I first tried out for the team in February 2023 and made the women’s 035 team for the Pan Am Continental Cup, which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December of last year. We won silver. You have to try out for each tour, so this year I flew to Richmond, Virginia on a redeye flight straight from my Netflix Is A Joke Fest show in Los Angeles, landed and went straight to the William and Mary turf for tryouts. I made the 035 squad again, but wasn’t able to practice more than once with some of them, which is a tricky part about the Masters program. We don’t get to train together or play as much as we’d like before competing. We also had some of last tour’s players transition to the 040 squad. I’m currently at the Masters World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, and we are getting better with each game. It’s fun playing with newcomers and seasoned vets alike.
How was your special last received?
People seemed to like it. It didn’t go viral or set off the Netflix algorithm, but it landed on a lot of the “best of” lists for 2023. I was particularly touched by The New York Times review by Jason Zinoman, who made me feel very seen in terms of where my humor originates and my style.
When is the last time you were in Dayton?
I was home in April for my birthday and the solar eclipse! I also met up with my mom and aunts in Bloomington, Indiana when I played the Comedy Attic in August. But I love being home in Dayton to see family and friends. It’s particularly fun to visit now that I’m an adult with independence and go to Ghostlight, Pettibone, Warehouse 4 or Dorothy Lane Market whenever I want.
What’s new in the last year?
I’ve been touring again which has been fun. I remain surprised by how much there is to learn about myself on the road, even 17 years into stand-up. I also celebrated a one-year anniversary with my cute boyfriend Adam. He’s going to direct my next special so he’s joined me on a few tour dates to have a good grasp on my new hour. The television writing and development world is still feeling the effects of the Writers Guild of America strike, but I continue to develop and pitch, despite it feeling like an exercise in futility.
What should people expect at your show?
A lot of people ask if I will be performing anything from my (latest) Netflix special, and the answer is no. I try to have as much new material when I return to a city, but it’s especially important to move on from material I’ve released in a special. I think I underestimate an audience’s appetite to hear jokes or stories they know/love, but there is much more criticism of a comic that doesn’t write new material.
What are your hopes for the show/visit to Dayton?
I am hoping I can sell all the tickets. I’m really looking forward to being home for Halloween before the show. It’s so fun to pass out candy with my mom to the trick-or-treaters. I want to visit the new market downtown I’ve heard about, and get some good coffee and sweets. I’m also venturing to my alma mater, Miami University, to watch the field hockey team play Kent State. I’m trying to set up a record release party on Nov. 3 if my “If You Didn’t Want Me Then” records are pressed and sent in time to Blind Rage Records. My good friend and incredible comedian Sarah Silverman will also be coming to Ohio soon, so you may find me with her.
Wiley’s Comedy Club in Dayton recently closed. How do you feel about that?
It’s very difficult to run a good comedy club, but fostering new comics, investing in the ones who are in it for the long haul, and paying comics fairly is the key.
What do you have planned for the future? Movies? Specials? Shows?
All three. I just pitched a live-action TV show set in Dayton that got passed on by all the major streamers and networks, and I’m about to try out a cartoon. There is a lot of doom and gloom in the television writing world right now, so I just have to keep writing, touring and making things I genuinely enjoy.
HOW TO GO
Comedian Beth Stelling will perform at the Victoria Theatre on Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. $41-$116. 937-228-3630 or www.daytonlive.org.
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