Inside With: Allison Leber, Comedian
Allison Leber is a vivacious and energetic Chicago stand-up comedian who performs regularly with Chicago Underground Comedy, the Lincoln Lodge, and Spitfire Comedy. She is a warm-hearted activist in a comedian's clothing, and has taken it upon herself to produce several Comics For Change shows, each benefiting a charity such as the New Orleans Common Ground Collective. She began doing stand-up in Columbus, Ohio, and moved to Chicago to get serious about her craft. Her style is at turns playfully dirty, hilariously self-revealing, and sharply observational. She vowed years ago never to be embarrassed about anything and strives to be fearless on stage. She enjoys examining the ideas that we act on - why are some things taboo? Why do some subjects make us uneasy? Comedy offers a playground where the rules are suspended and ideas can be explored, and Allison Leber is ready to play.
Wow, first of all, Allison, I just realized that your last name backwards is "Rebel," which was also the name of my first dog. That is totally awesome. Okay, on to the actual question: what kind of comedy are you performing these days, and where can people see you in Chicago?
I do what I think of as "personal" stand-up, with most of it springing from real experiences. I perform with Spitfire, the Lodge, Chicago Underground Comedy, and Comics For Change. I spearhead the Comics For Change benefits, with lots of help - Steve O. Harvey helps a lot - he got us the last two headliners. The main goal with those shows is to benefit different not-for-profits. First one was for Midwest Workers, which I pulled together in two weeks, and second one was for Common Ground (for New Orleans). The venue for the next one yet to be determined, but I'm really looking forward to it.
What was your one-woman show "Hello, My Name is…You" at Chicago's Loop Theatre all about? What did you learn from the experience of putting on your own show?
It was great - I did it twice, first at Loop Theater - the Nomenil theater group put on a festival, and rented the Loop Theater. I has six weeks to prepare, and was weeding out material until the last minute. I was going through major changes in life, sort of a metamorphosis involving self-image changes, and I learned so much through experimenting and trying new things, in life and onstage. I did one last winter at Stage Left Theater, as well, and I would love to do a one-woman show again.
What was it like the first time you went onstage? Had you spent a lot of time thinking about it before you finally did it? Where were you and what material did you use?
It was in the summer of 2000, when I was living in Columbus, OH, seeing a therapist, who asked me, "if you could be doing anything, what would you be doing?" I had never seen stand-up, but found myself saying that out loud. Things started opening up really quickly. Random but connected things. For example, I was working in a health food store and happened to bump into a customer who was a comedian - Larry Ramey - and had a great two-hour conversation about comedy that seemed like a sign. Then my hairdresser told me her husband was the manager at the FunnyBone. Then a friend told me a co-worker did stand-up, and that I should go check it out. I went to FunnyBone, and "accidentally" signed up for comedy contest (which I thought was a door prize raffle). All of the sudden, during the show, someone said, "you're on in three people." I was shocked but went up anyway, telling sex jokes, and talking about my cat, and managed to make a good impression. I won a lot of contests early on, which probably contributed to an initially naive idea of what comedy was.
Did you move to Chicago especially to pursue stand-up?
Yes, and somehow I managed to move here on Sept 10, 2001. I was staying in a friend's Gold Coast high-rise on 27th floor. After all the stuff that happened that morning, downtown was empty. It felt like I was in a desert. It seemed like a bad sign, and I felt very lost, like, what do you do now? I moved here without a job, wanting to start at Second City (not even knowing the difference between improv and stand-up). It was a crazy beginning but I stuck it out.
How did you find your way into the stand-up scene?
I would go to shows, go up every once in awhile at places like the Lion's Den, and the Cubby Bear open mic. A fellow comic said "you suck" in the middle of a routine once, and I decided I didn't like it any more. Then, in May 2002, I met Howard Stern's Craig Gass at a show, and he said "no, you're good...keep trying," which convinced me to stay on. I've learned that hanging out is very important - after shows, conversations happen about auditions and projects and so on.
Who is the funniest person you know?
Mike Olsen. His just plain honest opinion is hilarious. He has wide-ranging interests - art, music, and so on, which makes his jokes even more appealing.
Can you tell us about childhood experiences that shaped your appreciation for comedy, such as humor in your family, and shows/movies/performers that you enjoyed or were inspired by when you were little?
My mom is very funny - usually singing or cracking a joke, very extroverted. I liked a lot of '70's TV - I love the '70's programming aesthetics of Solid Gold, the Carol Burnett Show, even the Lawrence Welk Show. I liked more of the live performance shows. I still dig that '70's glamour.
What do the "normal" people in your life (i.e. family and co-workers) think about you being a comedian?
They think it's brave, but to me, it's so natural, it doesn't require a lot of bravery. Alligator wrestling would require bravery, but comedy doesn't. My best friend the social worker deals with more scary stuff at her job than I do onstage.
What would you like to be doing in five years?
I definitely want kids, and more stability. I've always enjoyed doing TV and radio spots, and I could see myself having a TV show or radio show. I want to have a full experience in my life - well balanced - work and family. I don't want to sacrifice one thing for everything. So I picture myself with kids, and still working in the industry. I love stand-up, but that can require road work, which isn't so appealing.
What's on your reading table right now?
The Unrepentant Whore, by the Scarlet Harlot. She's a prostitute and writer and performer and activist. I've always had an interest in women's issues and staying active politically, and these books confirm a lot of my thoughts. The Scarlet Harlot is tied in with some San Francisco artists - Annie Sprinkle, Nina Hart. Scarlet Harlot is fearless. Free with her body. Really lives in the present. It's some amazing reading.
What's a non-comedy lesson you've learned while doing comedy?
I've learned to be more thoughtful about some of the jokes I tell. Some jokes, early on, I would tell again and again because they always got a laugh, but then sometimes, I'd realize they were more mean-spirited than I felt comfortable with. Or some of the off-the-cuff jokes would ring in my head afterward. For example, some guy heckled me once, and I shut him down with a small dick joke, but it just didn't settle well with me. Sometimes a comic will say something in a defensive moment that doesn't really resonate with their outlook, and I want to be consistent with who I am onstage and who I know myself to be.
