[Photo by Seth Olenick]
I’m going to start doing little mini-interviews with some of GOYK’s favorite comedians, because I love comedy and talking about comedy with people who are good at comedy. My first subject: Andrea Rosen. You’ve seen her on Flight of the Conchords, Stella, many national commercials, and more. (She’s also on tonight’s GOYK along with Glenn Wool, Andy Haynes, Allison Castillo, Brooke Van Poppelen, David Smithyman, and more. Come!)
SS: In your act recently you’ve been telling very real-feeling stories that take a turn into the absurd. What’s been your process in writing this type of material?
AR: My process has been – if something strikes me as embarrassing, gross, weird or shameful, then hopefully I can turn that into a bit. A lot of my stuff is storytelling with punch lines through out. I’m not a one liner person or topical gal, it’s just not who I am. My material is totally based on real life experiences – so if I’m going through a boring/easy/hermit-like time, I don’t generate as much stuff. That’s when I just re-work and hopefully find new things within the material I already have. For the most part, my process is slow – everything takes me a long time, including coming up with material. I’m definitely running a slow marathon here, as opposed to a fast relay.
SS: Tell me about your first time doing stand up.
AR: I always wanted to do stand up, but I didn’t know how to start. So I took a class at a “comedy college” – that’s what it was called! – and at the end of the class I had to do a 5 minute set at Caroline’s. It was a super long time ago, but I remember it was exhilarating and terrifying. And I sort of loved it. Then I spent the next couple of years still super terrified to go up. I did an open mic for a while – at a place called Hamburger Harry’s in mid town, and I’d always ask the woman who ran it, Gladys, if she’d put me on last – because I was scared.
SS: You’ve appeared in many national commercials. Can you tell me a little about what the commercial circuit is like?
AR: Again, it took me a very long time to start booking commercials – years. But since then, it’s been great way to fund a comedy career. It allows me to spend time writing scripts (and trying to get people to read them), cooking, and doing stand up. On the down side, there is no stability. I am def looking to get into more of the writing for tv/movies side of the business!!!!!!!!!!!!
SS: Commercial auditions can be super weird. Any recent ones that stick out in your mind?
AR: I mean it can be a little strange how seriously the agency/directors tend to take everything. They can be super specific about inflections and how to say “mmmm” the best way– it’s their job, but it can be a little weird.
One time I was auditioning for a commercial, and the director, a white guy with short dreads and bare feet, asked me, “who is she?”. I looked behind me, thinking, surely there must be a woman standing there. When I saw that no one was there, I realized he wanted to know who I was, who my character was – um….she was a lady ordering meat at a deli counter. Not much more to her than that. So I told him that she worked in Human Resources. That must have been the right answer because I got the job.
SS: The stand up scene is pretty vibrant right now in NYC. What are some of your favorite shows to do? (Other than Get Off Your Knees obviously.)
AR: I’ve been running a show for a few years called Variety Shac, and that’s a super fun show. I do love doing Get Off Your Knees (that’s a blow job reference, right?), the new Hot Tub is great, Big Terrific, I love doing monologues at AssCat, Whiplash, Moonwork.
SS: Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
AR: I’m working on a one woman show. Hopefully I’ll put it up in the near future, probably at UCB. And I’m writing a movie.
