5 Qs With A Comedian: Ophira Eisenberg
What are you more afraid of: bombing on stage or dying?
I met Ophira working at clubs and shows around New York City. She’s one of the (very funny) comedians who has been around since (maybe?) the beginning of my tenure who is still at it, and it’s comforting to see her there. We’re like old comedy war vets who’ve been in the shit together, and sometimes we talk about it — Did that really happen? You saw that too, right? I’m not saying I’m not crazy, I’m just saying, I didn’t imagine the comedy land/hell/scape I think I saw of 2001 in NYC, right?
We’ve seen things change (but not that much) and have seen each other get stronger on stage, secure our voices, become mothers, do comedy during a 9/11, a hurricane, a blackout and a pandemic, and grow in the world of comedy. Fun fact: We even both auditioned for the same role as the host of NPR’s Ask Me Another — which she landed (and I didn’t). And I’ll never forgiven her for that. But somehow, I still love her dearly.
Ophira is Canadian, another thing for me to be envious of. I love Canada and some of my favorite people are Canadian — Joni Mitchell, Bob Seger, Alannis Morrissette. She hosted Ask Me Another for 9 years, and during that time, interviewed greats like Nick Kroll, Jim Gaffigan, Chelsea Handler and more. She is a mom to one son and hosts a comedy podcast called Parenting Is A Joke. (She also writes a newsletter on Substack of the same name.)
She tours with her stand up meets storytelling brand of humor across the U.S., Canada and Europe, and has hit every major comedy festival you can think of, including Moontower Comedy Festival, The New Yorker Festival, Montreal’s Just For Laughs and more. She also has three comedy albums on iTunes and YouTube, and filmed her comedy special, Inside Joke when she was 8 and 1/2 months pregnant. Slay, queen, slay.
She’s rocked Comedy Central, HBO, the LOL Network, The Late Late Show, The Today Show and was selected as one of New York Magazine’s “Top 10 Comics that Funny People Find Funny,” and hailed by Forbes.com as one of the most engaging comics working today.
Ophira is a regular host and teller with The Moth, and her first book, comedic memoir, Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way To Monogamy (Seal Press) was optioned for a feature film.
She regularly hits stages at the Comedy Cellar, Gotham Comedy Club, New York Comedy Club and Carolines, and Brooklyn’s beloved Bell House, Union Hall, and Littlefield. I think it’s fair to say, she’s done this damn thing.
Without further ado, as there has been plenty already, here are Ophira’s answers to my 5 questions.
1. Is being a woman in comedy harder than being a man in comedy?
Yes and I blame the patriarchy!! It’s hard to believe this still goes on, at the average mainstream club, the audience sees a man on stage and thinks, oh a comedian. The same audience sees a woman on stage and thinks, I wonder if I will like this? Also, there are still way fewer women on the average comedy club lineup than men, so that means fewer opportunities, so the work seems scarcer. Luckily, there are a lot more places to perform outside of comedy clubs, and you can find your own audience through social media. I know way too many hilarious women who have quit over the years because the business just does not support enough female comics.
2. What is the best thing another comedian has ever done for you? Who was that comedian?
So many comedians have helped me out in large and small ways. One that sticks out is opening for Anthony Jeselnik for a few years – that was huge, and touring with him really made me better as a comic. Recently he invited me to open for him at the NY Comedy Festival at Carnegie Hall - a stellar experience.
3. How much time do you spend working on personal comedy a day?
Sometimes it’s as little as an hour and I always want it to be more – when you have a kid time for writing is harder to find. I do get up on stage many times a week so if I run out of time at home, I try to do something new on stage so I can keep moving forward.
4. What are you more afraid of: bombing on stage or dying?
Ha! Dying. Bombing on stage is brutal, but you get over it. You don’t get another chance after dying… yet.
5. Have you ever dated a comedian? Who? What was that like?
Yes, I have = when I started, and no, you do not get names. Not to sound like a cliché but the people I dated in comedy were in Canada anyway, and to be honest I didn’t date anyone, I just slept with them. Part of it was great because you don’t have to explain that you’re never available at night or on weekends. On the other side of things, I think it’s healthier <for me> to date outside of the biz so my partner can offer an outsider’s perspective on the insanity of the entertainment industry. I don’t need two people wondering why some booker won’t give them a date!
Daily Musings:
Self Magazine is seeking comedians age 26 or 52 on the nose | Facebook
Jamie Foxx back at the mic | People
What do you love about comedy? Please answer this very brief survey
Interested in getting your comedy related ad in front of 8000+ subscribers of The Museletter? Your ad here: $10/day, $40/wk | jess delfino at gmail
Sayonara, sassy pants.
dear jess,
thanks for sharing this! ophira is great! love you, love her, thank you!
love,
myq