"I feel like being on stage is so unique and incredible and I just really miss it." - a conversation with Pallavi Gunalan - a podcast by Liz Gold
from 2020-07-17T16:49:20
If you're not following Pallavi Gunalan on social, I highly recommend you do. Not only is she pulling together a plethora of resources for supporting Black lives, but she is a comedian and funny AF. Join me as I talk with Pallavi about her activism, her career pivot and her comedy - as well as graciously correcting me (and others) for mispronouncing her name.
"You can make people the butt of jokes if you are not an asshole."
"People always say like punch up but I have seen people like punching down but it's not punching down when they are clever about the joke."
"You can talk about another group of people and make fun of them but in a fun way and not in just a like 'I'm trying to be offensive' or actually think I'm better than them kind of way."
"I think anything can be funny but it really depends on the context of everything."
"I love crowd work so much though cause it can completely flip a room. You have no idea what's going to happen and it always works better when people don't try to be funny, they are just being honest."
"I feel like being on stage is so unique and incredible and I just really miss it and I'm never going to take it for granted again."
"People are doing it [stand up comedy] right now and I just don't trust it and I don't think it's responsible for them to be performing."
"There are a lot of underground shows happening in NY, where they are not wearing masks, they are just sitting right next to each other and I just think it's so bad. What's been frustrating to me - a lot of these people support Black Lives Matter but Black lives are the one's most effected by Covid right now. They are the ones that are dying at disproportionate rates. They are the ones suffering the most, as always. What blows my mind is people who go to the protests and then don't take Corona seriously or go to the protest and don't take it seriously there and like hug or whatever because they are caught up in the moment. You are really undoing a lot of the things are you are trying to fight for. It doesn't make sense to me. People should really be careful."
Pallavi Gunalan bio
Pallavi Gunalan is biomedical engineer, stand-up comedian, improviser, actor and writer. Pallavi has performed at festivals and venues all over the world including Laugh Factory Fresh Faces, SF Sketchfest, Pacific Crest Comedy Festival, Portland Queer Comedy Festival.
Supporting Black Lives resource list compiled by Pallavi
To get on Pallavi's email list, learn more about the book and movie club, email Pallavi at pallavigunalancomedy@gmail.com or DM her.
https://www.pallavigunalan.com/
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