Oscar-nominated comedian Jena Friedman returns to The Edinburgh Fringe

American writer and comedian Jena Friedman returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with MOTHERF*CKER - a show that dives headfirst into the grief of personal loss, the messiness of motherhood, and the surreal absurdity of modern day politics. We spoke with the acclaimed writer and comedian about the shifting role of satire, why now felt like the moment to tell this story, and how becoming a parent has sharpened both her humour and her sense of urgency.

MOTHERFCKER wrestles with grief and motherhood against a backdrop of political absurdity. Why was now the right time to tell this story?

Personally, I am far enough away from my grief that I have perspective on it, so I feel like I can talk about it in a way that might be helpful to others. And as for the politics of this show, if the US continues on this current path and I continue to live there, I don’t know if I’ll have another opportunity to be as honest and unfiltered onstage as I am now.

Do you see humour as a coping mechanism, a political tool, or something else entirely?

Both!

How much of this show is about your personal story – and how much is about a wider, shared experience of grief and joy?

It’s changing. I have always felt that the personal is political but it’s also universal. Grief is something we all go through so hopefully my personal account will resonate with others in a universal way.

Motherhood is often idealised in comedy and culture. Were you consciously trying to subvert that?

Not at all. I think younger generations have gotten the memo! This shit is hard!

As someone who’s written for both mainstream and alternative platforms, where do you feel most free to express yourself?

Onstage, in countries where not everyone has a gun!

How has becoming a parent affected how you think about power, identity, and even your audience?

I think it’s making me a little more cautious, it’s definitely making it harder for me to work on my craft so if I am not as funny as I used to be, please blame my kid!

Do you think the role of comedy in politics has changed since your days at The Daily Show?

With social media and podcasting, we are all so much more siloed now than we were in 2015 (when I left The Daily Show). I think people still look to comedians to help them understand what is happening politically but now a lot more of those comedians are podcasters who don’t fact check and don’t actually know what they are talking about. Fun times!

If the world feels more absurd than ever, how do you keep finding ways to satirise it?

What else am I gonna do?!

Jena Friedman will be performing MOTHERF*CKER at Monkey Barrell (The Hive) from 8th - 24th August at 4.15pm. Tickets available HERE.