Marcia Belsky is funnier than all those boys in high school
Marcia Belsky is a New York City based stand-up comedian, writer, and musician. She co-wrote Handmaid’s Tale: The Musical with Melissa Stokoski in 2018, which played in New York City and Brooklyn, as well as in Washington D.C. at the John F. Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater. Recently her musical comedy was featured on Comedy Central’s Taking The Stage, which included her hit song “100 Tampons.”
Describe your worst gig.
Probably the small town gigs in Oregon, anywhere where I have to do comedy in the middle of a bar while TVs are on.
What were you like as a teen? (Did you have comedy #goals? Were you already funny, or not so much?)
As a kid I was obsessed with musical theater and as a teen I was pretending like that wasn’t the case — I think I was already funny but also probably annoying as hell.
What’s your first impulse when someone says “women aren’t funny”?
They probably don’t think women are funny because they don’t like women or a world that they’re not used to — I just try to starve them of attention or reaction and am happy to be in a community that doesn’t feel that way.
When you were coming up in comedy, what helped you stick with it?
It was the only thing I knew I would never quit because I got to be in charge. I think trying to focus on the work and not on the reward helps me stick with it but it can be hard.
Best comedy advice you ever got?
Build your own audience and it doesn’t matter who doesn’t get you, only who does.
Worst comedy advice you ever got?
Any advice that is focused on the hustle and churning out content rather than creative quality.
Favorite heckler or troll?
Someone made an account called Fartcia Smellsky and kept tweeting at me.
Feelings about the word “comedienne”?
Hate the word comedienne, almost always used by a man in his 50s who is 5 seconds away from booping you on the nose.
Was there one person who inspired you to become a comedian?
Probably every boy in high school who I would watch absolutely crush and I would think “I am funnier than him.”
How has being funny helped you in your offstage life, either recently or when you were younger?
I always wanted to be consistently funny. I think making a career out of honing that is interesting because now when I’m at parties people find out that I’m a comedian and I feel like I need to tone it down or everyone thinks I’m performing.
What single word always cracks you up?
Butt.
Connect with Marcia on Instagram and Twitter.