Today we’d like to introduce you to Susie Sitcom.
Hi Susie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi I’m Susie Sitcom. My life is a comedy or a joke! I choose to laugh at life instead of cry. It’s a daily choice I have to make. I am Asian American. I’m divorced with two amazing children. I was born in Chicago and raised in a Jewish neighborhood. Growing up my Father told me I was Korish, Korean and Jewish. People ask where I from because I’m big boned like a Chicago Bears Fan. Go Bears! It’s a good thing that Asians are very big this year!
I was taking Improv at Second City in Chicago as a date night with my husband to support his acting dream. Our instructor encouraged me to do stand up comedy and invited me to perform in his show. The first time I performed stand up, I felt like I was at home. I’ve been doing it on and off ever since!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Stand Up is challenging, cathartic, and rewarding. The pay at my level is the worst! However, The feeling of a great set makes up for the lack of pay. Stand up is so great! It’s addictive! Trying out new premises on stage and bombing is painful, but eventually seeing it workout and come together is brilliant.
My biggest challenge is managing a household, working different gigs and performing stand up with no help. School has been tough for my children this year with sports and bullies, so I have had to slow down. Paying bills is also challenging. Terrible!
If you are naturally funny and work hard, Opportunities are plentiful in Hollywood.
You have to make sure to rise to the occasion, because if you mess up it takes awhile to be invited back.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Stand Up Comedian and a story teller. I am known for crowd work, being silly and bringing my children to stand up comedy shows and making them cover their ears. It’s funny because it makes the audience and comics more uncomfortable than my children. I talk about everything in my set, current events, children, dating, marriage, mostly what’s going on in my life at the moment. I’ve been told I’m a bit dark, but I don’t see it. Ha! Whatever my girls hear on stage, we discuss in the car on the way home. Stand-up comedy can be shocking, but nothing is scarier than the internet!
What sets me apart is that I started this business at 40, so my worldview is broader than a lot of comedians in Hollywood. Stand Up Comedy is my second love after my children, both of which didn’t exist until much later in my life and pay terrible! I love sharing energy with the audience and setting an example for my girls. I find it incredible that I get to make fun of life and people find my pain funny along with me! I love the progress, the writing, the shows, the bombing, the good audiences, the community of comics and even the bad shows because I learn the most after the bad shows. It forces me to work harder!
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters the most to me are my children. Our safety, our mental health and our overall happiness. Unfortunately, the end of marriage my husband became physically abusive toward us. We had no one to count on but each other. Stand-up comedy helped me get through this period of incredible shame and sadness. I remember after 18 months of fighting in court my divorce was finalized. I came home and I was numb. My 6 and 8-year-old, brought my laptop to me in bed and turned on Netflix Stand Up Comedy Jo Koy’s Coming in Hot came up and we watched it together. It completely changed my mood. All of our moods. That’s the power of stand-up comedy. I want to do that for people. Bring them joy when they can’t find it on their own. That’s what matters the most. Joy & Love & Peace!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @susie_sitcom
- Twitter: @susie_sitcom
- Youtube: @susiesitcom
Image Credits
Susie me
