11 / The Holiday Seezin (sp?)
hi all <3
Happy holiday season :)
I'm generally fairly cynical, but I actually get excited for the holidays like an idiot. I get to do both Christmas and Hanukkah because of of my parents’ interfaith marriage and subsequent interfaith divorce. We celebrate Christmas on my dad’s side, and Hannukah on my mom’s, though that practice has waned since the death of my grandmother. We now gesture to the idea of Hannukah by lighting my grandmother’s Menorah whenever schedule permits (much like the Maccabees). We do not know the songs so we chant "Hannukah Hannukah Hannukah, Jewish Jewish Jewish!" which is ultimately not disrespectful. I'm actually unsure if my grandmother knew the songs either, but she escaped the Holocaust and LOVED Seinfeld so it feels important to acknowledge our Jewish heritage in some way. One way I like to commemorate her life is to recall the time she beat up a Nazi who was threatening her with a knife.
My dad’s side of the family is French, and militantly atheistic. My father's mother, Armande, tells the story of growing up in a tiny, deeply religious town in the French countryside and being asked to give her first communion after having skipped Sunday school all year. Armande intuitively hated religion, and felt it was a ridiculous waste of her time. Despite her protests, however, her parents forced her to go, and when she arrived in church she promptly vomited all over her one good Sunday dress. Mortified, her parents took her home, cleaned her and the dress, and brought her back to church in the afternoon, whereupon she immediately vomited again, permanently quashing her parents' hopes for her confirmation. When she was later in life forced to hold her marriage in a church by her fiancé's parents, she blacked out entirely, and has never had any recollection of her wedding. The only religion my grandmother has ever valued was the ancient Greek religion, which she felt at least offered some fun timeless melodrama.
Despite its atheism, my family celebrates Christmas because we love cooking and presents. Every year my grandmother and stepmom get into a fight about whether or not to open some presents the night before (my grandmother is impatient), and my dad and grandmother cook a really elaborate, delicious meal. The best part of the season is actually Three Kings Day, on January 6, where we have the Galette des Rois, a French almond cake with a trinket hidden inside. Whoever gets the piece with the trinket is "king" or "queen" for the year. It is sweet and fun, and the cake is so good. Sometimes culture is good!!!!
None of this is "funny" but it is "true" so I thought I would "share" it. Some other stuff to share:
My friend Natalie Rotter-Laitman and I made a video
Charlie and Natalie Try Adderall. You may know Natalie as my cohost for our weekly show (more on that later). Natalie makes me laugh more than anyone I've ever met, and you simply must follow her, on Twitter (@natrotlait), but ALSO on Instagram (@natrotlait). She does these character stories and they're all archived on her page and you will literally lose an afternoon laughing so hard she is so, so funny.
A video I fell asleep to last night around 3:24am that is deeply soothing but also absolutely insane
Demonstration of a Full Diamond and Gemstone Therapy Session – this woman practicing "gemstone therapy" has truly the most lovely and soothing voice, saying some truly wild things about gems and their influence over human energy fields. I think I fell asleep not too long after "Now working with your personal vortex."
Donate
Today is "giving Tuesday." I have personally found that giving away my money has been the most effective and productive way of managing my guilt for being born as lucky as I was, and I actually encourage you to channel your guilt similarly!! Donating is much more impactful when you donate to smaller organizations, so I try to focus on them here. If you read this and you have some orgs that could use some support, let me know and I'll include them next month <3
Some places I've donated recently (brag):
Immigration Equality
This Medical Debt fundraiser (for medical debt in Chicago, New York, and Flint)
Make The Road New York (Immigrant and Working Class justice in New York)
Abortion Fund for Indigenous Women
Young People's Chorus of New York City (I used to work here and I saw firsthand that they do really, really incredible work!)
Free Doula Services for Vulnerable Women
If you respond to this email and tell me or show me that you donated I'll send you a meme and why I think that meme is important <3
Shows
Tuesday, December 3 / 9pm – Rylan The Mayor (Cantina Royal – $7)
I’m opening for Rylan’s solo show, where she plays a mayor! Famous mayors right now are pretty roundly disappointing (De Blasio?? Pathetic. P. Buttigieg???? Pathetic. Corey Booker??? smh. Bloomberg? disgusting) so I’m pretty excited to see what she has to say on the subject. Admittedly this is tonight and that is on me.
Tuesday, December 3 / 10pm – Pig (Slipper Room – $5)
I’m returning to beloved NY standup hallmark Pig!!! Sandy Honig and Peter Smith (iconic duo) are BACK in NY and hosting and I’m so so excited I love Pig, and it’s CASUAL which is really important <3.
Wednesday, December 4 / 8pm – August Exploration Presents: Oops All Riffing! (Jones Beach)
Okay, this is one of two huge shows for me this month. This Wednesday is the 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY (!!!) of Natalie Rotter-Laitman and my weekly “Exploration” shows. We are doing an ALL RIFFING show (meaning it's just us talking). We're having a few friends of the show come to do guest riffing, including Rachel Kaly, Dash Turner, Isaiah Lorenzo, and Drexton Clemons. PLEASE come to this it's going to be literally so fun!!!!
Wednesdays all month / 8pm – August Exploration (Jones Beach)
And shows continue all month long, except Christmas, because even though Natalie Rotter-Laitman and I are both Jewish, I’m also half-Christian. I was raised militantly atheistic but the idea of god has always really resonated with me.
Wednesday, December 11 / 9:30pm – Please Don't Destroy (Von)
Please Don't Destroy is a v. funny sketch group, and I'm doing a little stand-up on their cutie little show :)
Thursday, December 12 / 8pm – Stacy: Two Year Anniversary Show (Rebecca's)
In other insane anniversary news, Stacy, my monthly show with Caroline Doyle and Marissa Goldman, is two years old!!!!!! What the hell!!!! Caroline is back after traveling the literal country the last four months (SHE REFURBISHED AN AIRSTREAM ALL BY HERSELF WHAT THE HELL!!!!!). The lineup for this show is insane. Comedy from Marie Faustin, Josh Sharp, Joe Castle Baker, Edy Modica, and Jessica Henderson, and performances from Chola Spears and Debbie Dahmer. Truly going to be so insane and so fun. Last show was crazy packed, so get here early!
Saturday, December 14 / 7:30pm – Backyard Show (Pine Box Rock Shop)
A classic and fun Brooklyn show!
Friday, December 20 / 8:00pm – Hi, Nice People (Vital Joint)
"A Feel Good Show For Adults," this month's theme is "How To Relax," which god knows I think about all the time. Should be really fun; I'm gonna make something new for this!
Saturday, December 21 / 7:30pm – Chanakuhstravaganza (Union Hall)
A Chanukah show!!!! At Union Hall!!!!! This is going to be rly good ultimately.
Other Shows To See
Thursday, December 5 / 9pm – Send In The Clowns (Friends and Lovers)
one of my fave shows <3 these boys host such a good show
Saturday, December 7 / 8pm – Janelle James Fest (The Bell House)
Janelle James is one of the funniest comedians working today, and she has a comedy fest in her literal name. This lineup is amazing. Go go go!
Monday, December 9 / 7:30pm – Ellen Is The Only Ally (Union Hall)
my fave show in the city. Rachel is a lunatic, and Ellen is the gift that keeps on giving. A must see.
Much love <3