Check Out Lana Salah’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lana Salah.

Hi Lana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been interested in standup since I was young. My family moved to the Middle East when I was a teenager and that changed the trajectory of my life. I dodged a lot of arranged marriage and went to engineering school there. Ultimately I did end up coming back to America but standup just didn’t feel like it was in the cards for me. I got deep into the corporate life and started my own businesses. In 2018 I was diagnosed with non Hodgkins lymphoma after successful treatment went into remission. Then the pandemic hit. Life changed again. On September 26, 2020 my sister and teenage nephew with severe autism died in a house fire. This really drove our family to a dark place. Two months later, grandmother died. My last living grandparent. One month later another one of my sisters died in a car accident.

Grief is not a linear process. I spent a lot of time working through a lot of that loss and just trying to keep my life together through it. My sisters and I loved standup comedy so much. We grew up on it. They were so funny. Funnier than me! We would watch comedies together and laugh til we cried. We’d go to comedy clubs together. Some of my last memories with my sisters were watching shows at The Comedy Store and Chocolate Sundaes at the Laugh Factory.

A few years later I just saw an ad for a standup class and I signed up.
That was 3 years ago. Last month I performed at the Comedy Store and I feel like my sisters were watching me from above.

I love the artform of comedy. I appreciate so many that came before me like George Carlin & Bill Hicks. I want to people to laugh but also sometimes think. I do lean a lot into social and political commentary which isn’t necessarily the most popular but I naturally see all these hypocrisies and just speak out on them.
I’m also a Palestinian-American and have been watching a genocide of my people for over 20 months. My grandparents were all Nakba survivors and are now dead.

I feel like I’m an ambassador of my people. I want to help be a voice for them where no one would ever see them. Humanize Palestinians. It’s crazy to feel like I have to say that but especially now we do.

I talk about Palestine in my comedy. I talk about my time in Gaza as well. Are these topics easy for people. No. but are they necessary. Let’s just say that I think a little discomfort won’t kill you but genocide will.

Comedy has given me a space to explore these topics and my unique life experience. I like to say I’m on my 7th life now. Considering everythng going on I think more and more people need to see Palestinians and I do my best to try to represent. It’s also hard not to think about it daily. I think talking about openly helps others release that tension as well sometimes.

I definitely have a journey to go in standup but I am loving this path so far and I feel honor to have gotten to share some stages with some of the best comedians working today.

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?
In 2018 I was diagnosed with non Hodgkins lymphoma after successful treatment went into remission. Then the pandemic hit. Life changed again. On September 26, 2020 my sister and teenage nephew with severe autism died in a house fire. This really drove our family to a dark place. Two months later, grandmother died. My last living grandparent. One month later another one of my sisters died in a car accident.

Grief is not a linear process. I spent a lot of time working through a lot of that loss and just trying to keep my life together through it. My sisters and I loved standup comedy so much. We grew up on it. They were so funny. Funnier than me! We would watch comedies together and laugh til we cried. We’d go to comedy clubs together. Some of my last memories with my sisters were watching shows at The Comedy Store and Chocolate Sundaes at the Laugh Factory.

A few years later I just saw an ad for a standup class and I signed up.
That was 3 years ago. Last month I performed at the Comedy Store and I feel like my sisters were watching me from above.

I feel like I’m an ambassador of my people. I want to help be a voice for them where no one would ever see them. Humanize Palestinians. It’s crazy to feel like I have to say that but especially now we do.

I talk about Palestine in my comedy. I talk about my time in Gaza as well. Are these topics easy for people. No. but are they necessary. Let’s just say that I think a little discomfort won’t kill you but genocide will.

This is also controversial for a lot of people and so there are definitely challenges talking about it in certain spaces but thats nothing compaerd to the challenges of the people of Gaza and Palestine.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’d say I’m known for speaking on difficult topics and probably a bit of dark humor in my standup.
I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve shared stages with some of the best comedians working today. I produce my own monthly show at Bigfoot West in Culver City with more of the best comedians working today and it’s been a success.

I think what sets me apart is I say a lot of the difficult things that make people think and sometimes uncomfortable but I love the artform of comedy and everything I do is in service to that artform and the audience.

I’m a paid regular at The Kookaburra Lounge, I have performed at the Comedy Store & the Improv as well.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I did this all solo but I’ve met some other great comedians in the game that I appreciate and respect and they help me level up and keep me on my toes.

I appreciate them for that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lanasalah.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thelanasalah
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lanasalah
• Other: https://beacons.ai/lanasalah