Adrianne Chalepah will not be wearing a tutu onstage
Adrianne Chalepah is a standup comedian, writer, and mother of four. Raised in Kiowa/Comanche/Apache territory in Oklahoma, she began her career in entertainment at age 20. She has been honored to open for First Lady Michelle Obama and share the stage with comedy legends such as Margaret Cho, Dane Cook, and Jarrod Carmichael. She is author of Funny Girl, an anthology of women comics and writers, and founder of the all-female indigenous comedy troupe Ladies of Native Comedy. In 2019, she was featured in the Netflix series Larry Charles’ Dangerous World of Comedy. She is a member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma.
Describe your worst gig.
Laughlin, Nevada. Old rich retirees apparently aren’t into my jokes.
On your deathbed, what transcendent advice would you croak at a young comedian?
Be unapologetically yourself.
What’s your first impulse when someone says, “women aren’t funny”?
Your mom is funny.
When you were coming up in comedy, what helped you stick with it?
I needed it for sanity.
Best comedy advice you ever got?
Do your thang.
Worst comedy advice you ever got?
Wear a tutu on stage.
Favorite response to “What’s it like to be a woman in comedy”?
I don’t know. I’m not convinced I’m a “real” woman.
Feelings about the word “comedienne”?
Meh.
What advice do you have for how to level up from open mics + bringers to actual SPOT-spots?
Network. It don’t matter how funny you are if you don’t know the right people. Unfortunately, being an introvert, this is hard to do… Good luck!
What single word always cracks you up?
Fuddruckers
Was there one person who inspired you to become a comedian? If so, who, why, how?
My dad. He’s a funny guy and he schooled me in film and comedy.
How has being funny helped you in your offstage life?
Humor is therapeutic. I come from inter-generational trauma as an indigenous person whose ancestors survived genocide. Comedy is ingrained in us. We survived because we never forgot to laugh.
Photo via: Ceylon Grey
Adrianne Chalepah is a standup comedian, writer, and mother of four. Raised in Kiowa/Comanche/Apache territory in Oklahoma, she began her career in entertainment at age 20. She has been honored to open for First Lady Michelle Obama and share the stage with comedy legends such as Margaret Cho, Dane Cook, and Jarrod Carmichael. She is author of Funny Girl, an anthology of women comics and writers, and founder of the all-female indigenous comedy troupe Ladies of Native Comedy. In 2019, she was featured in the Netflix series Larry Charles’ Dangerous World of Comedy. She is a member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma.
