Julie Klausner on Flaky Guys and Funny Ladies [Texas Book Festival Interview]

In your book, you discuss the emerging ‘popularity’ of the insecure-nerdy-dude, a type most often associated with comedians and musicians. Have you noticed the same personality type in the publishing/book festival/readings and book tours circuit?

Ha! No - not nearly as much. I think publishing is reigned over by women, which is awesome, since I'm from the comedy world, where you're used to being the token girl or invisible--or a huge, honking star like Kirsten Wiig or the great Amy Poehler. That's not to say there aren't nerds in the book world. Let the record show I am not blind! But it's nice to be appreciated by readers and ladies alike. Whereas in comedy, tech, music, journalism, etc. etc. etc....you tend to be at the mercy of the boy nerd rage constantly. And when you're dating in that world? May God have mercy on your soul.

You’ve spoken in the past about how comedy - from stand-up to TV writing - is an undeniably male-dominated arena. Can the same be said of writing?

I think women who write are very much appreciated by women who read, which is basically all women, or at least all the women whose company I keep. On the other hand, I'm not a novelist, and I'm sure female novelists have their own experiences with sexism that I would never second-guess for one thousand dollars made out of solid gold paper.

Much of your work, from the memoir to sketch videos to your hilarious blog posts, is at least partly autobiographical. Do you have any interest in exploring fiction?

Thank you for calling my blog hilarious! I do have interest in storytelling and I'm working on a YA project right now as well as some TV and film things, which are fictitious! Although I very much appreciate reality television, particularly the Real Housewives franchise, which is a glimmering accomplishment of pure genius and glamour.

You’ve performed in many shows at the UCB theater - are you still involved with improv? As you’ve gotten involved with writing, TV and other creative ventures, have you found that your performance background has influenced your current interests?

Yes! I grew up idolizing character actresses and funny ladies who were in the 70's and '80s comedy movies I'd watch with my parents: Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr, Joan Cusack, the ladies of SNL - Jan Hooks, Nora Dunn....I love performative women and I'm a great fan of what is funny about women. It's also something I talk about in the "Turn Down the Glamour" chapter of my book. I grew up idolizing Miss Piggy, and part of what I found when I was dating is an aversion by nerdy guys, who I hypothesize grew up looking to Kermit as the example of what the coolest guy in the room acts like, to a glamourous, over the top, hilarious female archetype. Piggy would always chase Kermit, and, as I say in the book, that was, at the time, a fractured fairy tale of what I expected from all the nerdy, meek men I pursued like a ravenous, feather boa-drenched pig.

What would your advice be to a woman trying to break into performing comedy?

Keep doing it. Get better. Make friends with your female contemporaries: they're peers, not competitors. Your male contemporaries - the ones who are threatened - are your competition. Get good, and then squash them.

HBO is developing your book into a series. First: Congratulations! Second: Are you super excited?

Thanks! I know Lizzy Caplan is going to be playing me, which is so awesome and hilarious I cannot even deal, because I joke that if I looked like Lizzy, I wouldn't have had any problems dating. But that's actually totally untrue, because the crop of men that this generation has turned out is pathetic. I know it's a controversial thing to say, but if you ask any of the MANY awesome, fabulous, bright, gorgeous women you know about their dating prospects, they will tell you the same thing. This is a nation of guys. Boys don't grow up to be men any more, for the most part.

This is your first trip to Austin. Anything you’re looking forward to?

Eating as much Tex-Mex as I can possibly digest, and hanging out in what I'm told by people I love is one of the coolest cities in the world.

And, of course: What are you reading right now? Anything you've loved recently?

I just finished David Rakoff's new book, and saying I loved it is a massive understatement. It made my heart grow. Right now I'm reading a lot of plays! I just read Lucy Trebble's "The Sugar Syndrome," which was great. And I loved Jennifer Egan's "A Visit From The Goon Squad," like everybody else.