Maisie Adam Instagram – “As a comic, you grow a thick skin – but you also build up a mental library of putdowns that can silence someone in seconds,” says Maisie Adam.
“They always think they’re the first to shout something, but they’re not. I try to pre-empt what they say. A lot of the time it’s about my haircut, so I’ll mention my hair the second I walk on stage.”
That thick skin comes in handy not just on stage, but on panel shows – long criticised for being dominated by male comedians.
“What I love about this job is that if you’re funny, the crowd will like you. It’s a real meritocracy in that sense. But in another sense, it isn’t. It’s also about who’s booking the gigs and how many women they’re letting on stage. And when I’m gigging, I have to think about things like: ‘Will I be walking back to the hotel or the station alone at night?’ That’s not something my male colleagues always have to worry about.”
The Yorkshire-born stand-up burst on to the scene in 2017 when she won the prestigious So You Think You’re Funny? competition at the Edinburgh Fringe. Since then, she has become a familiar face on panel shows including QI and A League Of Their Own. So how does she stay afloat in the famously cut-throat world of comedy?
⬆️ At the link in @theipaper’s bio, @maisieadam speaks to Emily Cope about the hidden sexism in stand-up, silencing hecklers and giving a leg-up to women’s football
⬇️ Comment ‘Read more’ to receive the interview in your DMs. | Posted on 04/May/2025 13:53:09
