Meet JoAnn Schinderle

Today we’d like to introduce you to JoAnn Schinderle.

Thanks for sharing your story with us JoAnn. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I guess I could pin-point that I started stand-up comedy because of Oprah. Honestly. I was in my 20’s and wanted to write a book about an emotionally abusive relationship I had just gone through that left me bankrupt financially and emotionally.  I thought for sure Oprah would read it and invite me to her TV couch wherein we’d chat and have healing conversations. Then, When Oprah’s show went off the air a couple of years later, I thought. “well, shit. I can’t just *be* a writer”

I did a quick Google search of female authors that I love and noticed they all had a common thread, performing. I was a recent Communications and Theatre graduate who admittedly never thought stand up was a gal’s game. I always knew I was naturally funny and had a knack for sketch writing, but wasn’t aware writing stand-up was also a skill I could hone. I obsessed over “female comic” Youtube searches and studied joke structure while bartending my debt away. Yes, I’m still awaiting that book deal. *wink*

On a whim, I took a job opportunity in Portland, OR and put my energy to the test. While in Portland, I ran a very successful weekly comedy show called Control Yourself that ran 4years and also doubled as a live-recorded podcast. 

In the seven years I’ve been performing stand up in clubs, festivals, bar shows alike, I’ve noticed a trend of female audience members coming up to me after and saying things like “I’ve had [x] happen to me too and I would NEVER say that out loud!” Comments like that fuel my fire to keep going. My material rests on the shoulders of navigating the world as a single female, and there’s a lot of us out there, I’m honored to be someones’ comic relief.

Great, 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?
‘Easy ’ is an interesting word to use when describing the entertainment industry. The highs can be super high and the lows can feel super low. The majority of my career has been ‘easy’ in the sense that I hustle hard to create opportunities for myself.

A club manager once told me that I “pigeon-holed’ myself by having too many period jokes. I thought I had a fair flow of period jokes (100% pun intended) alongside my various other material. Meanwhile, behind the scenes people were sending me solidarity photos of their bloodied sheets or updating me when they were free-bleeding; so to be told that I’ve pigeon-holed myself when clearly I was relating to audiences, I thought… ‘ok, I gotta make things happen on my own.’

My album ‘Dark Jeans’ comes out Aug 2nd on Comedy Dynamics and is 46minutes of period jokes. I wrote it as a middle finger to the notion that ‘menstruation jokes aren’t funny’. I’ve performed it four times to sold-out and nearly sold out audiences across the country.

The hardest part of performing that set is swatting away all the eager dick after the shows (side-smile emoji).

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I believe in the power that comes along with holding a microphone for a living. It’s a platform where literally your voice is amplified. Likewise, as cheesy as it may sound, comedy really does bring people together. It has to, there wouldn’t be a show without an audience. Therefore by that formula, it only makes sense to utilize shows as a means to give back. Given the means, a lot of comedy shows are now hosting donations for local underfunded or underrepresented organizations. Take this as a friendly reminder that if you’re seeing a free comedy show bring some cash with you just in case! Either donations will go to an organization or into the pockets of a working artist who may be in need of some finical help. The comedy community is dope like that.

Every run of ‘Dark Jeans’ shows has and will continue to double as a period product drive for a local shelter or non-profit organization that needs products for their clients. Period products are taxed and expensive. Having hygiene products on hand is often overlooked as a ‘luxury’. Let me break it to you, there’s nothing luxurious about menstruating. It’s messy, exhausting, oddly empowering, and apparently takes a village to plug or soak up a leak.

Shameless PLUG (teehee): Tuesday Aug 6th, 2019 ‘/ 8PM / Comedy Central Stage / FREE / Dark Jeans’ album release show + Period Product Drive for the Downtown Women’s Shelter will be a hoot and you should please come!! Featuring comedy from Becky Robinson (MTV), Wil Miles (Comedy Central), Adam Pasi (Bridgetown), Dom Gelin (SF SKetchfest) and me!

Also speaking of business, I wouldn’t have had such a successful album if it wasn’t for the on-going support and unmatched work ethic of Randall Lawerence of Carnival Studios. If you’re in Portland, OR or passing through, HIRE HIM!

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
When I think of childhood, I think of Blue Moon ice cream. If you’re from Wisconsin, you know that sh*t is delicious; and if you eat too much of it, your barf turns blue. 

Pricing:

• https://music.apple.com/us/album/dark-jeans/1467962059
• Dark Jeans – can be purchased on iTunes $9.99 Available for Pre-Order / Aug 2nd Release

Contact Info:

• Website: joannschinderle.com
• Instagram: @joannlizabeth
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joann.schinderle
• Twitter: @joannlizabeth

Image Credit:
Ian Whitmore, Kim Newmoney

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