Tell us about your brand of comedy- what can audiences expect?
My brand of comedy is very loose, off the cuff and at times absurd. I love to talk with audience members and weld their energy with my real life experiences. It's really fun to find common denominators with every audience members. Improv is a major influence on my style so my stories are constantly changing and evolving.
Which comedians have been your greatest inspiration since you decided this was your path?
I love the old videos of Paula Poundstones' crowd work. I used to watch old Youtube videos of her destroying just by talking to the audience. It was all human connection. I was so memorized by the way she put the dots together from one member of the audience to the next- it was like some amazing mental dance. As a child, I would watch any comedy I could get my hands on. I watched a lot of Saturday Night Live and Carol Burnet, Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes, Ellen DeGeneres, and Jeff Foxworthy. When I moved to Chicago a friend introduced me to the styling's of Patton Oswald and Maria Bamford. It was like an Aha! moment.
What random things make you laugh in everyday life?
I love non-sequitors and people in business suits taking life to seriously. I find myself laughing at things that make me angry or uncomfortable. I love seeing people pick wedgies.
Please tell us about your best and worst moment on stage so far.
My best moment on stage so far has occurred when I trusted myself and riffed on rape culture. The entire 12 min bit was just a riff on a true life moment. The worst moment on stage happened when I said I was gay and the audience members hissed at me. I laugh at it now, but at the time I was very perplexed. As soon as they started hissing at me I told them I liked guns and the audience applauded. All together a very terrifying 20 mins. So you like guns and hate gays? Great. Please allow me to be a moving target on a raised stage with a spotlight.
Do you still get nervous when you do a gig?
Every now and then- but even when I get nervous I manifest that energy into something positive.
Why is Edinburgh Fringe Festival such a great platform for comedians?
Where else does comedy and theater take over an entire city for a month? The amount of art and energy and human interaction make this festival so special. I've never been and I can't wait to be there. It's always been a goal of mine to see this festival and now I get to perform there.
Who are you looking forward to seeing as an audience member?
I want to see as many non-american acts as I possibly can. I want to see things that are different and inspire me.
What is your advice to aspiring comedians?
Just keep going! Party hard, have a good time, and remember to f*ck the haters. Love you, mean it!
What is the oddest heckle you've ever received?
The oddest? Probably some drunk woman in a casino in the middle of nowhere. There's nothing quite like having some harpy woman screeching 'bingo!' after every punchline. It wasn't quite a heckle, but it was defiantly disturbing.
What is next for you?
I just finished performing in my first feature film and I'm excited to see the finished product. Honestly, this festival is a big check off on my 'to-do' list as a performer. So immediately after I might take some much needed R&R out in the country side of Texas. I'm working on a children's story for adults about emotional intelligence- so hopefully I'll finish that this year!
Ever Mainard's debut stand up show 'Let Me Be Your Main Man' will be at the Gilded Balloon Wine Bar for the month of August for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
Tagged in Edinburgh Festival Fringe