We've got a change for this edition of Students of easylaughs, this time we're turning our attentions to one of our standup comedy graduates from last year, Carly Blair. Since graduating from easylaughs, Carly has performed numerous times around the country, so we asked her a few questions about her experiences.
What do you get out of stand up?
I am a storyteller by nature and standup has given me a tool for thinking more deeply about what matters in a story and how to tell it in a way which is more compelling for the audience. It's also a blast and a great challenge to perform and improve and you meet tons of interesting and entertaining people!
Have there been any particularly memorable things that have happened during a class or a show?
My younger brother attended a show when he visited me in Amsterdam - his first comedy show ever - and I was so excited to have him join, I wrote an entire set especially for that show. I had the crowd chant his name and he ended up ad-libbing some of my stories in a hilarious way. It's probably the most excited I've ever felt to be on stage and the most thrilled I've ever felt with how a show went.
Who is your favourite stand up comedienne? What is it about them that you respect?
I love Nikki Glaser. She has a lot of material related to being a woman, relationships, and making mistakes which she shares in a way which is brutally honest and critical, yet she's so smart and self-deprecating that you still want to hang out with her. Her special Bangin', in particular, is refreshing and eye-opening with regards to sex, I have shared it with many men in hopes that it makes them rethink the way they treat the women they have sex with.