We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michelle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

I have been in stand up comedy 17 years. The goal of my show wasn’t just to make people laugh, but to be able to laugh at what you have been through or going through. To be different, not fit in and be ok with that. I was an overweight mom of christian a toddler starting stand up in comedy clubs. I was going to have to be VERY funny to get any stage time. and I did. I made sure my material appealed to men and women. I did classed, open mics, I did the work. My content covers my life experiences from being raised in a southern small town trailer park, raising kids, and being overweight, I am not the typical southern belle clean comic, I don’t wear dresses or love to shop. You wont hear me talk about convincing my husband to buy me anything or how cute I think someone’s shoes are. I’d rather be fishing or in set up in a hunting blind. I am the momma bringing the snacks to the ball games and supporting my kids, but I did not cut them into shapes. I will cook my husband the best fried chicken he’s ever had, but if he falls asleep and snores during a movie I will pluck an ear hair to wake him up. I am a Christian who does clean comedy. That means I can work in churches, clubs, theaters, corporate events, etc. But the problem comes when people want to tell me what I can say because I am a woman. Or because of my size. People get offended just because of the labels they give me. In a recent video I was given a review 5/10 for comedian 9/10 for a female comedian. Over and over I hear, “She is the only female I have ever laughed at”. Then I hear “A Christian shouldn’t say those things”. Every part of my show is a story of something that has happened in my life. If it happened to me, it’s my testimony, you cant get offended over someone’s testimony! And now this year a new one, I have lost 145lbs. For the first time in my life I am healthy. Now people have said things like “Hope you’re funny now that you’re skinny”. Then two reviews in two women’s conferences came in that I made two ladies feel uncomfortable about their weight when I talked about how I was overweight. When I told my jokes about what my life was like overweight they were uncomfortable and offended. I knew comedy could offend people. And honestly I thought my jokes about the drugs I grew up around or my divorce or maybe even how I pick on my kids would be an issue. Nope people are offended that I am skinny and talk about how I am no longer fat. I have never been kicked off stage or been told to never come back. In fact I have been asked back to multiple places. I will continue to tell my jokes my way because the goal is helping people. I get messages all the time from people who tell me how much my vulnerability through humor helps them. People at shows tell me how much their story parallels theirs and that if I can laugh about mine they can too. Of course I have had a lot of therapy. lol And I even joke about that. Just last week a lady from a CHURCH show sent a thank you card with a lace thong as a thank you and a laugh. because I joke about lace underwear in my show she thought it would be funny. It was, No matter how clean the jokes are or how pure the intentions are people will find something to be offended or upset about. I had no idea that my looks, or being a woman would be that offensive. But I also didnt know it would be that encouraging or that inspiring either. If that overweight, southern small town momma can live her dream traveling the country, be on tv, radio, dvds telling jokes for a living and inspiring people, Anyone can

Michelle , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a stand up comedian. I started at the age of 24, which is late for a comedian. I was a mom of a 1 year old. I saw a female comedian perform at our women’s event at our church. Three ladies at our church came up and told me I should be doing what she was doing. So I asked the comedian after the show how I could do what she does. She told me to find a comedy club and take a class. So I did. I drove 30 minutes to Charlotte, NC to the Comedy club there and took a 6 week class on stand up comedy. I was the only clean comedian. Which I learned “clean” only meant they didn’t use curse words. They said all kinds of other things too. I was what they called “squeaky clean” or “church clean”. I did well in the class and the club allowed me to start hosted the weekend shows the next month after our class graduation. I drove into comedy, and did everything I could to learn. I wanted to grow my show. I took classes, read books, and got on any stage possible. I would go to any open mic, any show, I would host a car wash if you let me. I wrote everyday. I was told I had natural stage presence. Honestly I was just having fun. The second I got stage I knew as long as I had fun so did the crowd. Laughter is a gift. As a comic, we get to give that gift every night. I get excited every time I get onstage because I get to have fun giving that gift to a new crowd. I reached out to anyone who could get me stage time. Within a year we moved to Orlando Florida for my husband’s job, and things took off for me. I competed in competitions where club owners saw me. They liked me and started booking me as a headliner. My calendar was filling up. I was a squeaky clean headliner. Then corporate shows, church shows, etc. I was a full time comedian supporting my family. I even had my daughter as a comic. I only took off 5 weeks. I would take her on the road (the whole family). nurse her between shows. I was living the dream. I was picked for a Nickelodeon Moms night out special. I was put on a Christian DVD. I had 2 amazing kids and living my best life. Then mu divorce happened. It was unexpected and meant I had to come off the road. My kids were young, and there was no way they could go on the road with me. Given the choice of leaving them with someone to do comedy or be with them….I chose them. So comedy became a side job and I took a full time job. I did only a few shows a year for 6 years. No more tv shows, no more competitions. And I was happy with that. My kids will always be my favorite accomplishment. They are to my identity. They have seen through me that you chase every dream no matter how crazy it looks. Then almost 3 years ago, I was offered a dry bar. I was so excited. I filmed the special while the kids visited their dad, and was excited to see how the project came out. It took the project a year to air. It didn’t go viral, but it did well. I was proud of the project. I got a few bookings and a few agents reached out. Then, a tour reached out. They offered me two tours that would work with my families schedule. My kids are now teenagers, and don’t need mom constantly at home. I was able to step away from my full time job and back into full time comedy again. I am back to my dream job. During the week I am mom. I am at ball games and making dinners. On the weekends I fly to a different city or state to tell jokes to a new crowd. I am so incredibly thankful I am able to live my dream again, and to show my kids that mom, a parent can choose family and a career. That no one has to suffer to have one over the other.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society can best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem first by attending live events. Live events feel completely different than videos. Playing back something that happened or seeing a picture may feel great but you will never get the full experience. Go to a show, comedy, art, any of it. Step out of your comfort zone. If that is too much for you, check out online options. I recently did a live VR show. I had no idea these things existed. But there were people there in their own headsets all attending this live show in a VR comedy club. At the least, share, like, and comment on your friend’s social media content. It’s a big deal for artists and creatives to big a social media platform. That is our way of being known. So each time you interact you are helping grow our platform. It means a lot to support by interacting

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Non-creatives sometime struggle to understand that this isn’t less of a job than theirs. We aren’t choosing to miss events because we are “playing”. Just because our path looks different than yours does not mean it is less of a struggle. Our jobs come with different struggles, but not with less struggles than you may face on a day to day basis

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thatfunnylady.com
• Instagram: @michellemcomic
• Facebook: @michellemcomic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellemcomic/
• Twitter: @michellemcomic
• Youtube: @Michellemcomic