How did you get into comedy? I saw the movie A Chorus Line and decided I should be an actor. But when I finally tried it professionally, I realized that I was missing a crucial ingredient called “having talent.” I considered what other ways there were to be on stage and tried my hand at open mic comedy. I did this once a week, every week, for a year. I loved it and hated it and eventually stopped because of the parts where I hated it.
Eight years later, I met a guy who, on our first date, said, “You’re like a comedian or something.” That guy became my boyfriend, and then my husband. All this time he kept making me try to stand up again. And finally I did. Twelve years and six months since my last open mic gig. The second time it got stuck.
Who did you look up to when you were starting out? The truth is, I compulsively watched everything Louis CK ever did or did. When that became a problem, I switched to Chris Rock, who, as it turns out, is also pretty good at his job.
Can you remember a concert so bad it’s funny? A few months ago, a guy made fun of me by saying that I look older than I am. The audience turned on him and I retaliated by making nasty comments about his mother. She was not there; it was more of a situation where I guessed what a horrible person she must be to have raised such a son. I became so aggressive that the audience turned from my side to theirs. I made a man shame a woman for her victim look. So am I a comedian? Or am I just a wizard who pulls fear of emotions out of his hat?
“I’m afraid too.” All the time… Sarah Barron. Photo: Matt Strong
What is your new show about? Politics. Just kidding! A little joke with myself. This is a show about the ties that bind. I think there’s something for everyone in this show – which is a phrase usually used for things that are either really good or extremely mediocre. LET US PRAY.
What’s the one thing people don’t expect from the stand-up life? People say, “Do you do stand-up? I can’t think of anything scarier!’ And I think, ‘Well, of course. I’m scared too. All the time.” I never say that, though, because it reinforces my sense of specialness to be treated as brave. So I stare into the middle distance, shrug, and say, “I guess you just get used to it.”
The best heckle? There is no such thing as a good one. The impulse to yell at someone on stage is always bad. 98% of people don’t have it, and if you do, it’s because you’re trying to join but can’t figure out how, or because you’re too drunk, or because you’re just a button. Regardless, I’m sad to see you.
What is your process for writing material? I’ll think something is funny, write a little around it, and remember it. Then I’ll try it on stage in a wooden way. If it works even a little bit, I’ll take it as an indication that maybe it can work better once the writing and performance become less crappy. This process, from start to finish, can take between a day and a year.
Any comedy bugs? Every few months, I get invited to audition to play the role of “mom” to various twenty-something co-workers of mine. I’m 42 and the whole situation shows the industry’s obsession with youth. “Are you 26? Let’s get you on screen so we can tell your story!” vs. “Are you 42? Would you want to be considered for the role of “mother of a 26-year-old?” I wouldn’t.
I think what’s going on is that the people who make these shows are desperate for young people to watch their show, and they think that letting people over 50 on screen will make young people’s eyes bleed. But the joke is in them. That youth demographic the showrunners are obsessed with? They don’t even watch TV!
Any pre-exhibition rituals? I pee and then drink a glass of water. One out, one in. Rock and roll!
Any rituals after the show? I drink a glass of white wine accompanied by an episode of 30 Rock or RuPaul’s Drag Race… or sometimes just an old Super Bowl halftime show. As someone who has zero interest in American football but still loves musical spectacles, I pay close attention to the Super Bowl itself and just watch the halftime shows on YouTube. They are a strangely soothing way to relax.
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