Meet Sara Benincasa, a NY comedian with a NC heart

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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I just discovered comedian Sara Benincasa, but she’s been kicking butt for awhile as a stand-up comedian who recently got notice for her vlogs sending up vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. She writes. She’s on the radio. She’s everywhere. And she’s frackin’ hilarious.

I emailed Sara after I saw one of her YouTube videos, and she kindly agreed to an email interview. Without further ado, here’s Sara.

Let’s talk about your year this year. You’ve had a lot of success. Does it feel like it’s come all at once, or that’s it’s been a long time coming.

I suppose it depends on how one looks at it. On the one hand, I didn’t start doing comedy in earnest until early 2006, a relatively short amount of time ago. On the other hand, once I threw myself into it, I put my head down and just plowed ahead. I guess I felt I had to make up for lost time. I’d spent a few years treading water, so to speak.

I’m grateful for the recent successes I’ve experienced. And I recognize that what I consider “success” may seem rather pitiful to someone who owns her own house (which I don’t) or her own parcel of land (which I don’t) her own car (which I don’t) or who has lovely children (which I don’t—mine are hideous).

I make web videos with my friend in my studio apartment, and some people in the media like them, so they put them on TV or on their own websites and then lots of other people get to see them, and that makes me very happy indeed. But until I have a savings account, I think I’ll feel like a bit of an amateur at being a grown-up.

What long and winding road led you to your current position?

I grew up in Flemington, New Jersey, a marvelous land of magic known primarily for its excellent fur company and its delightful outlet stores.

I went to Emerson College for a bit, and then had what was once quaintly referred to as a “nervous breakdown.” It involved heaps of delectable agoraphobia and tasty panic attacks. I moved back to New Jersey and took a bunch of delicious, delicious Prozac. I’d always liked the Carolinas, so I read up on NC and learned about Asheville. For the hell of it, I applied to UNCA and Warren Wilson.

I took a road trip to check out both schools during the summer. I didn’t even know if I’d be able to make it down there (I still had to do, like, breathing exercises and say affirmations like a goddamned hippie every time I left the front door), but it seemed worth a shot. I remember driving into Buncombe County for the first time, and at some point I looked around and I felt so oddly happy that I just started crying. It was just so beautiful, and it already felt like home. Also, there were hot shirtless farm boys riding around in the backs of pickup trucks, and I hadn’t had sex in eight months. So that was pretty fucking sweet, too.

So I went to Wilson for a couple years and loved it. Then I went to New Mexico to teach with AmeriCorps, and finished my credits for Wilson out there. I moved to New York to get my M.A. in teaching at Columbia, and that’s when I got into comedy. I worked a bunch of random jobs, and that about brings us up to today.

How many emails are currently in your inbox?

I’m insanely addicted to answering emails, so I actually only have two unanswered emails right now. One is from a reporter from the Finnish Broadcasting Company. I’m doing an interview with him tomorrow. The other is lost somewhere in the back pages of my Inbox and may or may not be of life-or-death importance.

Who’s the biggest pain in the ass you have to deal with?

I guess psycho haters are kind of a pain. I get a lot of anti-Semitic and racist hate mail from folks who see my Sarah Palin parody vlogs and, I guess, assume that I’m Jewish (I’m not, but I love their work! Keep at it, Hebraic peoples!) or that I enjoy the company of black people (true! 100% true! Guilty as charged!)

But you know, actually, I appreciate the hate mail, even though sometimes it’s really mean, because at least I know I’ve struck a nerve.

I guess the biggest pain in the ass would be…does my own tendency to procrastinate count?

Who’s nicer than you would expect?

I briefly met Bill Hader at a fundraiser for a nonprofit I do volunteer work for sometimes, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. He seemed like a pretty rad dude. But then, he gives off that vibe anyway, right? You’d probably expect Bill Hader to be a nice guy. Hmm…New Yorkers! New Yorkers are nicer and more helpful than you would expect

 What do you consider your comedic coming-of-age moment or experience?

I wrote to Margaret Cho a couple of years ago to tell her how much she had inspired me. She posted the letter on her blog, and it meant a lot to me. She impresses me over and over again by her willingness to recognize and celebrate her fans. She seems to understand that people need to be heard, to be noticed. She’s very gracious.

What’s on your desk/ work space right now?

Okay, so at Sirius, I’ve got two photos of Sarah Palin—one holding a big fish she presumably caught herself, one of her and a child with a bloody dead moose she presumably murdered herself. Also, there’s a great autographed photo of Cindy and John McCain, addressed to my dad. It’s mass-produced; he donated a money to the RNC sometime last year. Now he’s voting for Obama. Miracles can happen!

Also, there’s a roll of tape, because I just broke my glasses and had to tape them together before doing this evening’s show. YEAH, WHO’S GOT A BONER NOW? AM I RIGHT, BOYS? (My soul hurts.)

What are you reading these days?

The Internets. Wonkette.com is my favorite website. I also read Gawker.com, TheOnion.com (I interned for them and wrote for their web video division, and my boyfriend writes for them). I love JackandJillPolitics.com, a political site written from a young, black, progressive perspective. It speaks to me because I’m so young, black, and progressive. But mostly because I’m so very, very black.

What’s your favorite meal?

Anything that concludes with Amish pretzels. The Pennsylvania Dutch know how to bake a fucking pretzel.

Are you a music news junkie? Where do you get your news?

Oddly enough, no, although I work for MTV News’ Choose or Lose campaign (my web videos and bloggy stuff are at http://think.mtv.com/SaraBenincasaNY). I get my news from Wonkette and CNN. I have a thing for David Gergen. And Anderson Cooper. And Erika Hill. And Wolf Blitzer. I want to eff the Greatest Political Team on Television, pretty much. Throw Donna Brazile in there, too, Let’s just do it, already.

Which stereotype about a comedian most fits you?

I occasionally wear blazers. But I stop at the shoulder pads. I will not fucking go there.

Who’s your favorite funnyman/woman right now?

Margaret Cho. Amy Sedaris is up there, too.

If you could institute by decree one reform to stand-up comedy, what would it be?

Fewer douchebags. More badass ladies.

What’s one thing that Southern comedians are doing really well?

Southerners are by nature and by breeding incredible storytellers. Forget Southern comics—just the dude on the corner watching the girls go by has amazing stories to tell. Especially if he’s in Asheville, because he is high. But man, do I love Ron White. I really do. We’ve got a vlog coming up for 23/6 that makes fun of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and I felt kind of bad doing it, because I really do admire Ron White so much. I’d be honored to meet him some day. That guy can tell a fucking story.

What’s one thing they’re doing badly, and how could they do it better?

We need more progressive liberal Southern comedians out there pushing their viewpoint, to counteract the “Ya might be a redneck if” factor. The redneck shit is fine if that’s your bag, but it’d be cool to mix it up. And progressive liberal Southerners are the most progressive liberals of all.

Then again, I’m a Yankee, so you people don’t need me to tell you what the fuck to do.

What was your favorite source of comedy when you were 18? How about now?

When I was 18, I think I loved George Carlin, The Kids in the Hall and The Onion above and beyond. I still love The Kids in the Hall. I can hardly put my respect for Carlin into words. And my awe for what The Onion accomplishes hasn’t abated. If anything, I’m more impressed because I’ve seen firsthand how hard the editors, staff writers and contributors work. A couple of times a year, I go back to their September 2001 issue, which is archived online, just to remind myself of what great humor writing can really accomplish. It’s just extraordinary, and never fails to make me laugh and cry –not in some fucked-up, knee-jerk patriotic kind of way, but because the issue they did is actually beautiful. It’s fucking mournful. And it’s hilarious. I have no idea how they did it, but they did. It’s perfect.

I didn’t appreciate Margaret Cho’s comedy when I was 18, but then, her extraordinary films “I’m the One That I Want” and “Notorious C.H.O” had yet to be released. I look at those concert films the way I think Margaret probably looks at Richard Pryor’s concert films. Her brilliance and vulnerability and bawdiness and confidence and messy human flaws are so beautifully displayed in those films.

What are you happy about right now?

Being able to pay my rent. I don’t have any savings but I can usually make rent.

If you could have every Ashvegas reader do one thing, what would it be?

Buy local.

Fuck it, you people do that anyway, don’t you? Yeah, that’s what I thought. I love Asheville.