The Comedian who loved Lady Bird

The worst people on Twitter are quick to declare ‘You couldn’t make a movie like Blazing Saddles today.’ I’m not interested in getting into that; we all know that if Mel Brooks were dead today, he’d be turning in his grave to see the way ‘free thinking’ libertarian dickheads use his explicit critique of racism to justify what amounts to modern day racism barely covered by a thin sheen of irreverence. What I’m interested in is the other side of this coin. Assuming you couldn’t make Blazing Saddles today, imagine making Lady Bird back then. It’s undeniable that the face of comedy is changing. It’s getting more personal, more sincere. A comedian in Mel Brooks’ time wouldn’t mind inventing a whole life story to get to a punchline; now, a comedian will pepper in some jokes to keep you interested as they tell you whole their life story, tragedy and all. So much of comedy, be it in stand-up, film or TV, seems as interested in making people feel as it is in making them laugh. Is this a good thing? How has it come about? I speak to comedian, writer and producer Imogen Trusselle about her experiences with stand-up and the strong need for empathy in comedy as we get the bottom of her love for Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. Along with Pravanya Pillay, Imogen runs Party, a comedy night in Bristol. Follow them on instagram and twitter to find out about shows @partyatcube Imogen also runs Wendy’s House with Ted Milligan, a monthly queer comedy night in London. They can be found on Twitter and Instagram @wendyshouse2n Instagram @loveandcontentpod Twitter @lovecontentpod