Originally published in The UWM Post by Madison Goldbeck
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger is set to perform in Milwaukee at the Pabst Theater on Thursday, September 13.
Iliza is said to be one of today’s leading comedians and is notorious for her Netflix specials, War Paint (2013), Freezing Hot (2015), Confirmed Kills (2016), and her most recent Elder Millennial(2018).
Last year, Iliza hosted her late night limited run talk show “Truth & Iliza,” on Freeform. Her first book Girl Logic: The Genius and the Absurdity was released in 2017. It is a collection of funny essays and observations from a confident woman’s perspective on friendship, singlehood, and relationships. She will also star in the upcoming Paramount PIctures movie “Instant Family,” starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne which is set to be released this November.
Originally from Dallas, Iliza’s career kicked off when she became the youngest and first woman to win NBC’s Last Comic Standing sixth season in 2008. She then appeared in The Last Comic Standing Tour. With her successful Netflix specials, she earned the title as one of the hottest touring acts in America, as Esquire Magazine listed her as one of the top working comedians today.
Iliza tours year-round to sell out theatres, clubs and colleges. She’s headlined the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival and The New York Comedy Festival. She’s also participated in Al Roker’s Today Show USO Tour in Afghanistan, with Jay Leno and Craig Robinson.
Her success continues to fester after being featured in Elle’s “Women in Comedy” issue two years in a row and making multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”, “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” and “The Today Show.”
As part of her upcoming performance in Milwaukee at the Pabst Theater, Iliza participated in an inclusive interview with the UWM Post.
Tell me a little bit about your tour
Iliza: Yes, it is a several state, now several country, year long tour that we plan out in chunks. We try to hit as many cities that want to hear my comedy as possible. I will be touring a little bit what people see in Elder Millennial, but also working on new stuff, building towards my next hour.
Do you know what your next hour is going to be focused on?
Iliza: I don’t know, it kinda has to reveal itself. We shot Elder Millennial in February, so it already began to change, and life informs it. In about a year, we will shoot the next one so it is a discovery process.
How did fans respond to Elder Millennial?
Iliza: You’re always going to find some people who don’t like it, but the response has been overwhelming supportive and popular. It has been so heartwarming to reach fans and new fans in other countries and cities I’ve never been to in the United States. It’s really cool to know that at the end of the day there is a human connection there that people really resonate with.
Do you ever get criticism from women about how you talk and joke about them?
Iliza: No, I think the job of a comic is to call it how it is and be authentic. Anyone who faults you for your experience as a human, they’re ignorant. Jokingly, women will say ‘stop you’re giving away all our secrets.’ But, I think especially the times we are living in now, anything that helps people understand each other more, especially women being understood more, is a good thing. At the end of the day, I’m just trying to express myself.
women will say ‘stop you’re giving away all our secrets.’
Going off that, have you faced criticism being a female comedian?
Iliza: I mean, sure, but you’re going to face criticism no matter who you are and what you do. The important thing is not the criticism from people who are jealous and can’t do what you do or just generally don’t like you, what is important is that with blinders on, you keep moving forward and the amount of fans that love my work is a constant reminder that I’m doing something right.
What do you think makes you stand out to those fans?
Iliza: I think they like my honesty. I think there is a way to tell it like it is without being crass. I think women appreciate the honesty. I think as humans we like it when comedians say what we’re thinking, that way we don’t have the burden of having to say things. I think it is the honesty, and I think people like the noises I make. *Laughs*
Moving on to Milwaukee, how many times have you performed here?
Iliza: I think I played the Pabst three times. I know I have a Pabst Theater t-shirt in my closet from a long time ago. It is a beautiful theaters, it is actually one of my favorite theaters. I really enjoy coming to Milwaukee.
Have you been able to explore the city at all?
Iliza: The honest truth is everything starts to melt together after several years on the road. What can I tell you without giving information to my stalkers? *Laughs* Let’s see here. It’s an industrial, downtown area. I know there is a lot of new things coming up in Milwaukee. I’ve been to cute coffee shops and restaurants when I was there last time. It’s interesting to me, as someone on the road for ten years, to see how cities are changing. It’s always fun to see the new stuff in the few hours of daylight I have before show time. I’m not a historian on Milwaukee, but I do enjoy the little time I have there.
What can fans expect for your Milwaukee show?
Iliza: They can expect smatterings of Elder Millennial, and a bunch of new stuff about what things I’ve decided not to do at my wedding. A lot of new tags and spins on my jokes from Elder Millennial. It is a lovely combination of old and new material, and a lot of energy. I might also do a beachy wave, I don’t know. *Laughs*
Anything you would like to add?
Iliza: I will be bringing my dog, Blanche. She will be magical, she will bring her Christmas mouth. If you purchase a VIP meet and greet, you will get to touch her body, her actual body.
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