Valerie Lopez
Richard Goodwin
At Comedy Wham we have a short list of dear friends (aka those comics of which we are super fans and graciously allow us to interview them more than once), and Arielle Norman is definitely among them.
Since we last (officially) spoke with Norman, in September 2016, her star has continued rising and she’s had a blur of personal and professional growth. Norman got married, continuously evolved her The Off Script Show, appeared in the new season of Stand Up Empire, and performed in multiple festivals and toured the US. (She’s also begun weaning herself off coffee, perhaps the least Austin thing one can do.)
The Off Script Show remains a unique endeavor: a show where heckling is not only allowed, but is the order of the day. It’s a perfect reflection of Norman’s work ethic and strategy, opening herself to challenges and growth opportunities to further bullet-proof her skills and performance posture.Norman’s own podcast about comedy, Leading the Blind, is nearing its first year mark. Much like our own Comedy Wham, we share a history rich with common Austin comic guests. But Leading the Blind differs in style by taking a deeper, analytical look at building comedy careers and shows. Because of our mutual interest in the Austin comedy scene, we dig into trends, changes, and prospects. And then spice things up by talking about what we’ve learned from interviewing comics who make the scene one of the best in the country.
Norman just launched a new podcast, Gender Fluids, with local comedian Austin Smartt. Gender Fluids promises an irreverent and decidedly explicit look into gender and sex.
Like many of our guests, Arielle Norman is going to be spending some time in Los Angeles soon, in her continued pursuit of self-exploration and growth, but she assures us that she’s still going to be present and active in the Austin scene for as long as we’ll have her.
Keep up with Arielle Norman’s extensive appearances, shows, and projects at ArielleNorman.com. Follow her on Twitter, and alternate your introspective comedic podcast deep dives between Comedy Wham and Norman’s amazing Leading the Blind and the new Gender Fluids. Get your free pizza, prizes, and (wink wink) drinks on with her Thursdays at The New Movement Theatre for the Off Script Show. The next one is October 5th; see you there!
Valerie Lopez
Richard Goodwin