Home Comedian of the Day Comedian of the Day (5/17/23): Nina Kern

Comedian of the Day (5/17/23): Nina Kern

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Inspired by many legendary figures before her, this female comedian’s quick wit and bold material have her among the most sought-after performers in the Midwest. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Nina Kern. The Chicago, IL native shares some of her favorite moments in stand-up comedy and lets us know how she always owns the laughs.

Name: Nina Kern
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: @iamninakern
Years in Comedy: I started doing comedy in the fall of 2019…so almost 4 years!
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: I did a dating show on Adult Swim!
Comedic Influences: My all-time comedic influence is Lucille Ball. She made me fall in love with comedy and wanted to make people laugh. I also look up to other women comics such as Betty White, Tiffany Hadish, April Macie, Michelle Berteau, and Michelle Wolf.
Favorite Comedy Album: I’m not sure if I have a favorite comedy album by any household names, but out of my friends, my favorite comedy album that I have listened to is Prateek Srivastiva’s album, “Nick and Sheila’s Kid”
Favorite Comedy Special: My favorite comedy special is probably “Comeback Kid” by John Mulaney. I also love Ali Wong’s “Baby Cobra”.

After watching Baby Cobra, I knew I wanted to do stand-up.
Favorite Comedy Movie: Step Brothers
Favorite Comedy TV Show: Schitts Creek, I Love Lucy, and Bewitched
Favorite Comedic Character: Lucy in I Love Lucy
Favorite City to Perform In: Any small town that is ready to laugh
Favorite Topics to Joke About: A large portion of my comedy comes from my life, so most of the topics include: dating, sex, work, and family.
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: I love an audience that is ready to laugh and have a good time. Ones that are open-minded and don’t get easily offended and like dirty jokes.
Favorite Comedy Club: My favorite comedy club (that I’ve performed at so far) is The Laugh Factory in Chicago.

How did you discover your passion for comedy:
Ever since I was a kid I loved making people laugh and got addicted to it. I never outgrew it. Making people laugh has been a life-long passion of mine. I first started out acting, and then my love of acting also morphed into performing stand-up comedy.

What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
The first time I performed stand-up comedy I was so nervous I wanted to throw up. My first time performing stand-up was actually a fundraising event for a webseries I was a part of. I had my entire set memorized word for word like a monologue.

How would you describe your comedic style:
My comedy can be described as blue tinted, cringey, absurd, with a slice of a modern woman’s life.

Describe your process for comedic writing:
I like to make notes about something that I find funny in everyday life and then expand on that idea. I also try to practice it 3 times at open mics to see if it works before then taking it to an actual audience.

Describe the comedy scene in your area:
The comedy scene in Chicago is thriving. Every night of the week there are multiple open mics that you can do and there is no lack of shows! For the most part, the scene is really welcoming and supportive!

How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
I think success varies depending on who you ask. For me, when I know I will reach my goal of “success” when I am able to make a living doing this. For now, I define my success by performing well and finding joy in my craft.

Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
This is such a hard question because I admire so many of my peers and draw inspiration from them every day. But, some of the ones that immediately come to mind are Lyssa Laird, Erica Nicole Clark, Ariel Julie, and The Queeny Bitch. I chose these comics because they push boundaries, are authentically themselves, and every time I see them perform I want to be better.

What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
The most memorable moment in comedy for me was when I was first booked at Laugh Factory, I felt like I could actually call myself a comedian after performing in that room.

What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
That a bad night doesn’t make you a bad comic.

How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
When people find out that I can make people laugh they will say, “that’s weird, you’re not funny.” (these are mostly men that are intimidated by me because I am a funny person who also has a vagina) Or the other response is that they want me to tell them a joke. The next thing they will do is ask when I have a show next, and then not come.

Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
For me, building a career in stand-up comedy has been challenging, I wish there was a rule book telling me what to do and how to do it, but I think everyone has to follow their own journey and be consistent.

If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
One thing I would change is that there would be more opportunities for women and minorities.

Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
If you quit having fun, quit.

If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
I actually know what I want my first comedy special to be called, but I don’t want anyone to steal my idea so I’m not going to say it!

Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
This celebrity wasn’t a comedian, but when I worked at Cracker Barrel I poured Josh Turner’s coffee and got apple butter for one of the Cheetah Girls.

Oh! I also had a Bulls player at one of my tables and I slid into his DMs not knowing he played for the NBA.

Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
One of the most interesting places I performed at was a motorcycle club and it was one of the best shows of my life.

A Nina Kern Fun Fact:
I grew up extremely religious and used to work at a butcher shop.

Where would you like your laughs to take you:
At this point, my biggest goal is to make my money by making people laugh. I want comedy to pay all of my bills. I also want to have a special that is accessible for the general public to watch, as well as to perform in all 50 states.

If you could choose 1 comedy club and 3 comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
I would perform at The Comedy Store with April Macie, Michelle Wolf, and Michelle Berteau.

What’s next for you:
What’s next for me? Today it is going to be to go to therapy, and then hit a mic! I’m also recording my podcast tomorrow. It’s called White Collars, Red Hands. Check it out!

Why should a person always laugh at life:
Life is a beautiful, confusing, and sometimes terrible thing. There are always moments where you can find joy and something amusing in it.

Follow Nina Kern’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat/Tik-Tok: Nina Kern
Youtube: Nina Kern
Personal Website: Nina Kern