A sharp, introspective stand-up comedian known for blending dry wit with brutally honest storytelling. With a style that’s both cerebral and deeply relatable, she explores anxiety, relationships, identity, and the quiet absurdities of modern life through smart, tightly written jokes. Her comedy feels like a thoughtful conversation that slowly sneaks up on you with big laughs—making her a favorite among audiences who appreciate humor that’s as clever as it is emotionally grounded. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Rebecca Kaplan. The Brooklyn, NY native shares some of her favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how she always owns the laughs.
Name: Rebecca Kaplan
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Instagram/Twitter/Tik-Tok: @RebeccaTKaplan
Years in Comedy: 6
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: I’ve been featured on SiriusXM, NPR and the front page of WorldStarHipHop
Comedic Influences: I love some of the older stuff – Burns and Allen, Tom Lehrer, SCTV.
Favorite Comedy Album: Emo Philip’s album E=MO2. He draws such a weird, dark, strange specific world and hilarious one-liners.
Favorite Comedy Special: Right now, Ali Wong’s Single Lady (2024). Her bit about writing a joke in real time and telling it to a man she was breaking up with in real time was very relatable.
Favorite Comedy Movie: Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Favorite Comedy TV Show: The Simpsons seasons 1 to 10.
Favorite Comedic Character: I love Nancy in Ernie Bushmiller’s Nancy comics. You don’t often get to see a girl being unapologetically lazy, rude and selfish in media. It’s refreshing.
Favorite City to Perform In: I perform the most in New York, but I’m happy performing anywhere, really. It’s great getting the chance to adapt to different types of crowds.
Favorite Topics to Joke About: The most common themes in my material are probably feminist issues, animal rights/veganism, neurodivergence and grammar.
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: Literally, anyone who’s sober enough to pay attention.
Favorite Comedy Club: (Laughs) Anywhere that will book me!
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
Comedy has always been a part of my life. My family was always cracking jokes with each other, and taking me to see comedies. Almost as soon as I was able to write, I was trying to write funny stuff.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
One of my friends encouraged me to try the open mic at my college. I wrote a five minute set. A few friends came out and laughed their heads off. It was a huge rush, and honestly, very addictive.
How would you describe your comedic style:
I really like dry, deadpan, absurdist humor.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I journal almost every morning and try to freewrite at least once a week. If I have an idea for something or hear something that strikes me as funny or intersting, I jot it down immediately. You will forget it. I usually flesh stuff out on paper and then tweak it further on stage in the moment and listen back to the tape of my set to see if I ad libbed anything that’s worth keeping.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
New York is super competitive but it’s also such a huge scene that it feels like there’s space for everyone. There’s cliques for sure but there’s also enough going on that you can be on the outs with someone and it won’t affect you in any meaningful way. There’s well over 10,000 people doing standup in New York. Every week I meet people who have been living here and seriously pursuing standup for years and I’ve never even heard of them.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
I think finding happiness in where you are now is the biggest sign of success to me. If you don’t learn how to be happy now, you’ll never be content, because there’s always going to be another rung on the ladder to get to.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
Jacob Williams is super funny – I love watching him do improv and come up with funny lines on the spot. I’m inspired by my Bad Fan Fic podcast co-hosts: Amanda Lynn Baez is crushing it with Chud City Comedy at the Gutter in Brooklyn; Laura Merli is so driven and posting hilarious things on social media every single day; Arielle Dundas is crushing it on Threads.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
I recently got the chance to audition for Chocolate Sundaes at the Laugh Factory in LA. That was probably my most memorable moment to date because I had literally signed up for it three years before, so it was very in my head for a long time, and then the audition itself went by so fast. It’s a crazy rush having the full attention of over 100 people.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
I think one of my biggest problems is over-committing myself to things. When I do badly on a show, it’s often because I haven’t given myself the chance to sleep properly or plan my set. I’m trying to say “yes” with more consideration this year and find the sweet spot of balance between work, comedy, housework, exercise, friends, family, and taking time to recharge.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
People are often surprised because I’m very quiet, especially when I first meet someone, and then I get onstage and I act like almost a completely different person. I like reminding people that shy people can be funny, too.
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
I think there’s a combination of fostering connections and waiting for people to give you opportunities, and then creating your own opportunities and giving them to yourself. Everyone has a different ratio of how they get there.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
I think it would be nice if everyone made an attempt to be friendlier to other people, and be less spiteful and jealous. I’m trying to work on this myself.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Never undervalue yourself.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“How to Act Normal”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
I was at a bar, pretty trashed (it was my birthday!), and Scott Adsit walks in. My friend is such a huge 30 Rock fan so I asked if he would take a picture with her. He kindly obliged. I was so drunk I took pictures for an awkwardly long time and Scott very kindly stayed in the pose until my friend stopped me and was like, “That’s enough.”
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
A private house party that was half members of my temple, including our rabbi. I didn’t think through my set ahead of time so I can now say that I’ve called myself a slut in front of my rabbi.
A Rebecca Kaplan Fun Fact:
Last week, I made like $1.33 as a content bonus for posting a picture of my butt on Instagram. (Feel free to dig through my content until you find it and let me know what you think.)
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
I would love to make a living from comedy. I don’t want to be famous, because I like walking through life anonymously, but I wouldn’t mind the exact type of fame where a couple of people recognize you occasionally and are like, “Hey, I like your work.”
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
Pause. Take your time with it. If the audience isn’t laughing, stay calm and keep going. You’re much more likely to win them over if you seem confident, even if you aren’t feeling it.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I feel like social media and video has more lasting power than live shows, so I’m trying to focus on that, but I also think nothing can truly replace the rush of performing live and of seeing a live performance. I’m trying to figure out a balance that I can make peace with and not think too much about where the industry is going.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
I’d love to write an episode of How I Met Your Mother to go after the finale where they show some of Ted’s life with the mother before she passes away. The fact that they reduced her to basically two sentences in Ted’s story and a vehicle to getting the children kind of ruined the show for me.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
If I could book any comedian alive I’d have to go Emo Philips, Jeff Hiller and Andrea Martin. Venue? I hear there’s a comedy club in Aruba. That’s my pick, as long as someone else is paying for the flight.
What’s next for you:
I’m about to release a new podcast called Title to Cum, where we read and riff on old erotic fiction with different guest comedians. I’m also gearing up to release season 2 of Bad Fan Fic podcast, where we riff on bad fanfiction. Follow me on Instagram and YouTube; I’m always posting new sketches, standup clips and upcoming shows there.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Life can get pretty depressing sometimes, and you can’t laugh at it, you’ll cry.
Follow Rebecca Kaplan’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter: Rebecca Kaplan
Youtube: Rebecca Kaplan
