Mariah Girouard talks about her comedic journey, from debilitating stage fright to the highs of making people laugh and of course, why Barcelona is better than anywhere else to do comedy.

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Mariah Girouard 0:00

face, and then I've done permanent damage.

Jamie Lerner 0:03

No, but you're like Miley Cyrus.

Mariah Girouard 0:05

Oh, that's the worst thing you could say to me. I can't stand her. Her mouth is bigger than her entire head.

Jamie Lerner 0:10

I love her crush on her. Alright, so we're here to talk about your comedy because you're headlining the spotlight. This Saturday I'm hosting so it's going to be really fun. So basically, I'm where I have some questions for you and we'll just chat it out. So, let's talk about comedy. So like, what what got you started in comedy? Yeah. How did you start doing stand up?

Mariah Girouard 0:44

Um, it was by accident, I guess. So. My friend Daisy. She worked with Patrick Reed, who at the time, ran atomic, which was like one of the main English open mics here. So she worked with him and she's a very supportive person. So of course, you probably mentioned that he ran a show. She went to the show, and then she'd mentioned to me like, oh, have you ever been to like a comedy show before? I said, No. And she's like, her thought of trying anything you'd be really good at. I think you're funnier than a lot of the people that were on stage. And I was like, No, not really interested. And she's like, Well, come to one show me. And, you know, then you decide. So I went to the show, and I saw it to this day, it's still probably one of the worst bombs I've ever seen. I'm not going to name who it is, I remember very clearly. And I honestly was like, that looks like the worst thing that's ever happened in the universe. And I said, I just I never want to do that. To say it's still on the worst bombs. I've looked at everything. I actually thought like, that was a terrible frame of reference, but I thought that that was what it was going to be like every time. Yeah. And then there was a normal people do that. Didn't did it. Yeah. And then afterwards, she was like, Oh, what are you thinking? I was like, I never want to do that. She's like, Oh, my Where do you told Patrick that you were interested? Can't really sign me up for something came over and he was like, Oh, these are interested in like, whatever. So he had signed me up. Like two weeks later, and then I ended up doing it and I literally fell on a stage I haven't on video. tripping on the stage falling headfirst. No one had done that. I'm like, This is great. This is going so well.

Jamie Lerner 2:38

Send me that video. No. I really wanted it was

Mariah Girouard 2:43

fine. And then I just ended up telling a story. And I think many people start off telling students like the easiest thing you can do. And it went really well. And I mean, I was like I'm an amazing I'm a professional. I'm this is what I was born to do. And then I quickly realized soon after that, it was really hard work. And I was like, nevermind, and then it was like this, like, love hate toxic relationship with comedy for like the first couple of years where I'd be like, I can't stay away but I don't want to be here. And yeah, so I would do like once a month I have to like gear myself. I had a horrible stage. It was it was a tumultuous affair.

Jamie Lerner 3:28

It's really funny. Do you think that comes from like your your history that you're like into toxic relationships with comedy?

Mariah Girouard 3:35

Wow, okay, we don't roast me. Can't roast me at 10 in the morning. Well, I mean, I think anyway, companies are for some sort of high because that's what comedy kind of gives you. Yeah, there is no better high than sitting in a room while standing in a room full of people and you kind of control them. You make them laugh.

Jamie Lerner 4:00

Yeah. That's like an amazing feeling. Yeah, and when you have them like in your pocket, it's as fast Oh, I sound like man right now. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, I've it's actually funny because talking to Stuart, and a couple other people. They're always like, yeah, my first set was amazing. And I come away being like, that was the I had the same experience here. And then second set, just total bomb. No, me.

Mariah Girouard 4:29

I don't know. No. Mine was good. But I was doing like different stuff. Do you really well, you first start out and you're like I'm saying if you've ever wanted to say and I can never repeat anything because five people saw it. And yeah, another five people have seen it. I can't repeat. Yeah. Which is so stupid. But you see it like it continues. Now. I've endured jokes for years. But I mean, if the old me could see me now she'd be ashamed. But yeah, so like, I mean, anytime I think that was that. I think that was the thing is when I was doing something for the first time. I was doing it at atomic which was notorious for having a very friendly audience. But when I was doing something for the first time, it was like, exciting for me. And so I think I, I just kind of didn't care as much about the feedback from the audience. Which sometimes is a thing coworking a favorite, but obviously, it is a symbiotic relationship. But then, when I was trying to do things a second time, I was expecting the same reaction as I'd gotten the first time. And it would never was the same reaction twice. Right. And then it would throw me off. So yeah, I had to learn the hard way that it was really, really hard.

Jamie Lerner 5:42

Yeah. What's your favorite thing about it?

Mariah Girouard 5:45

My favorite. No, no. I think sometimes it's like just noticing your people. Like, because you you say thoughts and you're like, Surely no one else is gonna be as weird as me. And think the same thing or have gone through the same experiences as I have or whatever. And then you find when you find that person audience that's like, and you realize, oh, I've just put into words, something that they've been thinking, that's really cool. She feels like a mind reader. Kind of Yeah, and then you're like, Oh, my God, do you think the same? Like, wow, my people and it's Yeah, I mean, it's nice. Yeah.

Jamie Lerner 6:24

I love that. I love how you meet like, I feel like it happened to us in Edinburgh, where like, certain people would vibe with each of us.

Mariah Girouard 6:32

I don't think anyone knows me. Very well. And either festival.

Jamie Lerner 6:39

People definitely vibe with you. Feel that way? They definitely do.

Mariah Girouard 6:43

I think people vibe with me here. Like yeah, but Barcelona is a special place to do comedy. I think everything is like a telenovela year. So it's like, passion on you know, everyone's like, I don't know, they feel big feelings. And they show you those feelings. And you go to a place like the UK. And it's like, they suppress their feelings and they'll sit there and they'll be like, That was funny. I'm like, wow, did you really feel that way? And like, I think it was pretty obvious how I felt I was like, really? cultivated the whole time.

Jamie Lerner 7:14

Yeah, there'll be sitting there like,

Mariah Girouard 7:16

I'm like you did great. And I'm like, what I'm scared like, of this reaction. Yeah, and a stone, but I'm also like that, to be honest. I'm a terrible audience member.

Jamie Lerner 7:26

That's fair. Yeah, I am aware No, I'm kidding.

Mariah Girouard 7:30

I'll wait for you.

Jamie Lerner 7:33

You don't live with my comedy?

Mariah Girouard 7:36

I wouldn't have sat through weeks. And had I not saying I love your comedy. Thank you.

Jamie Lerner 7:40

I'm fine. Yeah, that's fine. I'll take it. I've been roasting. Yeah, so like your comedy. Let's talk about that. Like what? What are I guess? Like, what are your favorite jokes you've been telling? Like what do you think? What? What kind of comedy or jokes do you think you will be doing on Saturday?

Mariah Girouard 8:02

Oh, that's a good question. Well, because like before last night, it's about like I only just had 30 minutes. So I didn't have a choice of what I was doing. And now I have pretty much an hour. I do have an hour an hour of all the thing is, I don't know if other people have as an experienced but I feel like when you have an hour there's certain jokes that they don't work and like a five minutes that or even a 10 minute set like they only work after the crowd has gotten to know you after 25 minutes. And yeah, there's some bits that I've just not figured out yet. So I don't know what I'm I don't know exactly what I'm gonna do. And thing because I know you and I are going to that are going to do our split our there. I'm not going to change that. So ideally, I'd want to do the other half of that hour but then I'd have to figure out how to weave that all together. Because that's like that's the fun part is frankensteining your bits and stitching them together and seeing how they fit. So, but of course my favorite jokes I mean, like I like some of my stories. Yeah, yeah.

Jamie Lerner 9:21

Give me like, I want to give too much away. Don't give too much away but like people

Mariah Girouard 9:25

see, you know, but yeah, well let's just say people call me poor girl. I've had it happen where I was hosting Kelly's anything else like the poetry show? It was supposed to be serious. This is be poetic. I'm supposed to be. I don't know, Kelly. And I had some people nod and they're like, whispering I was like, what's going on? And they're like, Excuse me? Are you poor girl and I'm like, Oh my god. Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean. And yes, I am. But now's not the time. So

yeah, should be your superhero name. Who Girl Yeah. Poor girl is coming. Could

be wearing a sexy brown slash green outfit. Oh, actually. Yeah, you're kind of kind of doing it and

they were gonna do in it and especially with like the green in the room so it looks black right now but it there's a screen behind us. So it's kind of like blending with the brown and the lighting. Upset

Stomach. Green. I've had too much taco green. Taco

Bell's amazing. You can never have too much.

Love Taco Bell. Taste and fast food is very similar to your taste and then you've chosen the worst of the worst to enjoy.

It's true. I mean, in all fairness, though, actually, no, you have great taste in men. So

me. Yeah, I also noticed and then so I don't know that recent one

was good. Good boy.

There wasn't one. Which one? Not? Yeah, I

don't want to name names but I just want them

to know that there are multiple Just kidding. There's no there's nothing. The one did one and I bought a satisfier for a reason. Okay, well, we're gonna put that out there. satisfiers are great

this This episode is sponsored. But it shouldn't be please satisfy your sponsor. female comedians. Honestly, that would be such a cool partnership. Yeah. Let's reach out to satisfier and be

like, dude, funny. Women need help. Okay, all these men out here again, getting laid for being a little bit funny. We're sitting here struggling. It's honestly

insane to me. How much comedians don't have to be that hot.

Oh, first of all, they're not hot at all. They're not attractive whatsoever. But they tell one joke and girls like hee hee hee. And then pants come off. It's insane.

And then I'm always like the hottest like youngest, like 25 year old she doesn't know

how broken

Yeah, they're like, Oh, he's just so funny. And it's like yeah, he's also like 60 years old.

Broke. Told you that. comedy and you're like, This is fine. Yeah, no, I mean, it never works for me. Now

because we're getting from the stage again. I've actually had it work once where I flirted from the stage with like a hot guy who turned out to be he was like a professional sports bettor. And that's how he made money. betting on sports. Yeah, even legal. Yeah, here it is. Yeah, really? Yeah. Like in certain states in the US. It's not legal. But like, here it is. In London, it is in like in the UK. Pretty bad on everything. From like basketball to like, soccer. Maybe I don't know. Tennis tennis. Like

that's a red flag if like it wouldn't go

for somebody like yeah, is well, we actually met we met up in the stock market bar to it's like, oh

my god, this symbolism. And then imagine if you stayed with him. He's like gambled your house way.

Oh, my God. Yeah. No, no way. No way. So yeah, it doesn't really work out anyway, flirting from the stage.

I remember going on a couple of dates from Yeah, you've gone on dates from comedy. Yeah. But then they realized that everything is on stage is real. And they're like, Oh, no.

Like, oh, you actually are that fucked up and like, yes.

I bought that. You saw that? And loved that about me, but I guess not. Sound something outside? That's very.

Yeah, no, it's uh, I don't think you're too fucked up though. And

when that's coming from you, though, it was a more mentally stable person thing that'd be like thank you coming. Of course you don't.

I'm so stable. I don't know what you're talking about. So how did you end up in Barcelona?

Well, it's a very unique story of coming here to teach English. Because, you know, I'm super super unique. Yeah, I just came after college. And I was like, scared to get like a nine to five thing and be in the same company to like died. Yeah, like I was having like a real crisis. And so then yeah, I just came here, wherever grow up, and never have a nine to five job never had stability. So I really went on the other side of the spectrum. And now as I get older, I'm like, wow, I would love a little bit of a little bit of stability. A little a little bit. But you know, Barcelona, so yeah, I just came here to teach English and then I didn't my first year I didn't do stand up and then I found it. My second year. Cool.

What do you think of the Barcelona stand up scene like I traveled we talked about so last year, Mariah and I did our split our show. And the shit. We brought that to Brighton and Edinburgh. But you've also performed and where have you performed and how does the Barcelona compare? Um,

well, I feel like the places I've performed. It's not fair to compare them. to Barcelona because I performed in very weird places. Like just like really where Georgia was the first place I've ever like, not the state, the country. Georgia was the first place that I performed that outside of

Barcelona. That's so weird today. I haven't seen no

I was weird. I was, like, couchsurfing hike with this random dude, cuz that's always safe. Yeah. And we went,

Oh my God, you murdered it. No, I

didn't though. It was the right I remember he said that he was he seemed I'm not gonna hike with somebody else. I'm like, I'm pretty sure I could murder this person if I needed to. Yeah. So yeah, and I mean, judging by how he was on this hike. I was like, Oh, I thought I was out of shape, buddy. You can't get to me. Yeah, and then he went a while we were walking up. Not whenever it was, he was like, trying to he was like trying to impress me. And he's like, Yeah, you know, I did a little bit stand up. And I was like, Oh, do you now. Interesting here in Georgia. And he's like, Yeah, you know, and I'm just like, Wow, so cool. And he gave me the details of the mic and I went on, and it was terrible. So just not good. And then Latvia, like they don't really have anything. They're just starting. Actually, it might have changed now, but they treated me like I was a celebrity. Because it was like, it's actually quite interesting like they were just starting their scene and it was a bunch of people that had never done before. So they're all like six months in stand up teaching each other. It's like the blind leading the blind kind of Yeah, and running shows, which I you have to commend them because that's like, so difficult, like, you have no one that has experience. And you're like, I'm going to do this. Not in Russian, not in Latvian, but in English, and like these little dingy bars, and so I went there and I did stand up there that was rented up in a sex dungeon eating and kebab. Later on, which was interesting.

When in Latvia, yeah,

no, but I'm still friends with them. Some of the people from there and one of them he's been doing quite well. He's been like surpassing me. I mean, with everything and not as competition but he's been like you know, his trajectory has been really taken off. I'm trying to get him to come out to Barcelona and performs a lot BM cool Romania, obviously. Yeah, that's

when he did the Romanian

Wow, that was interesting. I was quite sad. About for that it was done. Um, yeah. Don't don't look us up people because while I said natural makeup and yeah no joke. Literally

use really pretty though

No, I was like Mississippian tree. My eyeliner was out to my mom. I appreciate that. But no. And yeah, they hated me over there.

Yeah,

they said it was too dark.

So made it through a couple rounds. Yeah, but

that's it was by default. It was. I think they were like how can we get how can we get rid of so yeah, so bad that I lost to a singer who didn't do stand up who did 12 minutes when we're supposed to do five and he got maybe three laps? Not all the time was it what Tony Romo? Yeah, yeah, I met him. So yeah, so that's how much they hated me that like we're gonna choose this guy over. Say Romania. Yeah, it was like Romania, Latvia, Georgia. And I don't know, if I've done coding anywhere else. Just like, very random. Those are such random, not like places where people really know. So it's

super random. But you're going to into some of that you're going to Prague and Berlin. Yeah,

I'm going to do that in February. Oh, I mean, I've done in London, obviously, but that doesn't. doesn't really count. I'll be going back to one at some point as well. Um, yeah, it's just it's been random. very random. super random.

You're some random give me oh my god, you're like so random. Have you ever done a set in Spanish? No.

Have you seen that video of Kevin Hart speaking Spanish? No. Oh my god. Oh, my favorite videos of all time. He's like, Oh, yeah. Me mo Kevin. What are those trays? Single would eat me. Know, I almost did. Because Mara ran like a Yeah, show once and I remember I was like, trying to translate my stuff over. And at the time, I was dating a native Spanish speaker, so I was kind of running things by him. Yeah. And he was like really trying to encourage me to do it. But I'm like, I already barely make sense in English. And I get so nervous before I go on stage still. That I don't know if I could like get the balls to do it in another way. I'm already scared. Speaking Spanish in like, normal situations. Nevermind. In front of people.

Yeah, like onstage do

what you have you done? No.

Oh, god. No, your Spanish is better than mine though. Yeah,

but I've been here for a bit longer. It should be and it's still not good. Yeah,

I think I'm my whole like, this year. I'm gonna take some more lessons now that I'm freelance again. So I think I'm like once I get settled with my visa, and apartment stuff and all that then I'll do more lessons. And then hopefully, by the end of year, I can do a little set in Spanish. Let me cool. We should do it. No, no, I should do it. Too much stress. You could do it. I know. I have a Okay, I'm gonna switch it up. Who are your favorite comedians, like who inspires you? And you can it could be anyone someone famous, someone local, someone around Europe? Anyone? Um,

well, I would like Sarah Silverman. I've always liked I mean, her it makes me just letting her know I rarely laugh out. Loud. And there's only a couple of Netflix specials that have made me like laugh out loud. Because I'm like I said, I'm a terrible audience member. I think something's funny and

Netflix specials also weird though, because you're like watching them alone at home. Yeah,

and also it's like I know half the time. If they told those jokes in a dingy basement, in Barcelona or wherever that they would not get that reaction. And like a lot of times I'm like, You're literally only getting that reaction because of who you are. Obviously, they have earned that but I'm just like, Is this even real? Well, that's a

real thing that like big comedians who are doing stadiums even, you know, like Manchester garden and whatnot, is like that's a very common thing where they're, their comedy as they get more famous gets worse because they're just getting better audiences and people that just are paying a lot of money to see them so they're gonna laugh, no

matter what, you know. Well, I mean, you've learned that I suppose. But sometimes it just doesn't feel real. So Sarah Silverman, I love Taylor Tomlinson. I think she's, she's the person that I if I might go, I need to do some writing and I need to get inspired or tried to like, I don't know get my brain in creative water because I feel like her style is very much something that I not tried to emulate, but I feel like I I'm into her style. I think it's closest probably to mine. And so I like, I like watching her stuff. Totally, simply because her writing is really, really good. And informs some of the things that I try to do because she talks about things where I'm like, That's not inherently funny. Which are things that like, I do too, because I have a morbid sense of humor. So I think it's interesting she turns these types of non taboo topics but like things that you wouldn't normally laugh at and something that's funny, like her recently been watching a lot of like Jordan Jensen stuff, like her crowd work is insane. It's so funny and just like weird. made me laugh a lot. Like I posted it the other day on my end of my story, and it was like it was something it was like a joke that I would have made which is fine. I thought it was really funny. It was like hurting like, you know, saying like she someone had forced her to go to the hospital because she were just let herself die. And she and she was just saying like, you know, like, people say like, you have to love yourself. It's like, I have to love this bitch. I hate this bitch. Oh, yeah. I'll keep her live i guess but I don't have to love her to put in. That's very much something that I would say. Watching a lot of those videos. That for men Oh, that's hard to say. Like any man I don't really know. I find I'm a bad comic because I would say I don't watch standup as much as I should. I don't watch amateurs. I watch us and I'm like, I love

it. Love. Who do you love here?

Um, no, I mean, I love everybody. Equally. Obviously, no no people that I find really funny. Um, are either people that are like vastly different from me, or I'm like, What? What happened in your brain, or people that are similar to me. So I remember the first time I saw Marnie on stage and I was like, wow, she's just so poised and like, she just I don't know, I just felt like she was like made to Vietnam. It was like, it was only after I'd been on stage like once and I used to go to craft and craft was her dreams went to die. Yeah. And I was like sitting like crowd. And she just was like, I mean, you know, that was a tough room. So she and she was like, really handling that room and was like, wow, I want to be like that. And I was walking out. I was like, great job and she was like, thanks. And then my second set ever that I did. She was in the audience. And when I was leaving, she was like, have we met and I'm like, gotcha, bitch. And I'm like, Oh, don't be friends with her.

I know that you know her while you're like, No,

no, no, no, of course. It's very funny. I think everyone's funny in their own way. Yeah. Um, Luke is just, I have to love Luke simply because we're also from someplace safe neighborhood everything. But Luke is just makes me laugh in every single context all the time. So yeah, I find Luke incredibly funny. Even when he's not trying to be in when it goes live events. I'm gonna laugh at you. But he knows that I think he'd rather be laughed at.

Yeah, for sure. Not very sure. You should have seen corn.

Oh my god. I saw whatever video that was. I'm like, I'm scared. It's so funny. I like everything he does, like everything. Yeah, absolutely. Makes me laugh incredibly hard. And he makes me laugh too. Yeah. And and he's one of those people where I'm like, we our brains are hardwired completely differently. And I don't know why I find you funny because we our sense of humor is really not the same at all. Like I could never even see myself doing the type of stuff that he does. But that's why I think I like it because it's like, so far out. Like when I could even fathom and I'm just like, What the hell happened? What happened?

I feel that with with Andy for sure. And like I love his comedy, and I'm How do you get there? Like, how did you although I think you have maybe like a similar joke. about OCD, which is the intrusive because he does a lot of stuff about and she's, which is Yeah, and you have that new one. Yeah, no,

I mean, it was the thing is it's not new. Those jokes are old. I basically what I did when I was trying to like, come up with an hour was I was like, do I have an hour? I don't know if I really have that. And so what ended up doing was I took the best bits that I really really liked the best that I loved from my first like five sets that I've never done again. I've never done those sets, like I mean, I haven't done them in years because the majority that didn't work. It was just like this one killer joke that we got an applause break. I'm like, oh my god, I'm unprofessional. In reality, the no one was laughing for like five minutes and they would laugh at that one thing. I was like, that's a win. But I don't wanna throw those jokes. I tried to just find a way to like, bring them back. And that joke is an old joke that I brought back, like my legs are set. So that even not in that five minute bit where I've put that in there. There are two jokes from my first like three sets amazing and the rest of the set is buried. But those jokes, I was like, I'm gonna salvage his jokes because I just really like them. Yeah.

And I think I honestly think it's like, because actually Stewart said the same thing where he's recently been going back to old jokes, and like reinvigorating them, giving them new life. I think that's a cool thing you can do. Once you have been doing comedy for a bit

Jamie Lerner 0:00

Release the system. Okay. Free version sponsored by auto re AI is not taking my job yet. It's helping me. Yeah, that's cool. I love that. I like that joke too. It's fun. Cool. Um, I just have a little more. I just have a little more what's your what's your writing process like?

Mariah Girouard 0:29

That's hard to say. I mean, I don't think I have a particular process I should do but I I'm lazy I guess I just as the same way because like, even I don't know because you are a writer as well. Usually a paid for it. But like when I was when I had to write poetry or something I would I just felt like the ones that I like tried to force out of me were never good. It was always things that I was like inspired to write like, I need to write that down now that I really liked. And that just moments are few and far between me but it's the same with jokes. Yeah, like I said, if I want to, like get inspired, I'll try to like put myself in an environment where I'm like listening to jokes and I'm like, okay, that's the topic that they're exploring. How can I give my take on that or like, you know, earlier they have these types of jokes. Now I'll try to write something similar. But typically what ends up happening is, I think before I started doing stand up, I didn't consider I never considered myself a flying person. I guess I just took for granted that it was easy to make people laugh. And I just I did I just never noticed that. Other people weren't doing that. Right. I was the one that was doing it. So like whenever I was out at like, I don't know a lot into like a party or whatever it is. And I started noticing it. That scene in marvelous Mrs Maisel, where she like takes over the wedding. And it's not like no one wanted her to do a stand up set. And she's like, No, I'm gonna give a toast and because everyone wanted me to be like, and do this set and like, no, they just want you to sit down. But like, it is true, like the more I start doing something, the more I realize, I would just naturally get control over a room in a casual setting, because I'm loud and I would be talking about something like one person and then they would laugh and then everyone start listening, right? Really I was just having a mental breakdown and like, you know, ranting, but it would make people laugh, and then everyone would be watching me. And then I would be like, well, now everyone's watching me. So I feel like it's up. And so typically what ends up happening is, I will make the people around me laugh with something, whether it's a story or something I'm ranting about, or whatever, because usually, my comedy comes from anger, frustration, and then I'll be like, okay, that made them laugh. Let me see if I can bring that to the stage, which is a dangerous thing to do. Because I think sometimes, especially when you're starting out, you're like, I'm so funny, my friends and my mom think I'm hilarious. Yeah. And then you get on stage and like, Okay, this is not your friend or your mom and they, yeah, but nowadays, I'm like, okay, and even I get called out sometimes people are like, Are you testing a bit right now? Like, I wasn't like now that you were laughing. This could be a bit yeah. To

Jamie Lerner 3:37

know, it's definitely I mean, that's, that's like one way of writing is like, you're just talking with friends and you have something that you're saying and all of a sudden you're like, Hey, that's a that's a bit Maybe. Who knows? Yeah,

Mariah Girouard 3:47

well, I think it also it gives you a good like you're able to gauge people's interest. And so if you're talking about something with your friends, and you see what's relevant to them, and then you can kind of turn that into something that's funny. Chances are that it's going to be relevant. If not, if it's not gonna be funny to an audience, at least it will be relevant to them, or they'll be able to relate to it which I think is like, kind of the first step. And then at that, you can find ways of making it a better thing. Sometimes it's about finding the relevant topics, making it relatable, and finding out how to connect to the audience. And then once you find that, you have an in and that is your window to be able to like try to make it funny. Yeah. But like, if you can't connect with them in any way, not necessarily that you have to relate to them. But if you can't connect with them, doesn't matter how funny you are. Sometimes it's just you're not going to, you're just not gonna hit that wall.

Jamie Lerner 4:45

That's very, very astute. Yeah, cool. Um, do you have like a any advice to like a new comedian?

Mariah Girouard 4:59

I'm saying just get on stage as much as you can. Because I think if I had done that sooner, I would have progressed faster. I was like, so scared. But I mean, I'm also speaking from someone who has a lot of stage right and like I said, I still do.

Jamie Lerner 5:19

Yeah, can confirm before every set, Mariah does she goes I'm gonna throw out and then sometimes I do things you do throw up, and then you're also just like, I'm not doing it.

Mariah Girouard 5:29

But actually, there have been moments where I'm like, Can I run? I've actually almost run when I actually was thinking like, weighing the pros and cons of like running. One time Matt blocked the door. So I wouldn't run off. Because I understood Yeah,

Jamie Lerner 5:44

hilarious and not surprising at all. Yeah, so um, yeah, every like in the green room where I will just be like, I'm not doing it.

Mariah Girouard 5:51

I'm leaving. I'm leaving. I'm busy that day. On my sets and five minutes by Yeah, so

Jamie Lerner 5:58

she doesn't ever leave though. For the record. No, no, I don't think very reliable.

Mariah Girouard 6:03

I am, but it's it's a process. I'm always like, Why have I put myself through

Jamie Lerner 6:08

this? Yeah. And Attenborough's shoes, pain, sadness after our first show in Edinburgh. Oh,

Mariah Girouard 6:15

I was like I'm gonna die. I'm leaving. A it's a very it's a very love hate relationship. I always am gonna quit comedy all the time. That's why you should come on Saturday because this could be my last time on stage ever. It could be. It could be you know, I could die.

Jamie Lerner 6:34

I want to I want to let that happen. You're not dying then.

Mariah Girouard 6:37

I'm saying dying in a metaphorical sense. Like, that could be my last ever. So you show up. Because you just never know you never I prefer to keep people on their toes.

Jamie Lerner 6:47

You definitely keep me on my toes. I'm

Mariah Girouard 6:50

like that. Um, what was it? It was like white swamp. My favorite scene from wife's job with us like little boy. I love Wi Fi. And it's like the biggest southern accent. He's like, the I guess the lady tried to take away his bacon. And he was like, don't take bacon. Yeah. And he was like, I'm leaving. She tried to take away my bacon. That's the last straw and he like puts on this little top hat and like this stupid dinky suitcase leaves. That's me. So every time every time something doesn't work out with comedy, I'm like, I'm leaving. I never come back. And then of course,

Jamie Lerner 7:26

I do. Yeah, the amount of times I'm quitting. You're like, I need a break from comedy. And then like two days later, she's like, I gotta hit it hard. I'm going to Berlin but

Mariah Girouard 7:36

I did. I did take a break. I took a break in September. I said I'm only going to host or do shows that are like not strictly stand up. Like drink drunk or lightning for my roast battle and things like that. Because I needed a break from doing material. Yeah, I just like I wasn't enjoying my material anymore. After performing it so much. I was like, Okay, I'm a robot. And it was helpful for me. So that's the other advice I would give is like, Listen to yourself, you know, like, try to push yourself at a comfort zone and like, it's like exercise the same sort of thing. It is like a muscle so you do have to like, get on stage and do it as much as possible. To also kind of realize, like, when you bomb it's not the end of the world because tomorrow you're gonna have another show. Or maybe have another show in an hour. And just like a day work, sometimes you have good days, sometimes you have bad days. So just stick with it. But then also, take a break when you need a break. Like don't burn yourself out either. It's not it's not worth it to do that because people will notice if you're feeling dead, you're on stage. So sure, like listen to yourself and what you really want and try to have boundaries, but also push yourself outside of those boundaries.

For sure. For sure. That's great advice. Thank you so why I don't really feel like I'm qualified to give anyone you're qualified because you're doing spotlight. Sure. I'm

qualified. You're qualified.

Jamie Lerner 9:10

Cool. Well, that's anything else wanted to add or we're talking about?

Mariah Girouard 9:14

No, I think yeah, come on spotlight. Come watch me do stuff. It's gonna be fun. And yeah, you know what if I'm don't perform well, we're gonna have a good to action. No, I'm gonna be good.

Jamie Lerner 9:31

It's gonna be great. It's gonna be amazing. I saw her our and it was fantastic. So it was sold out. It was sold out and she crushed it. Thank you. APPLAUSE breaks was very impressive. I have a tape if you don't believe me, so. But but don't watch that much the spotlight. Yeah, yeah, it'll

Mariah Girouard 9:47

be a mix of old mixing new ish. mix of old old remix. It'll be fun. We're gonna have a good we're gonna have a good time. And maybe we'll do a bit of crowd work. Oh, well, yeah. Yeah.

I love to play have some fun around

if you're down to clown Yeah, Saturday. And yeah, Master we can go get drunk. That'd be great. Yeah, dry jam over through that time

so try doing ended for me yesterday.

To be very you had dry winter so I yeah, I've

been basically sober and I was like, I know I can be sober if I want to and I just once in a while. Amazing and anything else coming up? That you want to plug your Instagram etc. Um,

you can add me on Instagram. Mariah B Gerard. GR o u ARD very annoying. Laughing playing the French Canadian Yeah, that's me and stuff. They run the Wednesday open my care, maybe crisis along with me like a flavor every Wednesday at 9pm. So if I'm not hosting out then I'm performing that. So I'll be here. And yeah, I've just come to spotlight. Hope to see you there.

Cool. See you there. Okay,