Latest news with #Brister
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
She was told women weren't funny. Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French showed her otherwise
When British stand-up comedian Jen Brister brings her latest show, Reactive, to Australia, she will perform in almost entirely sold-out rooms. Rewind to 1998, and the scenario was a little different. Brister was living in the Melbourne beachside suburb of St Kilda and would spend her Sunday evenings at the Hotel Esplanade, performing five-to-seven-minute sets at the weekly comedy night. They rarely went well. 'I'd wake up at 2am going, 'Oh my God, all those people saw me do that terrible gig!' ' she laughs from her hotel in New Zealand, where she's launching the Reactive world tour. Regardless, the promoter would always implore her to come back the next week. 'He'd say, 'That's stand-up. You keep going until you're good.' He saw something in me.' Despite such inauspicious beginnings, the London-born 50-year-old claims she never entertained an alternative career. 'I've had such a love-hate relationship with comedy because it's been so difficult, and I found it at times quite traumatic to make my way through to reach any kind of success,' she says. 'And I'm not talking about selling out in Australia, I'm talking about making a living on the club circuit 10 to 15 years ago, which was what I was aspiring to.
The Age
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
She was told women weren't funny. Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French showed her otherwise
When British stand-up comedian Jen Brister brings her latest show, Reactive, to Australia, she will perform in almost entirely sold-out rooms. Rewind to 1998, and the scenario was a little different. Brister was living in the Melbourne beachside suburb of St Kilda and would spend her Sunday evenings at the Hotel Esplanade, performing five-to-seven-minute sets at the weekly comedy night. They rarely went well. 'I'd wake up at 2am going, 'Oh my God, all those people saw me do that terrible gig!' ' she laughs from her hotel in New Zealand, where she's launching the Reactive world tour. Regardless, the promoter would always implore her to come back the next week. 'He'd say, 'That's stand-up. You keep going until you're good.' He saw something in me.' Despite such inauspicious beginnings, the London-born 50-year-old claims she never entertained an alternative career. 'I've had such a love-hate relationship with comedy because it's been so difficult, and I found it at times quite traumatic to make my way through to reach any kind of success,' she says. 'And I'm not talking about selling out in Australia, I'm talking about making a living on the club circuit 10 to 15 years ago, which was what I was aspiring to.
Leaders
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Leaders
British Actress Criticizes Western Imperialism, Foreign Foothold in Middle East
Jen Brister, a British stand-up comedian, actress, and writer, stated that Western Imperialism uses particular countries as proxies to make money, in an interview at Comedy as Resistance. The interviewer asked Brister 'Why Palestine, Jen? Why did not you pick Congo or Sudan or any other course? Why Palestine? Do you just hate Israel?' The British comedian stated that this stereotype represents everything that is wrong with Western Imperialism. 'We use particular countries as proxies for whatever policies in order to make money,' Brister said. Brister noted that US government always says that it is working tirelessly to implement a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. However, Brister insisted that if US really wanted to end the war, it would do. She said that the US could simply decide not to sell any weapons to Israel. 'But it was necessary to sell arms, it was necessary to have a foothold in the Middle East and we are not going to lose that for anyone, and it does not matter how many people die,' she added. She also emphasized that they did the same in Vietnam, Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Related Topics: Irish Politician Richard Boyd Barrett Criticizes Western Double Standards on Palestine Saudi Arabia Urges Global Action to End Gaza Blockade 'Those Fighting for Peace in Gaza Deserve Prize', Says Nobel Peace Laureate Short link : Post Views: 1
