Jessica Halem is a hysterical woman. I don't just mean that she is a member of the renowned lesbian comedy troupe known as Hysterical Women. I mean that she is funny and unpredictable. I mean that she can find the humor in the mundane. Jessica Halem can and will make you laugh. The size of the crowd is not an issue. Whether it's an intimate group in an Andersonville women's bar or in front of a quarter of a million people on Halsted Street, Halem knows what to say and how to say it, and you have no choice but to laugh. Appearing, once again, as part of the It's A She Thing comedy event, hysteria and hilarity are guaranteed to ensue when Halem steps up to the microphone.
Gregg Shapiro: Congratulations on being selected as one of the Windy City Times "Thirty Under Thirty." What can you tell me about that honor?
Jessica Halem: I am very happy to still be under the age of 30. Yes, I am very happy to be under the age of 30, but I am looking forward to being ( one of the ) "Forty Under Forty." It's kind of amazing because, especially in the lesbian community, we don't recognize how often different generations work together. The beauty of recognizing young queer folks, who are under the age of 30, points to how incredible this community is, in terms of huge generations of folks working together. That the work is being done by not only folks, but other generations as well.
GS: You've accomplished quite a bit in recent years. Among your achievements, you are now executive director of the Lesbian Community Cancer Project.
JH: The organization is ready to do something completely different when it comes to organizing around feminist/lesbian health issues. The incredible bold step of hiring a 29-year-old stand-up comedian, with a huge political background points to the need, desire and forward thinking of doing something differently. Things really need to change. There's a lot that needs to be talked about. There are a lot of women we want to touch and get involved in these issues. There are a lot of changes that need to happen in the medical establishment. The messages we have are crucial to saving women's lives. It made perfect sense to hire a young, energetic, really positive, forward thinking feminist lesbian.
GS: I'm glad that you mentioned the stand-up comedy. Who made you laugh when you were growing up?
JH: Richard Pryor. As is often the case, for those of us who are marginalized, stepped upon folks in the culture-- being a Jew, being political, being a woman-- at a young age feeling like an outsider, I was an outsider. Outsider humor really drew me in. African-American comics, other Jewish comics and women comics spoke to an experience that I related to. One of the best ways to deal with being an outsider is to be able to laugh at the world around you. Yes, it is an incredible defense mechanism, as is often pointed out to those of us who are the freaks of the world. I think it's really powerful to laugh in the face of oppression. The ability to laugh and to use humor as a way of talking about something really serious, that is usually hard to talk about, I think Jews are especially cognizant of speaking the unspoken. You've got to say it, it's got to get out there. My life has always been about speaking truth to power. Humor is often a great way to do that. I think there's something healing about talking about things we don't often talk about. It's healing, it's political. The No. 1 thing, for ( bringing about ) change in our culture, is more information. The first step is to start talking about things, start naming it. Comedy is a great way to do that.
GS: What made you laugh when you were growing up?
JH: My parents made me laugh the most. Dinner in my house was never complete without someone on the floor holding their stomach and trying hard to not pee in their pants from laughter. That's family bonding. I learned from my parents the gift of laughing hard and often, just to make it through this crazy world. They taught me the perspective that I live with today which is the "comic lens"-- everything I see around me is a joke. Of course when I was also young and impressionable I saw Richard Pryor and George Carlin. They were two men who spoke the unspoken. And most importantly, when I was 17 years old I went to see Sandra Bernhard's movie Without You I'm Nothing. My life was forever changed.
GS: Who makes you laugh now?
JH: I've surrounded myself with friends and especially my girlfriend, Tara, who get my view of the world and share it. They love to laugh. I enjoy my friends here in Chicago more than I think they know at times. I couldn't have taken the risks and achieved what I have today if it wasn't for my friends. They have listened to every joke a hundred times, helped me to write new ones, driven my ass around town, and most importantly laugh with me. Of course, the other side of any incredible laugh is sometimes a huge cry. It's all a release. It's all real emotion. My friends and especially my girlfriend have allowed me to live in a world in which getting in touch with the real stuff is valued.
GS: When it comes to queer comedy, do you think that the male comics could learn a few things from the female comics, or vice versa?
JH: I would say to any gay man-- get in touch with your rage-- get in touch with feminism. I wish we had more of a community of gay male comics in Chicago. I've met a few through the years and know of none right now. There is so much to laugh about gay male culture-- like there is with all of us. The best queer comedy is that which seeks to build bridges and community. Comedy that values our differences and diversity and comes from a real place of love. Join that love of being gay with real rage at systems of oppression and you've got some funny stuff. I'd love to see more gay male comics be more self deferential. And for god sakes I'd love to see a gay male comic who doesn't make fun of lesbians. Hell, I'd love to work with a drag queen who doesn't make fun of lesbians. Sure, there's lots to make fun of when it comes to lesbians. But the golden rule is to start with yourself or the big enemies and not within our community. Too often, gay male performers and drag queens that I've shared the stage with use lesbians-- and making fun of us-- as a way of bonding with the boys in the audience. There is a big difference between making fun of someone and making comedy. Find the comedy.
GS: What advice would you give to an up-and-coming queer comic?
JH: Stay true to yourself and see the fierce political nature of stand-up comedy. This is political. And this is lowbrow. Don't take yourself so seriously that you forget that comedy is a great equalizer, a great form of mass comminution. Your time on this earth is short and precious. Say something meaningful. Recognize and value what a gift you have to share with the queer community. And then, go out there and bring your comedy to the queers. Too many queer comics define success the same way straight comics do. My life is nothing like theirs, my success isn't going to be like theirs either. Be true to who and what you love. Trust me, the heartburn of doing straight clubs in the suburbs is NOT worth it!
