Jordan Jensen’s comedy is difficult to categorize, identical to the remainder of her. And whereas that’s usually how we like our humorous individuals — layered, nuanced, tortured — it tends to wreak havoc on the precise lives of the comics themselves. Not fairly becoming in a field (though she positively is aware of easy methods to construct one) has mainly been Jensen’s schtick since delivery. She grew up in upstate New York, raised in a heavy-construction household that included three lesbian mothers and a dad who died when she was younger. Due to that unconventional background, she says her stage of hormone-fueled boy craziness blended along with her rugged potential to swing a hammer and mainly turned her into “a homosexual man.” Someplace in her teenagers she hit a “fats mall goth” part that by no means left her, even after changing into a preferred comic worthy of a Netflix particular. Combining her interior Scorching Subject teen with freak-flag feminism and alpha-male power, her model makes not becoming in really feel like one of many coolest issues you are able to do — as a result of it’s.
On a latest Saturday night time, earlier than her new Netflix particular “Take Me With You” drops Tuesday, Jensen ready herself for one final run of weekend exhibits earlier than ranging from scratch with materials for a brand new hour. Earlier than going onstage in entrance of a crowd of a suburban crowd on the Brea Improv, the comic’s Zen-like confidence felt like yet one more factor she’s constructed from the bottom up, alongside along with her comedy profession … and possibly a patio deck or two. However onstage, her love of all issues spastically bizarre and macabre makes her humor a enjoyable and scary venture to unpack for followers and unsuspecting “normie” audiences alike.
How does this second earlier than your Netflix particular “Take Me With You” drops really feel for you? Are you previous the anxiousness of it?
I can’t see the numbers, so if it tanks, I gained’t know — so I like that. I’m barely dissociated as a result of it’s already been carried out, so I really feel good; I don’t really feel anxious about it now. I used to be positively anxious main as much as it. However the second that night time [of filming it] was over it was a reduction.
And also you filmed it in New York Metropolis [at the Gramercy Theatre]. However the place did your comedy profession really begin?
My profession actually began in Nashville, after which I moved to New York after a yr. I’m initially from upstate New York. I grew up in Ithaca after which I moved to Buffalo and began making an attempt to do comedy. I moved to Buffalo as a result of my good friend grew to become paralyzed, and I moved there to be close to right here, after which I mainly began doing open mic in entrance of her paralyzed physique as a result of she wasn’t allowed to run away. Then my dad died, and I used to be going to maneuver to New York Metropolis and as a substitute [some friends of mine living in Nashville] mentioned I ought to come reside with them, so I did that as a substitute for a yr and actually acquired into comedy there earlier than ultimately transferring again to New York.
Did doing comedy in Nashville enable you to develop your profession?
Positively. I met [comedian] Dusty Slay, who helped me out. Lucy [Sinsheimer] from [the comedy club] Zanies acquired me all this function work, and I drove my truck throughout the South.
What’s wish to hit the touring circuit exhausting as a younger comic?
You do an open mic and somebody says you could be on a present, and abruptly you suppose you’re sizzling s—, and each step of the best way you kinda suppose you’re doing very well, so that you’re driving round being like, “I’m on tour,” and making bizarre tour posters, and also you’re not even people who find themselves at a unique stage; you’re simply making an attempt to do essentially the most you are able to do at your stage. So, for me, it was the identical as it’s now. I’m on tour each weekend, and I’ll come again residence and hit the [open mics] and get my materials and go off once more. Though I used to be shedding cash on the street, I felt like I used to be a touring comedian.
You may have jokes in “Take Me With You” about going by a ”mall goth” part. Are you continue to a goth child on the within?
I stayed in a bit punk period in Nashville and dabbled in being every part from punk to goth to hippie to no matter was the form of my physique at the moment. However Nashville being just like the place I’m from, which is Ithaca, the place I labored as a carpenter, it reaffirmed which you could be a grimy carpenter, and that’s additionally kinda cool. So I mentioned I’m simply gonna gown like I do at work. So I ended being full goth in ninth grade once I wished to get a boyfriend.
Judging by the blood–pink stage design on your particular, I’d say you’re nonetheless a bit goth. What was your thought course of for a way you wished your stage to look?
I’m obsessive about “Rocky Horror Image Present” and with Dr. Frank-N-Furter as a personality, this weird alien making an attempt to slot in with humanity and he’s this stunning [trans person], you don’t know if he’s a person or girl — and I really feel similar to that. I don’t really feel transgender, however I do really feel like an alien. So I wished it to really feel like I had scrapped collectively a set to mainly placed on a present for my bizarre alien crowd. And I wished the pink within the curtains to be paying homage to interval blood, reproductive organs. I wished it’s actually gnarly, and with the development netting, I’ve a development background, so I wished it to seem like any individual mentioned, “You’re doing a Netflix particular” and I’m only a bizarre creature going, “OK, time to do my huge day!” and the stage crew did an awesome job with that course.
Have been you working in development proper up till you began doing comedy full time?
Yeah, I constructed homes with my dad and mom and I’ve roofed. I’ve carried out mason work and landscaping and stuff. However in New York I did reworking, so I’d do issues like flip a crepe store right into a hair salon. So it was like flipping locations in New York and making them hip and stylish. And no one ought to’ve employed me; there’s nothing higher than an all-male development crew, and I used to be one girl. Individuals had been simply so pleased with patting themselves on the again for hiring a girl that they didn’t discover I took 4 instances so long as a daily crew — and I employed a whole lot of day laborers.
In your particular, you speak about battling the lesbian power that you just get labeled with in comedy, however I’m guessing that additionally occurred within the development gig?
It’s all the time been that approach as a result of I used to be raised by lesbians and so they [didn’t] know easy methods to elevate a female little one; they only raised me to be of their development crew. And my dad wished a son so I grew to become his son, so I’ve all the time been tremendous boy loopy and likewise so boy loopy in that I look and gown like a boy. So I’m mainly a homosexual man … it’s not solely being a girl that’s within the trades, however you probably have any form of power that’s utilitarian, you’re homosexual and that’s all the time been an issue for me. As a result of I’ve appreciated automobiles or effectivity and constructing issues, and I’ve by no means understood dressing up with make-up and jewellery.
“I’m obsessive about ‘Rocky Horror Image Present’ and with Dr. Frank-N-Furter as a personality, this weird alien making an attempt to slot in with humanity and he’s this stunning [trans person], you don’t know if he’s a person or girl,” Jensen mentioned. “And I really feel similar to that.”
(Mindy Tucker)
As a New York comedian, what’s your notion of the L.A. comedy scene proper now?
The L.A. scene has much less of a hearth below its ass, however it has the identical quantity of excellent comics — or roughly the identical quantity due to the inhabitants distinction. However the distinction between doing comedy in L.A. and doing comedy in New York is in the event you don’t write a brand new joke in New York each week, all people is aware of. Whereas in L.A. they’ll chill extra — they’ve a canine, they’ve a hike, they’ll do ayahuasca, and there’s extra to life than comedy.
However in New York, you may have 10 individuals dwelling with you and you need to take a practice each day, and also you’re so comedy-focused since you’re making an attempt to climb out of that life and into the cozy place of L.A. In order that they’re simply pretty much as good, however New York comedy is far more prolific, however [in] L.A. they’re simply as humorous. Like Josh Johnson, I don’t suppose that man is popping out of L.A. As a result of we’re making an attempt to get to the place the L.A. individuals are — they’re snug and have a pleasant home and so they’re gonna be OK. However in New York we’ve dedicated our lives to being depressing in order that we hold producing.
What’s a notice that Netflix producers gave you earlier than the filming technique of your particular that you just didn’t comply with?
Netflix was like, “All that stuff that’s f— up about your loved ones, put that approach sooner within the particular,” and I ended up not doing that as a result of the best way I do my common set I attempt to ease them into that. As a result of when in the event you’re sitting there as a watcher, listening to all of the stuff I say about my dad, it is advisable be unfastened. Netflix was like, “Simply put it up prime as a result of it’s your story,” and I made a decision I’m simply gonna go it how I usually do it, as a result of I get it that it’s my story, however I can think about turning that s— off so quick as soon as your hear a few of that stuff. Similar to, “No!” So I’m making an attempt to get you to know me after which letting it rip. The primary half-hour is my story, however it isn’t about being raised by lesbian mothers and having the useless dad. I simply needed to gamble and never do the entire nearer very first thing and do a ramp-up as a substitute.
Contemplating you’ve now achieved getting a Netflix particular, do you suppose you’re nonetheless as hungry as you had been earlier than?
I assumed the starvation would flip down a bit, however it doesn’t as a result of as quickly because the hour is completed, you simply have all this stress to provide you with a brand new hour, and the entire thing comes all the way down to efficiency. While you’re onstage, you wish to be giving them a extremely good present. So though I can relaxation on my laurels, I can’t do something from the particular; I don’t need them to observe the particular on Tuesday and see repeats. So I really feel higher on myself, however there’s no much less drive. The particular didn’t do what I assumed it might do; I assumed it might make me much less of a love addict, I assumed it make me much less determined to have individuals’s affection, however it doesn’t do s—. The one factor I care about is that girls from Center America who aren’t disgusting mongrels see the particular. I need males and normie ladies to see the particular — that’s why Netflix is essential. As a result of my viewers is all freaks, however I want nonfreaks to see it to allow them to really feel freaky for an hour. That’s all I need.
