Ever Mainard

Last Tuesday, at the tail end of an already excellent show, Ever Mainard did a set at Chicago Underground Comedy that blew a lot of people's doors off. She discussed a real (and painfully recent) incident where she had a terrifying encounter with a sketchy dude at the Morse stop on the Red Line. She openly broached an extremely sensitive and universal subject (the fear of sexual assault) and, in doing so, dipped a toe in some dangerous comedic waters.

Anyone who's done stand-up for any length of time has sat through terrible open mics and listened to terrible comics tell terrible jokes about the "terrible two" (yes, I just made that up): rape and abortion. 99.4% of all jokes that touch on these subjects are gaggingly awful attempts at shock-value comedy.

But we knew even before she walked off the stage that her set was one of the rare exceptions to this rule. It was honest, and raw, and rough - and had the entire room of men and women laughing. Not just the "ha ha, and clever juxtaposition of words and ideas" laugh, or the "ha ha, that caught me by surprise" laugh, but a - bear with me for using such a grandiose word here - transcendent laugh. It was an "I can't believe she's saying these words, and I can't believe she's making them funny" laugh. And it was definitely a "this has been my experience, too" laugh.

She was discussing something terribly painful that most people avoid acknowledging or discussing in regular conversation, and she was doing it ONSTAGE. And she was owning it, and re-forming it, and channeling it into something entirely new.

It was something really special. People stuck around after the show to tell us so, and asked us to put the clip online, so their friends could see it.



The next morning, Ever asked me to put her set online, so I edited it up all slick and pretty (and was inspired to write a new bit of music!), and uploaded it, texting with her all the while. Shortly thereafter, a little "ping" went off in my head, and I texted her "What would you think about me titling this clip 'Here's Your Rape?'" (a line she repeats in the bit). With both of us knowing full well it might open up a whole can of ugly internet worms, she said yes, and I changed the title.

Then I spent about an hour emailing various online media outlets I thought might be interested in posting and commenting on it. Feminist blogs, gay blogs, Chicago blogs, comedy blogs, street harassment blogs, and even public transportation-related blogs. LOTS of positive response, and lots of re-posting.

Below is a sample of the places where Ever's "Here's Your Rape" video has been posted online in the last two days since it went online. The Jezebel post (as of right now) has been read over 33,000 times, and the count on my YouTube posting is stuck at just under 5,000, which I know from experience means it's getting tons and tons of hits (which will show up in the hit count sometime later).

Jezebel: "Ever Mainard proves that rape jokes can be funny — in this case, funny because they're true."

Strollerderby (thanks to Carolyn Castiglia): "Mainard makes a lot of excellent (and hilarious) points in this clip"

Gapers Block: "Local comic Ever Mainard had a set this past Tuesday at Chicago Underground Comedy that people are still talking about."

Laughterkey: "Perfect example of how joking about rape can be funny if it’s clever, insightful, honest and/or you know - funny. The “here’s my rape” thing is something every woman can relate to, which is sad, but she keeps it from getting too dark by staying wonderfully absurd."

RedEye Chicago: "Props to Chicago funny lady…@evermainard for getting props from @Jezebel!"

geriatricgretch: "this is fantastic. I pretty much think this all the time."

jenawithonen: "it’s funny because it’s true; i can’t count how many times i’ve been walking by myself and thought this."

Clarissa's Blog

And, of course, our old pals at The Apiary.

We're very proud of Ever. ??
- Bellorossa.blogspot.com

Last Tuesday, at the tail end of an already excellent show, Ever Mainard did a set at Chicago Underground Comedy that blew a lot of people's doors off. She discussed a real (and painfully recent) incident where she had a terrifying encounter with a sketchy dude at the Morse stop on the Red Line. She openly broached an extremely sensitive and universal subject (the fear of sexual assault) and, in doing so, dipped a toe in some dangerous comedic waters.

Anyone who's done stand-up for any length of time has sat through terrible open mics and listened to terrible comics tell terrible jokes about the "terrible two" (yes, I just made that up): rape and abortion. 99.4% of all jokes that touch on these subjects are gaggingly awful attempts at shock-value comedy.

But we knew even before she walked off the stage that her set was one of the rare exceptions to this rule. It was honest, and raw, and rough - and had the entire room of men and women laughing. Not just the "ha ha, and clever juxtaposition of words and ideas" laugh, or the "ha ha, that caught me by surprise" laugh, but a - bear with me for using such a grandiose word here - transcendent laugh. It was an "I can't believe she's saying these words, and I can't believe she's making them funny" laugh. And it was definitely a "this has been my experience, too" laugh.

She was discussing something terribly painful that most people avoid acknowledging or discussing in regular conversation, and she was doing it ONSTAGE. And she was owning it, and re-forming it, and channeling it into something entirely new.

It was something really special. People stuck around after the show to tell us so, and asked us to put the clip online, so their friends could see it.



The next morning, Ever asked me to put her set online, so I edited it up all slick and pretty (and was inspired to write a new bit of music!), and uploaded it, texting with her all the while. Shortly thereafter, a little "ping" went off in my head, and I texted her "What would you think about me titling this clip 'Here's Your Rape?'" (a line she repeats in the bit). With both of us knowing full well it might open up a whole can of ugly internet worms, she said yes, and I changed the title.

Then I spent about an hour emailing various online media outlets I thought might be interested in posting and commenting on it. Feminist blogs, gay blogs, Chicago blogs, comedy blogs, street harassment blogs, and even public transportation-related blogs. LOTS of positive response, and lots of re-posting.

Below is a sample of the places where Ever's "Here's Your Rape" video has been posted online in the last two days since it went online. The Jezebel post (as of right now) has been read over 33,000 times, and the count on my YouTube posting is stuck at just under 5,000, which I know from experience means it's getting tons and tons of hits (which will show up in the hit count sometime later).

Jezebel: "Ever Mainard proves that rape jokes can be funny — in this case, funny because they're true."

Strollerderby (thanks to Carolyn Castiglia): "Mainard makes a lot of excellent (and hilarious) points in this clip"

Gapers Block: "Local comic Ever Mainard had a set this past Tuesday at Chicago Underground Comedy that people are still talking about."

Laughterkey: "Perfect example of how joking about rape can be funny if it’s clever, insightful, honest and/or you know - funny. The “here’s my rape” thing is something every woman can relate to, which is sad, but she keeps it from getting too dark by staying wonderfully absurd."

RedEye Chicago: "Props to Chicago funny lady…@evermainard for getting props from @Jezebel!"

geriatricgretch: "this is fantastic. I pretty much think this all the time."

jenawithonen: "it’s funny because it’s true; i can’t count how many times i’ve been walking by myself and thought this."

Clarissa's Blog

And, of course, our old pals at The Apiary.

We're very proud of Ever. ??
- Bellorossa.blogspot.com

EVER MAINARD
Ever Mainard, while the youngest and newest to the scene, is certainly no less driven or talented than the four women in her company. She performs almost every night, runs an open mic, co-produces a bunch of shows and is consistently generating new material. Ever Mainard will, without a doubt in my mind, be famous in five years.

How did you wind up in Chicago?

I was going to go to school for bio-chemistry and then I changed it to general studies so I could get into a theater school... that's when I decided to move. I found an apartment on Craigslist and by the time I flew back home from finding my apartment, I had gotten a scholarship to study theater.

When did you know that this was what you wanted to do?

I came to Chicago right after I turned 21. I knew from a young age that all I wanted to do for the rest of my life was comedy. My parents would wake me up for "Carol Burnett" and "Saturday Night Live" and "Mad TV." It was a weird family gathering and a weird way to bond. I would mimic those characters... so doing characters was really natural for me. When I was 18 I joined an improv troupe. I come from small town in Texas, so it was really just a couple of weirdos doing short form games. Then I started taking classes in Austin and was like, "Hey you're doing this wrong." They were doing long form and we were doing short form. I researched people that I liked and people told me about Second City and iO. I was doing improv and standup in Austin and Temple, where I'm from.

You were doing all of that at 18?

Right. But what's your world view when you're 18, right?

Is there footage of that?

There is, somewhere on a VHS. I might have deleted it because I was too embarrassed. There's also footage of me doing a character named DeeDee. I did a lot of character standup when I was younger. I lost some of that when I moved up here because I was so intimidated... I guess I just thought of the mean, sarcastic standup. For about a year I was afraid to do this, and then I went to a couple of open mics and people were really nice!

I feel like a lot of people have this image of that '80s standup guy who is mean from the stage.

Yeah! That's exactly what I thought!

But everyone loved you.

Yeah. I mean, everyone pretty much likes each other here. When you're younger in the scene, you don't really have a reason to dislike anyone. And you really don't as you grow, either. If I were to have a party, I would still invite everybody. It sounds weird, but it's a really cool community here. I was scared, but then I moved up here and did Second City and most of iO. I got so busy with stand-up and doing sketch festivals, I just started going down whatever road was in front of me and being persistent.

You're like a steamroller.

I knew coming up here what I wanted to do, and... things have gotten in the way... it comes to a point where either people will understand that you're giving as much as you can or not. It's a selfish career, but it really doesn't have to be. That's why I love to do fundraisers. Standup is very selfish.

Performing in general can be a selfish thing, but if you're good at it, you're also making people forget about their own lives for a minute.

But people here, I've noticed, will take a three-month or a six-month or even a year long break and then just get right back into it. I understand, but at the same time, it's hard to stop when you have momentum.

Do you ever hate performing the same stuff over and over?

I started getting really tired of the jokes that I had. It's really about starting fresh, I feel. I do so many shows that it's sometimes hard to write, so I'll improvise a set, or improvise off of a joke... I'll get more jokes out of that. Then I'll sit down and write again and try to write a whole new set.

So it's like a rotation?

Yeah, I rotate out my jokes and when I can't rotate them all I can't do a show anymore. I like to start fresh, is what I'm saying. So... the way to not get bored or hate yourself is sometimes starting new.

Can you walk me through a day in your life?

I open, which means that I get up at 4:30 every morning. I lay in bed until 4:45. This morning I didn't even brush my teeth; I squirted toothpaste into my mouth and slugged water. I sloshed toothpaste water in my mouth for three blocks before I spit it out. I was so late. I work for eight hours, and then I go home and try to relax until about 3. Sometimes I shower, sometimes I eat, I check email and messages. I take a nap 'til about 5 or 6, get up, take a shower, eat something and go to a show. Then it's back home, three-hour nap, getting up and going back to work. I have a 30-minute break every day, and it's literally just me scarfing down food and trying not to cry because some lady is yelling at me about Splenda.

So what is your comedy schedule like?

I do "Shit Show" open mic on Monday nights. It's really fun. Rasa, my co-host, and I got really bored wi - Gapersblock.com

EVER MAINARD
Ever Mainard, while the youngest and newest to the scene, is certainly no less driven or talented than the four women in her company. She performs almost every night, runs an open mic, co-produces a bunch of shows and is consistently generating new material. Ever Mainard will, without a doubt in my mind, be famous in five years.

How did you wind up in Chicago?

I was going to go to school for bio-chemistry and then I changed it to general studies so I could get into a theater school... that's when I decided to move. I found an apartment on Craigslist and by the time I flew back home from finding my apartment, I had gotten a scholarship to study theater.

When did you know that this was what you wanted to do?

I came to Chicago right after I turned 21. I knew from a young age that all I wanted to do for the rest of my life was comedy. My parents would wake me up for "Carol Burnett" and "Saturday Night Live" and "Mad TV." It was a weird family gathering and a weird way to bond. I would mimic those characters... so doing characters was really natural for me. When I was 18 I joined an improv troupe. I come from small town in Texas, so it was really just a couple of weirdos doing short form games. Then I started taking classes in Austin and was like, "Hey you're doing this wrong." They were doing long form and we were doing short form. I researched people that I liked and people told me about Second City and iO. I was doing improv and standup in Austin and Temple, where I'm from.

You were doing all of that at 18?

Right. But what's your world view when you're 18, right?

Is there footage of that?

There is, somewhere on a VHS. I might have deleted it because I was too embarrassed. There's also footage of me doing a character named DeeDee. I did a lot of character standup when I was younger. I lost some of that when I moved up here because I was so intimidated... I guess I just thought of the mean, sarcastic standup. For about a year I was afraid to do this, and then I went to a couple of open mics and people were really nice!

I feel like a lot of people have this image of that '80s standup guy who is mean from the stage.

Yeah! That's exactly what I thought!

But everyone loved you.

Yeah. I mean, everyone pretty much likes each other here. When you're younger in the scene, you don't really have a reason to dislike anyone. And you really don't as you grow, either. If I were to have a party, I would still invite everybody. It sounds weird, but it's a really cool community here. I was scared, but then I moved up here and did Second City and most of iO. I got so busy with stand-up and doing sketch festivals, I just started going down whatever road was in front of me and being persistent.

You're like a steamroller.

I knew coming up here what I wanted to do, and... things have gotten in the way... it comes to a point where either people will understand that you're giving as much as you can or not. It's a selfish career, but it really doesn't have to be. That's why I love to do fundraisers. Standup is very selfish.

Performing in general can be a selfish thing, but if you're good at it, you're also making people forget about their own lives for a minute.

But people here, I've noticed, will take a three-month or a six-month or even a year long break and then just get right back into it. I understand, but at the same time, it's hard to stop when you have momentum.

Do you ever hate performing the same stuff over and over?

I started getting really tired of the jokes that I had. It's really about starting fresh, I feel. I do so many shows that it's sometimes hard to write, so I'll improvise a set, or improvise off of a joke... I'll get more jokes out of that. Then I'll sit down and write again and try to write a whole new set.

So it's like a rotation?

Yeah, I rotate out my jokes and when I can't rotate them all I can't do a show anymore. I like to start fresh, is what I'm saying. So... the way to not get bored or hate yourself is sometimes starting new.

Can you walk me through a day in your life?

I open, which means that I get up at 4:30 every morning. I lay in bed until 4:45. This morning I didn't even brush my teeth; I squirted toothpaste into my mouth and slugged water. I sloshed toothpaste water in my mouth for three blocks before I spit it out. I was so late. I work for eight hours, and then I go home and try to relax until about 3. Sometimes I shower, sometimes I eat, I check email and messages. I take a nap 'til about 5 or 6, get up, take a shower, eat something and go to a show. Then it's back home, three-hour nap, getting up and going back to work. I have a 30-minute break every day, and it's literally just me scarfing down food and trying not to cry because some lady is yelling at me about Splenda.

So what is your comedy schedule like?

I do "Shit Show" open mic on Monday nights. It's really fun. Rasa, my co-host, and I got really bored wi - Gapersblock.com

Comedian Ever Mainard Sets Stage as the Next Carol Burnett
OCTOBER 26, 2012 BY ELIZABETH-FITZGERALD 1 COMMENT

BY ELIZABETH FITZGERALD
When Ever Mainard, co-host of the Shit Show, a comedy showcase seen every last Friday of the month at The Shambles in Wicker Park, talks about her burgeoning comedy career, one could easily mistake her speech for that of a seasoned (and sagacious) performer taking a look back: “To succeed you have to be smart.” “It’s important to make connections.” “It’s about balance.” “You have to take care of your body.”
This kind of thoughtfulness continued throughout our conversation we had earlier this month, on the same day Mainard was scheduled to host a show at the new UP Comedy Club above Second City’s mainstage. The show was starring well-known comic and actor Maria Bamford, who is just coming off a stint on the ever-popular Louie on the FX network. Mainard seemed calm. “I like hosting. You have control. You set the tone.”
Her affinity for holding the position as MC extends well past her excitement for her role in that particular night’s show; when I asked her what’s next after she, as all Chicago comics have (heartbreakingly) done before her and leave the windy city for New York or Los Angeles, she placidly replied, “I’d like to have my own variety show. I love Carol Burnett.”
Growing up in Temple, Texas, variety shows and sketch comedy are all Mainard remembers watching: “As a kid, that’s what I grew up on. My family would wake me up to come watch (Carol Burnett) and SNL. My parents encouraged me to watch. (I would love to have) just an evening-time, goofy variety show; just have a cast that does sketches.”
Hearing her ultimate want for her profession to be one of collaboration in a highly individualistic line of work might feel a bit idiosyncratic. But Mainard didn’t seem keen on being a sole-proprietor, in fact, she even seemed to be carrying a sense of guilt about her choice of profession: “It’s really selfish.”
It is true that her schedule isn’t that agreeable with the meeting of new friends. Mainard rises at 5:20 to get to her day job at a coffee shop by 6 a.m. (she bikes from Logan Square to Old Town). She stays until two, then it’s a bike trip back to the apartment for a quick nap before doing stand-up. If she is in a show, the afternoon is spent writing instead of sleeping. Depending on how many gigs Mainard has per night, she might not return home until 1 or 2 a.m. When asked how many evenings she does stand-up, she responded, “Seven. Seven nights a week.” She continued: “I used to have a life. You lose touch with so many people.”
Her comic persona is at the same time alike and different from the real Ever or, at least, Mainard thinks so. Charming and pleasant company in person, she describes her style on stage as “little weird and aloof.” In reality, she’s fluid on stage, her demeanor, even obliging.
Oh, and she’s intensely funny. In 2012, she got the accolades to prove it: Mainard was named one of Chicago Magazine’s Top 100 Comics in Chicago, has a spot on RedEye’s Top 7 Acts to Watch, and is now a member of the esteemed Chicago Underground Comedy (CHUC), a “super supportive” place she calls feels “really blessed to be a part of.”
Many of her well-resonating bits originate from personal stories. “Stand up is so fun for me because I can be myself on stage and people can relate to that because everybody’s had some weird experience that ties into mine.” Mainard continues: “A couple of summers ago I started getting really busy and I had all these weird experiences happen to me and the funny just kind of came up.”
The absurd personal stories Mainard draws upon for her comedy simultaneously expose both her hilarity and intelligence; many of Ever’s more well-known jokes offer up social critique about the state of women in society. For Mainard, comedy is about “understanding our culture; understanding where we go.”
One memorable bit examines the story of an unfortunate gynecological exam in which an ill-informed doctor refused to perform a Pap smear on the comedian. “I went to the Galilee Medical and Dental Center in Ravenswood. Dental. There is a big room and two desks and one major hallway and no signs. They didn’t have resident doctors. Why did I not just ask my friends where to go?”
Mainard’s career is still an uphill battle. “I don’t have an agent. Don’t know how to play that game.” Still, she holds a place as rising notable, along with many of her counterparts from her days studying at Second City. “A lot of us from my (Second City) class are reaching that level now.”
Mainard’s quiet gravitas does her well. She has successfully made a name for herself as a rising Chicago comic while at the same time maintained a deferential attitude towards her ascending local fame, a feat that shows an uncanny intelligence about the business.
“(I’m never) publicly rude or publicly awful. A lot of (other comics) have Twitter meltdowns or Facebook meltdowns and I’m just - MYDAILYFINDCHICAGO.COM

Comedian Ever Mainard Sets Stage as the Next Carol Burnett
OCTOBER 26, 2012 BY ELIZABETH-FITZGERALD 1 COMMENT

BY ELIZABETH FITZGERALD
When Ever Mainard, co-host of the Shit Show, a comedy showcase seen every last Friday of the month at The Shambles in Wicker Park, talks about her burgeoning comedy career, one could easily mistake her speech for that of a seasoned (and sagacious) performer taking a look back: “To succeed you have to be smart.” “It’s important to make connections.” “It’s about balance.” “You have to take care of your body.”
This kind of thoughtfulness continued throughout our conversation we had earlier this month, on the same day Mainard was scheduled to host a show at the new UP Comedy Club above Second City’s mainstage. The show was starring well-known comic and actor Maria Bamford, who is just coming off a stint on the ever-popular Louie on the FX network. Mainard seemed calm. “I like hosting. You have control. You set the tone.”
Her affinity for holding the position as MC extends well past her excitement for her role in that particular night’s show; when I asked her what’s next after she, as all Chicago comics have (heartbreakingly) done before her and leave the windy city for New York or Los Angeles, she placidly replied, “I’d like to have my own variety show. I love Carol Burnett.”
Growing up in Temple, Texas, variety shows and sketch comedy are all Mainard remembers watching: “As a kid, that’s what I grew up on. My family would wake me up to come watch (Carol Burnett) and SNL. My parents encouraged me to watch. (I would love to have) just an evening-time, goofy variety show; just have a cast that does sketches.”
Hearing her ultimate want for her profession to be one of collaboration in a highly individualistic line of work might feel a bit idiosyncratic. But Mainard didn’t seem keen on being a sole-proprietor, in fact, she even seemed to be carrying a sense of guilt about her choice of profession: “It’s really selfish.”
It is true that her schedule isn’t that agreeable with the meeting of new friends. Mainard rises at 5:20 to get to her day job at a coffee shop by 6 a.m. (she bikes from Logan Square to Old Town). She stays until two, then it’s a bike trip back to the apartment for a quick nap before doing stand-up. If she is in a show, the afternoon is spent writing instead of sleeping. Depending on how many gigs Mainard has per night, she might not return home until 1 or 2 a.m. When asked how many evenings she does stand-up, she responded, “Seven. Seven nights a week.” She continued: “I used to have a life. You lose touch with so many people.”
Her comic persona is at the same time alike and different from the real Ever or, at least, Mainard thinks so. Charming and pleasant company in person, she describes her style on stage as “little weird and aloof.” In reality, she’s fluid on stage, her demeanor, even obliging.
Oh, and she’s intensely funny. In 2012, she got the accolades to prove it: Mainard was named one of Chicago Magazine’s Top 100 Comics in Chicago, has a spot on RedEye’s Top 7 Acts to Watch, and is now a member of the esteemed Chicago Underground Comedy (CHUC), a “super supportive” place she calls feels “really blessed to be a part of.”
Many of her well-resonating bits originate from personal stories. “Stand up is so fun for me because I can be myself on stage and people can relate to that because everybody’s had some weird experience that ties into mine.” Mainard continues: “A couple of summers ago I started getting really busy and I had all these weird experiences happen to me and the funny just kind of came up.”
The absurd personal stories Mainard draws upon for her comedy simultaneously expose both her hilarity and intelligence; many of Ever’s more well-known jokes offer up social critique about the state of women in society. For Mainard, comedy is about “understanding our culture; understanding where we go.”
One memorable bit examines the story of an unfortunate gynecological exam in which an ill-informed doctor refused to perform a Pap smear on the comedian. “I went to the Galilee Medical and Dental Center in Ravenswood. Dental. There is a big room and two desks and one major hallway and no signs. They didn’t have resident doctors. Why did I not just ask my friends where to go?”
Mainard’s career is still an uphill battle. “I don’t have an agent. Don’t know how to play that game.” Still, she holds a place as rising notable, along with many of her counterparts from her days studying at Second City. “A lot of us from my (Second City) class are reaching that level now.”
Mainard’s quiet gravitas does her well. She has successfully made a name for herself as a rising Chicago comic while at the same time maintained a deferential attitude towards her ascending local fame, a feat that shows an uncanny intelligence about the business.
“(I’m never) publicly rude or publicly awful. A lot of (other comics) have Twitter meltdowns or Facebook meltdowns and I’m just - MYDAILYFINDCHICAGO.COM

.... “The problem is that every woman in her entire life has that one moment when you think, ‘Oh! Here’s my rape!’”

Pretty simple: This isn’t a joke about women getting raped—it’s a joke about the way that rape culture, which includes rape jokes,makes women feel. It’s like the difference between a black comic telling a joke about how it feels to have white people treat you like you’re stupid all the time vs. a white comic telling a joke about how stupid black people are. - JEZEBLE.COM

.... “The problem is that every woman in her entire life has that one moment when you think, ‘Oh! Here’s my rape!’”

Pretty simple: This isn’t a joke about women getting raped—it’s a joke about the way that rape culture, which includes rape jokes,makes women feel. It’s like the difference between a black comic telling a joke about how it feels to have white people treat you like you’re stupid all the time vs. a white comic telling a joke about how stupid black people are. - JEZEBLE.COM

Its wild card is Mainard, whom one can spot a mile away as a practiced stage comedian, and who provides numerous moments of hilarity here. - Variety Magazine