362: Jenny Chalikian and Erin Judge and Romantic Comedy: Live at the Ripped Bodice

Jenny Chalikian! Erin Judge! Comedians! Friends! Delights! More! Erin Judge and Jenny Chalikian have a new combo comedy out now called Romantic Comedy: Live At The Ripped Bodice, available everywhere comedy is streamed or sold. ABOUT THE ALBUM: Erin and Jenny have been hosting a monthly comedy showcase at the Los Angeles romance bookstore The Ripped Bodice since 2016. For this stand-up album, Erin and Jenny opened the show together, then each performed long sets of their own material. The result is a delightful and hilarious glimpse into what these two dynamic co-hosts experience in their day-to-day lives as queer women in LA. The two met performing comedy in North Carolina in 2012 (Erin was on tour; Jenny was local). After making LA their home, they approached Leah and Bea Koch, sisters and co-owners of The Ripped Bodice, about launching a monthly comedy showcase at the bookstore just a few weeks after it opened. Leah and Bea agreed to give them a shot, and Erin and Jenny named the new show Romantic Comedy. By bringing some of the best voices in LA comedy to the mostly-women book lovers that make up Ripped Bodice audiences, they built Romantic Comedy into a unique and fun monthly event that’s beloved by fans and comics alike. When Erin and Jenny started talking about making an album, they knew that The Ripped Bodice would be the perfect venue, and they were thrilled that Blonde Medicine was on board for a joint comedy album. Romantic Comedy: Live at The Ripped Bodice features both comics performing together up top, just like they do every month. Since Jenny is a regular caregiver of Erin’s two kids, their unique chosen family inspires a refreshing departure from the usual parenting material, that is still relatable to anyone who has to cope with the ridiculous and unexpected challenges of raising kids.  Erin shares stories of dealing with being old-pregnant and reluctantly polyamorous, and Jenny jokes about coming of age as a college gay in North Carolina and being a godmother with intense demon-fighting responsibilities.  ​​ ABOUT ERIN JUDGE: Erin Judge is an accomplished comedian, writer, and performer. She co-wrote (with Tina Romero) the forthcoming horror comedy film Queens of the Dead, starring Margaret Cho, Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey and more. Erin also wrote the award-winning novel Vow of Celibacy. Her previous comedy album, So Many Choices, is also available on Blonde Medicine. ABOUT JENNY CHALIKIAN: LA-based comedian Jenny Chalikian started out in North Carolina and quickly fell in love with stand-up comedy. After landing in LA in 2015, Jenny honed her voice working as a manager and a regular performer at the popular alt-comedy venue NerdMelt. Jenny blends observational comedy with personal anecdotes that touch on themes of identity, relationships, and the quirks of daily life. ​ ABOUT YOU: You are someone reading these words, considering listening to this podcast and I commend you for it. ABOUT THIS PODCAST EPISODE: This is only the first HALF of the conversation I had with Jenny and Erin.  For the second half, subscribe via Apple Podcasts OR merely click on over here to Patreon! Thanks and love, all!