should be able to use your own freedom of speech to fight back, right?”
“Wrong, that’s not how it works. Criticism is only something THEY get to do.”
There’s a humanity to Sara’s “Going Up” It’s presented as an inspirational conference of one, Sara pleading and harried, “Are you searching? Does your life lack in meaning and purpose? Go where voices are heard, where everyone knows your name; anyone can join. It’s comedy!” “All you have to do is hang out with cruel people and sometimes criminals and get those people to like you!”. She goes on to talk about fictitious yet true levels of success: Open mic level, Host level, One of the greats level, and of course, Legend Tier level, the highest of honors. The whole satire plays out perfectly, and the best trick is it is inspirational, especially to marginalized groups and aspiring female comedians. It plays out like an hour-long presentation in a time-share pitch. You are uncomfortable. But it gets easier.
Bring in the puppets.
Sara created a tiny comedy club in miniature and became known for that quirk and for her love of felty puppet creation. Then she started performing with them. A puppet on a stick would come out of the side of the stage during the most inspirational soaring moments in the schtick and demonstrate her imposter syndrome. It would repeat terrible things she had said to herself in moments of awe when she would encounter some of the “ things you don’t talk about” or tell little stories reminding her of humiliating circumstances. “Remember when you were approached in a booth, and Andy Dick told you to “move over shitty Tina Fey” There was also a gamut of little men on 2ft string attached to a wooden cross, and she would crash them into her little character and yell. “Oh noooo! Here come the male comedians!”. They would appear when she was talking to a house manager puppet or in a triangulated situation with another comedian puppet or celebrity puppet. The truth was spelled out for any new comic. Here is what is coming if you want to try comedy. And our service provides the exact responses to these steps. Here is some hidden language you might find useful on your journey. And yes, the comedy levels are real. The bravery and cunning in her work is remarkable. I left with a heart and mind full of so many realities I’ve faced just having a uterus that could help others and highlight just where we are fucking up when we don’t say anything.
Thanks, Sara. Oh, yea. Cancel Tony Henchcliff.
We should all know that name it inspired the work Sara is pointing us towards.
