We recently connected with Tallie Medel and have shared our conversation below.
Tallie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I teach clown. (a level of theater! be not afraid) I’m still getting used to telling people what I do, even though I Love My Job. We’re all the fool, inextricable from our existence, and the admittance sets everybody free. There’s beautiful philosophy around it all (“The clown is a poet who is also an orangutan.” -Steven J. Linsner), yet in practice it’s profoundly stupid. You get to see the best of people.
My degree is in theater education (Emerson College, 2008) but I stopped teaching 2010-2020 to make more time for live comedy. In March 2020, I flew home from the set of EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE and assumed I’d be a Famous Actor. Then it was lockdown. I have a longstanding practice of returning to notebooks and literature from acting school because I get to check back in with my younger self discovering it all for the first time. Clown was my favorite subject. The first moment I watched our ensemble substitute teacher play, I wanted to know everything he knew. He was so present and playful. This time during my reread, I found myself articulating my curiosity. I realized 1) I miss playing games 2) Clown resonates with me so deeply that I want to tell everyone about it and 3) Clown reminds me that performing can be a selfless act of love and understanding.
In 2007 I was considering moving to Paris to pursue studies at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, but I didn’t want to leave the comedy scene friends and I were building. Plus, I was embarrassed to admit how much I loved this practice. But it’s uncool to pretend you don’t love something. And I ended up becoming a clown anyway. I found I knew enough games, books, and essays to build not just a single lesson plan, but a whole curriculum. I started with offering virtual classes, began in-person teaching when it was safe(r), and now I’m at Brooklyn Comedy Collective where we regularly sell out courses and intensives. I’m coaching and traveling. My genuine love for clown–of all things!–led me back to being a teacher, and such a better performer.
I love people. It’s why I’m in this field. Dig that!
Tallie, 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’m Tallie Medel, an interdisciplinary artist in Brooklyn, born and raised in Ketchikan, Alaska. I’m queer and mixed, but I pass as femme and white, kind of stolen valor mixed-identity thing.
I moved to New York in 2009 to pursue comedy and ensemble work. I teach clown, direct, choreograph, and write. I’m 1/3 of dance comedy trio Cocoon Central Dance Team. I’m a screen actor, with roles in BROAD CITY and INSIDE AMY SCHUMER and a lot of indie films.
People tell stories because we seek meaning. I think the meaning is us. I love people. My work as a teacher means I get to see the best of people. Students encourage each others’ vulnerability and protect each other once it’s on display. Clown is historically antifascist; we tell the truth. That’s our job.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
The second time I made an Instagram account, I’d realized perception is illusion and that this is a tool in the career toolkit. I only had to share good-looking moments: where and when shows and classes were happening, which red carpet events I attended, my feature script being at the Tribeca Creators Market, and my impressions of a wealthy woman who loves snakes. My bio said
6’4″
to reinforce that this is not real. We’re simply not in charge of how we’re being perceived. Like I tell my students, it’s none of our business. Instagram was way more fun the second time around. I wasn’t as concerned about follower count, which of course meant I had more followers than before.
I deleted it again (bye, Meta!) and I have a Substack now. I’m using it as an opportunity to write out all my clown theories for paying subscribers, so I’m not just promoting my work, I’m creating more. It’s a better model for me.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I’m a real Ram Dass guy. I love BE HERE NOW. It aligns with a lot of what I feel is true about clown, and it keeps me grounded.
I’m reading THE WITCH’S WAY TO WEALTH by Jessie DaSilva. I both love and am terrified of money. I’m only recently comfortable valuing myself enough to get paid. DaSilva reminds me that I want to be generous with my wealth, and so I must make it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://talliemedel.com
- Instagram: cocooncentraldanceteam
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talliemedel/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tallie_medel
- Other: Substack: https://substack.com/@talliemedel
Image Credits
Noah Eberhart
Marc Osborne