During a time when experts are failing us, why not seek advice from other people who also have no idea what they’re doing?
Honest Therapy is a weekly podcast where comedians Ben Herwitz and Emilie Hagen sit down for a therapeutic chat with some of their favorite entertainment personalities.
This week, model/comedian Irina Voronina sits down on the couch with Ben and Emile to share her story of coming to America to pursue her dreams.
Ben Herwitz: Ben Herwitz is a Los Angeles based stand up comedian. On stage he discusses everything from his friends and living situation to current events and the latest Netflix documentaries. He performs at The Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv, Ice House, Haha Cafe, and Flappers Comedy Club. Ben wasn’t always a working comic in the LA Comedy Scene. Prior to becoming a comedian, Ben was a athlete rowing crew for Trinity College in Connecticut and then went on to get his L1 Cert and start coaching at CrossFit Marin and actually competed on the CrossFit Games team from CrossFit Marin in one of the earliest Games at the Ranch in Aromas. You might have seen him in No Offense on Fox or the Castro Vegas Show on Amazon Prime.
Emilie Hagen: Emilie Hagen is a writer, comedian and host based in Los Angeles, California. After completing her B.A. in Broadcast Journalism in Buffalo, New York, she moved to Los Angeles and has been a correspondent for several different entertainment outlets: Clevver News, Android TV, Jukin Media, Click on This, Live Starring…You!, ABCs of Attraction, the Red Carpet Report and her own personal YouTube channel, “The Thirst.” She also travels the country as a live-event emcee and spokes model for various brands including Deezer Music and the Golden State Warriors. Emilie is an improv and writing student at Second City Hollywood and has list-style articles published on Buzzfeed and Thought Catalog, her favorite sites to visit while she’s procrastinating. Recently, a video she captured while waiting in line at the Hollywood post office went viral and was featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live and MTV’s “Joking Off.”
This Week’s Special Guest:
Irina Voronina: Irina Voronina came from Russia to the United States to become Playboy’s Miss January 2001. Born behind the iron curtain, in the city of Dzerzhinsk (USSR), she couldn’t even dream of leaving Russia. Yet, when the opportunity presented itself, she pursued a modeling career in Europe and moved to Milan, before making her way to the US to take her career to the next level. Since then Irina has had millions of visual impressions around the globe via the covers and pages of magazines including Maxim, Max, Playboy, FHM, Kandy and many more. She has appeared in numerous TV commercials and print campaigns representing international brands including SKYY, Bacardi, Miller Lite, Michelob, Sisley and Detour. In 2008 Irina was named St. Pauli Girl Spokes Model, completing a 12-city media tour around the US, hosting events and interacting with fans. She holds the title of a three-time Kandy Magazine cover girl, and the honor of Kandy Magazine’s 2013 Model of the Year. With Irina’s successful modeling career, Playmate status, Russian roots, and fish-out-of-water life experiences, standup comedy was destined to be in her future.
Irina began to showcase her comedic side when she landed her first big-screen break as the ‘funny foreign girl’ in Reno 911!: Miami. Since then, she’s built her comedy momentum appearing in a multitude of feature films, including Balls of Fury, Piranha 3DD, Lazer Team and Killing Hasselhoff, showcased her sexy/killer side in the indie film Scramble – which she co-produced, kept audiences laughing with television appearances on Svetlana (HD Net), Saul of the Molemen (Adult Swim), Supreme Court of Comedy (Direct TV), iCarly (Nickelodeon), Tosh.0 (Comedy Central), Reno 911! (Comedy Central) and helped expose social teen struggles in the critically acclaimed 13 Reasons Why (Netflix).
Irina’s comedic acting experience naturally progressed into the launch of her standup comedy career. Through-her unapologetic and straightforward sense of humor she gives audiences a hilarious glimpse of life back in USSR (compared to USA), life as an international model and Playmate, and the surprisingly relatable life experiences from her perspective. She frequently performs at comedy clubs throughout the Los Angeles and surrounding areas, including The Comedy Store, Flappers, Laugh Factory, and The Ice House. In 2018 Irina was chosen to perform
at the Comedy Festivals of San Diego, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Burbank, Orange County, and LA’s LaughRiot Grrrl. Her TV stand-up debut will air on Amazon Prime’s Laugh After Dark Season 2, set to be released in August of 2019.
Since 2015 Irina has put on her creator/producer hat with a monthly all-women standup show Comedy Stew at Bar Lubitsch, West Hollywood. Comedy Stew has become a ‘must-perform’ venue for female comedians in Los Angeles and is the inspiration behind a feministic documentary feature about the LA standup comedy scene and what it takes to make it as a female standup in a male-driven comedy business.
Irina loves connecting with her fans worldwide and stays active daily across all social media platforms with 4+ million followers. Irina writes, produces and edits original comedy content for her social media platforms. She maintains involvement with her bunny roots, Playboy Enterprises, and is proud to represent the iconic brand that helped launch her career
Checkout previous episodes of Honest Therapy featuring Craig Conant, Sam Tripoli, Malik B., Nikki Howard, and more HERE
