Today we’d like to introduce you to Stevie Wain.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Stevie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Hi there! My name’s Stevie Wain, and I can’t have sex without crying! I say it every time I step on stage, and it always gets a big laugh. Let’s just say I got into standup comedy because early on I learned how to use humor to process pain.
When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of Kathy Griffin’s TV show, My Life on the D List. In one of the episodes, she talks about how she was bullied in middle school and would go to bed every night and stare up at her ceiling and say, “I know I’m funnier than those fuckers.” I really clung to her story because it gave me hope to see her thrive despite so many setbacks. To this day I think of that phrase when I’m feeling anxious before a show because I was that scared kid, too. I was full of gumption but tired of being harassed by my peers for having gay parents. I grew up in a really conservative small town, and my family was essentially shunned by my community when my mom came out as a lesbian.
But it’s ironic because my mom was the original clown of my family. People didn’t know what they were missing! I think that like her, I developed my sense of humor as a way to cope with being bullied. A lot of my stories are about women finding the courage to be their true selves, and it’s a journey I’ve taken in my own life as I’ve come out. That’s how our comedy show, “That’s So Gay!” was born because I wanted to give me and my friends a place to do comedy that wouldn’t be saturated by white male comics complaining about the #MeToo movement. It’s a riot! I get to book the best queer comics in LA and at the end of every show, I get the audience to pray in unison to “gay Oprah.” It’s honestly a dream.
Has it been a smooth road?
Running your own comedy show can be stressful, but I’ve been lucky to find venues like Junior High in Hollywood who are happy to host us. I’ve had incredible queer artists volunteer to make the flyers for our shows, and everyone helps advertise. I’ve also been blessed to make really wonderful friends like D’Lo Kid, Louisa Hill, and Kat Evasco who have helped me feel welcomed in this LA queer comedy writing scene. They’ve taught me how to carve out spaces of my own, and I can’t thank them enough for encouraging me to do so.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Our comedy show, That’s So Gay! feels special because we really focus on creating a healing performance for both ourselves and our community. I swear queer crowds laugh the loudest because they understand the struggles queer comedians had to face to find their material. My goal is to create a safe space for all of us to feel like we’re not nearly as alone as we think. And to be able to release some of that tension that life throws at you when you have the courage to be your most authentic self. The bottom line is? Our show is monthly, and we’d love to see you there!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @ThatsSoGayComedy and my IG is @stayfunny_wain
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatssogaycomedy-2891887447550279/?eid=ARCqC_u3093jvSrrPYLvia_GoLsBfBKmy3wr6WtJ2rxrwsOXCWOeAeaIpXj4Zz-2JjX-8KDDBB4J7d0S
Image Credit:
Kayhan Damavandi – the group photos and room photos where I’m wearing a blue button up shirt.
Andrew Max Levy – my personal comedy photo at the comedy store.
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