Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Turman.
Heather, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I moved to LA from my hometown in Michigan right after high school with dreams of working in the entertainment industry. I wasn’t exactly sure where to put my focus, I just knew I wanted to make funny things, and I knew I had writing chops, so I aimlessly started writing sketches and performing in comedic short films.
Then in 2008, I came out to my family as a lesbian, and their less-than-desirable reaction resulted in me writing an accidental comedy bit. I read the painfully honest piece and realized it would translate humorously if I performed it on stage, and like a ton of bricks I was hit with the thought, “Why have I never tried stand-up comedy before?”
I had grown up watching it and loved quoting my favorite comics, so it was a wonder that I had never considered trying it myself. I ended up looking up open mics and practiced my first set for a couple of months before I actually went to one, but once I did, I was hooked. That was in May of 2009, and I’ve been doing stand-up ever since!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think any form of art is a struggle to pursue. Certainly, in Los Angeles, the arts are a constant battle in terms of balance. You have to get really good at managing your time so you can hold down a day job to support yourself, while still giving time and energy to writing jokes, booking shows, and getting on stage every night.
Having a normal social life is nearly impossible in comedy, but luckily comics become friends with comics, so our shows get to feel like hangouts. So balance tends to feel like the greatest struggle, though constant rejection and battling the feelings of unworthiness that go along with it are a close second.
There’s no shortness of that in comedy! But again, I feel lucky because comics have a direct outlet to express those feelings. You just get on stage and let it out, and it feels like you’re managing it.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I’ve been doing stand-up comedy for nine years, and during that time I’ve performed in 20 states and 70 cities. I’m very vocal onstage about my queer lifestyle, so I’d say I’m best known for my plethora of lesbian dick jokes — and I’m not ashamed to say it! I think my willingness to tackle sexuality so openly sets me apart from others. I speak about sleeping with my wife the way a heterosexual comic speaks about sleeping with their partner. I love being provocative in that way, utilizing tongue-in-cheek humor to show people how limited their belief systems can be.
One of my proudest moments as a comedian, was in 2014 when myself and two other gay comics embarked on a 30-day tour, dubbed “The Young, Hot, and Gay Tour!” It was in the dead of a very cold winter, and the three of us drove cross country in my Toyota Yaris hatchback, piled high with a month’s worth of luggage. We performed a total of 18 shows in comedy clubs and gay bars, and it was the most free I’d ever felt in my life.
After one gig in Chicago, an audience member insisted we follow her across the street to another venue to perform again. So we trekked across the ice-covered street and did just that. She passed a bucket around, and we ended up making more money than we had at our first, planned show!
What were you like growing up?
I was a total tomboy growing up. I would play football with the neighbor boys, and I loved it so much, I announced to my parents that I planned to be the first woman in the NFL. I wanted to be a wide receiver, just like Randy Moss. My mom had to break the news to me that I couldn’t play because the men would physically crush me, and hence it was my dream that was crushed.
I moved on quickly though, finding a new focus with filmmaking and performing. I spent all my weekends and summers making movies with my friends. This was before the internet, so the movies were for our viewing pleasure only, which makes them that much more special. We didn’t know anything about film structure, or plot, but we did know funny, and so that was our goal — making funny movies.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherturman
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherturman
- Other: http://heatherturman.com
Image Credit:
Ivonne Macias Brady
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