Emmy-winner Bryan Safi brings “Are You Mad At Me??” To The Edinburgh Fringe

Following sold-out runs in Los Angeles and New York, comedian Bryan Safi brings his confessional comedy special Are You Mad At Me? to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Blending stand-up, storytelling, character work, and even a PowerPoint presentation, the show explores themes of shame, intimacy, and the need for reassurance. We spoke to Bryan about what audiences can expect from their UK debut.

The show is called Are You Mad At Me??. For anyone who doesn’t know what to expect, how would you describe it – and where did the idea come from?

It’s part stand-up, part breakdown, part musical theatre understudy audition. It’s about people-pleasing, social anxiety, and that constant, low-level hum of worry that

everyone secretly hates you. The idea came from realizing that this question “Are you mad at me?” has lived rent-free in my head since childhood, and I wanted to finally evict it. Or at least charge it back rent.

Body image, likability, queer identity – this show dives into some big topics. Was there anything you hesitated to include because it felt too personal?

Oh, completely. There are parts of the show that still make me cringe when I say them, because they’re so unfiltered. But I’ve found that if something makes me uncomfortable to admit, it’s usually the exact thing I should say out loud. Shame, weirdly, can be funny.

This question – Are you mad at me? – seems to sit right at the intersection of anxiety, likability, and queer self-awareness. Are you any closer to answering it after making the show? Did the process shift your perspective in any unexpected ways?

Honestly? I’m still asking it. But now I’m asking it with more awareness, and occasionally…less panic. Making the show helped me name that question instead of letting it quietly run the show behind the scenes. I still spiral, but now I spiral with better lighting and a mic.

This show explores your lifetime pursuit of answering a single question: “Are you mad at me?” Are you any closer to finding the answer and did writing the show change your perspective?

I think the answer is: not everyone is mad at me, and when they are, I can probably survive it. That’s a huge shift from where I started, which was basically trying to emotionally Venmo everyone in my life $20 just in case I’d annoyed them.

You’ve had an incredibly diverse and successful career, from TV to podcasting to live performance. What’s next for you after Edinburgh?

I’m off to find my real parents! But more realistically, I’m hoping to keep doing work that feels risky and dumb in equal measure.

What do you hope audiences in Edinburgh leave the show thinking or feeling?

I hope they feel seen in the most unflattering but tender way. Like when you catch your own reflection mid-nervous-laugh and think, “Oh no, but also…maybe yes?” Mostly I hope they leave laughing, slightly emotionally disoriented, and with with Paula Abdul’s “Cold-Hearted Snake” echoing in their head.

Bryan Safi will perform Are You Mad At Me?? At Underbelly Bristo Square

Friesian from 30th July – 24th August. Tickets available HERE.