We recently connected with Glory Magana and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Glory, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

I am a clean comic. What does that mean? My material is clean and not vulgar. People assume I work clean due to me being a Christian. The moment other comics realize that I am a Christian, they treat me differently. I’ve heard different types of passive aggressive comments regarding their life choices assuming that I am judging them because of my faith. I have never tried to convert or ‘recruit’ anyone haha! When they start to get to know me, they realize they had mischaracterized me the entire time and will give me the whole schpeel that they thought I was different, and apologize.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started my comedy career in 2012, I figured why not give it a chance after my divorce from my college sweetheart? What else did I have to lose besides my dignity? Or whatever was left of it rather. I took a comedy class from a ‘Comedy College’ in San Francisco, and I fell in love. For the first time I felt like I was at the right place after having so many different jobs, I hid it from my family due to coming from a traditional Mexican family and college was the only route according to my mother who migrated to the states as a child. My mom found out a month later that I was lying to her about where I was going once a week and she was very upset to say the least. Not because I lied to her, but because of what I lied to her about. I had originally told her that I was leaving town weekly because I was dating someone, little did she know that I was dating Comedy and not actual man. She eventually approved and the best advice she gave me was at my first comedy show after my set, “Wow, you’re actually pretty funny. No looking back now, you better not quit and I better not hear of you crying or complaining. A chingar le (translation: work hard).” She passed away 3 years later. I’m 11.5 years in this grind and still not quitting. I have 14 siblings and I am the youngest. One can say that is why I became a comedian, and I won’t rebuttal that LOL Everyday was a comedy show and I was the opener. My brothers? They were the headliners. They are some of the funniest people I know, and I am grateful that I got to open up for them in my childhood. I’ve been able to live and work in this comedy business in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. I’m set apart from the crowd, literally because just a quick reminder, I am a 6 foot Mexican American woman, I promise you can’t forget me!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My mom passed away 3 years into my comedy career. Learning how to perform when you hit a deep depression and do not feel funny is most definitely a new muscle I had not used ever. It’s almost like a switch you had to turn on right before hitting the stage, pivoting emotions if you will. And keeping that switch on until you hit your bed that night.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

What non-creatives should know about us creatives is that our brain works differently. We are procrastinators, we work better under pressure, we are okay with being different. The majority of the people that I surround myself with are non-creatives so they struggle to relate to me in so many ways and one of the is the workforce, I cannot thrive in a 9-5 type job. They worry for me because I don’t have a pension and retirement plan, yet I worry for them for being trapped in a job that they do not enjoy.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @glorymagana
• Facebook: Glory Magana
• Linkedin: Gloria Magana

Image Credits
Headshot by Nick Larson (IG: @nicklarsonphotography) and stage picture by Karina Munoz (IG: @lovekarinamunoz)