A Note from CAPA
Nikki Glaser: Bang It Out has been rescheduled for Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, and is back on sale to the public.
Tickets already purchased for the previous date will be honored, and ticketholders need only to present them at the Southern Theatre on Nov. 12.
Ticket purchasers who prefer a refund have until Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2021 to submit a request. If the tickets were purchased through CBUSArts, a refund can be requested by emailing your order number to tickets@cbusarts.com. If the tickets were purchased through Ticketmaster, a refund may be requested via phone at 800-653-8000.
Anything worthwhile in life takes time and a little patience. For comedian Nikki Glaser, success in the comedy world came from a relentless focus on performing with an undeniable lack of fear.
Glaser has steadily climbed her way up the entertainment ranks through a rigid performance schedule, including stand-up; her Comedy Central show, Not Safe with Nikki Glaser; her weekly Sirius XM show, You Up with Nikki Glaser; and appearances on Comedy Central Roast and The Howard Stern Show.
“What I’ve learned is that it just takes time. There’s really no easy way to get good at comedy,” Glaser says. “I love stand-up so much, and I was so addicted to it when I first started that it wasn’t a struggle for me to work really hard at it.”
Over the course of her now 10-plus years of stand-up, she’s rarely said no to a gig. Though she says this was probably unhealthy early in her career, her drive has helped make her an up-and-coming household name.
“I can trust myself and my instincts. I don’t rely on crafting jokes in my notebook. I’ve talked so much and been on air so much that I can trust myself to be funny off the cuff,” Glaser says. “It’s a lot about this confidence that I used to have to fake, but now I have it. … It took a while.”
The bulk of Glaser’s material might be described as a brutally honest reflection of her sexual life, relationships and taboo topics. Her willingness to overshare helps make her a relatable figure. She specializes in saying the sorts of things that many of us think about, but would feel too awkward to say aloud.
“I’ve always been someone who is comfortable with oversharing in a way that other people will ask me, ‘How can you even say those things?’” Glaser says. “It’s never been something where I was going to say this vulnerable thing that I am scared to tell people.”
“Now that I’m a more capable comedian, I can take into consideration other people’s feelings and the relationships I want to have.”
In her recent Netflix special, Bangin’, Glaser details stories of learning about sex as a young girl and previous hookups. She even talks openly about her past struggles with alcohol and how her newfound sobriety affects her views on casual sex.
While she makes a living sharing these stories, Glaser does mention that, at times, opening up her personal life to the public hurts her relationships and dating life.
“It’s harder for me to find a man to date from how much I talk about sex openly,” Glaser says. “I’ve just now realized, ‘Oh, maybe a guy I date doesn’t want to hear about their sex life onstage with my voice, where they have no opportunity to defend themselves.’ Not that I say bad things about people; I just don’t have a sense of privacy when it comes to sex.”
Glaser hopes people are able to relate to the things she struggles with in her own life. That being said, while her lack of concern for people’s privacy – especially her own – made her popular, she is learning to appreciate others a little more.
“I really didn’t have much empathy for people I might be talking about onstage or how they might feel. That lack of empathy in my earlier days helped me do whatever and throw whatever out there on stage and not worry about me,” Glaser says. “Now that I’m a more capable comedian, I can take into consideration other people’s feelings and the relationships I want to have.”
NETFLIX
Nikki Glaser Netflix Special
Glasing Into the Past
Glaser’s stand-up served as a way for her to cope with struggles growing up. People only familiar with her comedy might be surprised to learn she grew up with a lack of self-confidence and struggled with self-esteem.
“I’m trying to give a voice to that, and I want men to understand where we’re coming from,” Glaser says. “I often rely on men’s stand-up to tell me where they are coming from, too. It’s my job to talk about the motive and reasons why we are struggling so much with anxiety, with depression and feeling less than.”
In a world dominated by social media and the desire to appear perfect, Glaser’s job as a comedian is simple: be as honest as possible. She’s open about the negative side of Hollywood, a world that contributed to her battle with anorexia.
Comedy has become her tool to cope and to let others know that they aren’t alone.
“One of my biggest motives as a stand-up is being the type of comedian that I wanted to see as a girl in high school or college,” Glaser says. “I would’ve appreciated someone talking more honestly, especially celebrities talking about their looks and how they struggle and how it’s not all perfect.”
And while she hopes her work as a comedian empowers women, she is adamant about her material helping both men and women understand each other.
“I don’t want to alienate men or make them feel like I’m mad at them,” Glaser says. “I’m never trying to titillate; I’m just trying to be honest.”
Did you know Nikki is Ohio-born?
Though she lived in Missouri for most of her life, Glaser was born in Cincinnati and visited family there often throughout her childhood.
“Ohio was a huge part of my upbringing, and I feel so connected to it. I always tell people, ‘Hey, I’m from there!” Glaser laughs. “I love the crowds in Columbus, I just love the Midwest.”
The comedian gives credit to the Funny Bone – which, of course, has a location at Easton Town Center – for giving her work as a middle act when she was coming up in the scene. In fact, the Columbus Funny Bone played a vital part in crafting her Netflix special.
“I owe Columbus a lot,” Glaser says. “People think that the Midwest might not be able to handle the comedy of the East Coast, but I think they can handle it better, and often have better senses of humor.”
Nikki Glaser Tells All
CityScene: What’s the best part about being on the road?
Nikki Glaser: For me, it’s probably sampling different Starbucks throughout the country (laughs). No, I actually really love staying in hotels. I like a small room, holing myself up, using towels as a napkin and eating in bed. … It’s a mini vacation.
CS: If you weren’t a comedian, what would you be doing today?
NG: I’d go into animal rescue. I love animals. I only wanted to be a marine biologist until I realized you have to know about science and you can’t just hang out and pet whales all day. I’m vegan, so I really care about the planet. Eventually, when I retire, which I probably won’t ever do – I’m going to be Joan Rivers and do this until I die – I would start some sort of bird rescue. I’d be a bird lady.
CS: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
NG: Taylor Swift? I don’t know, I really don’t have a lot of guilt from things that bring me joy. But Taylor would be the one I would say that people roll their eyes at, but she is one of the most brilliant songwriters of our time. I have really good taste in music and people always go, “Yeah, right…” I know what I am talking about. I want to be the Taylor Swift of comedy one day.
CS: What’s your biggest turn-off when dating?
NG: Men who are obsessed with their moms. I want you to have a good relationship, but if you are constantly talking to her and texting with her…
Rocco Falleti is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.
