Meet Irene Bremis

My ability to take risks comes from repeated failures that lead to growth. I firmly believe that as a comedian, the only way I can evolve is by challenging myself to follow my instincts and breech my comfort zone every time I’m on stage. I have always been inspired by comedians and artists who take risks- not only in their writing but in their actions. I love the performer who breaks away from the pack and goes rogue. The most significant risk I took is when I recently shot my Comedy Special, Sweetie. I was hustling to book as many gigs as I could, so I can run my set in preparation for my taping. I had an hour and a half of new material to work out. I remember thinking, oh shit, I’m at the 11th hour of my taping, and (although this may be seem hyperbolic) a sizable chunk of jokes were never run in front of a live audience before. I was also nervous because I struggle with memory issues. That’s a polite way of saying I’m hormonal AF- I didn’t want to look at a setlist and I didn’t have the luxury of a teleprompter, so I had no other recourse but to trust myself, stay in the moment, and connect to the audience, and it was great! We did it! I often joke that there are three of us- Me, Myself and Irene. The comedian, the manager, and the agent. After the show, I yelled, “Let’s get out here,” and I was the only one in the room.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Growing up was a challenge. My Father was on the autistic spectrum before autism could speak. My mother is a Greek immigrant, and my older brother has low-functioning autism. My sister and I were often my Mother’s interpreter, my Brother’s babysitter/bodyguard, and my Father’s therapist. That was a lot of responsibility for two young girls. Despite my Mother’s overwhelming hardship’s, she possesses herculean strength and still cares for my brother. She also raised us to be independent and unafraid—the two necessary ingredients for stand-up comedy. I moved to New York City with my sister right after college to pursue her career as a singer/songwriter and my career as a comedian/actress, only to become a waitress. Back then, comedy was a much smaller arena, and all the star comics hijacked the comedy clubs in NYC. There was also an emergence of comedy rooms, which I considered the trenches of stand-up comedy. That’s where I grew as a comic. The rule of thumb for a comedian back then was to get up as much as possible and run the same material night after night. I’m a prolific writer and hated running the same material. It was like reciting the same monologue over and over again. That was a necessary challenge for me to hone and work on bits. But the most challenging part of stand-up is making people laugh when you’re depressed or sad. Ironically, the best part of stand-up comedy is making people laugh despite being unhappy or in a mental funk. The most difficult gig I ever did was right after my Father died. I was performing my solo show, Hire Irene, and promoted it for months. I was heartbroken about my Dad, and my family was falling apart. I wanted to cancel it because the last thing I wanted to do was get up on stage and make people laugh while I was grieving and mourning the loss of someone I loved so dearly. My friends encouraged me to press on, so I forced myself to do it, and it turned out to be incredibly healing. Laughter heals. That’s why I became a comedian. I love to make people laugh. If I can make someone forget their pain momentarily, I’ve done my job well. It hasn’t been an easy path, but it’s been a constant companion.
I always had the stage, audience, and my dear comedian comrades, friends and family to lean on. And I love them. We’re all familiar with the saying, “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done and even harder to continue to do over the past two decades: It’s unfair, joyful, painful, rewarding, and filled with rejection and acceptance- no wonder most of us are bipolar! I always stayed the course and paved my own path. My tenacity and the unwavering support and love I received from fellow comedians, friends, and family fueled me to keep going. I always wanted (for my posterity) to shoot a Comedy Special, and I wasn’t waiting on anybody to make my dream come true! I executed a plan to shoot my Special, Sweetie. I was extremely grateful to have my dear friend (from High School), the hilarious and talented Rachel Dratch, come on as a Producer and my dear pal, filmmaker extraordinaire Onur Tukel, come on as a Director. And voila! I manifested my dream. All it took was focus, belief, and hard work. I’m thrilled to announce Sweetie is dropping on Amazon, Apple TV, Comcast, Google Play, Dish, and MORE streaming platforms worldwide on March 19th!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three key things that helped me achieve my goals were to trust myself, commit to action, and take risks. Only then will you be able to find your voice, become intrepid, and GROW. I also want to add that it’s vital to stay prolific, relatable, and evolve- and the way to do that is through discipline, vulnerability, and execution. Make a plan and follow through. Stay in your lane, and achieve your personal best. My Husband is a basketball coach with a philosophy that has been instrumental and an integral part of my work ethic, “Not preparing to win is preparing to lose.”

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
I think the biggest challenge is continuing to believe in myself. It’s a constant battle. As an aging woman, I give myself a thousand reasons why I can’t, and as an aging woman, I give myself a million reasons why I CAN. It’s always hard to face the possibility of rejection, but I’ve learned that rejection always leads to another path. I should know because my comedy GPS reroutes me countless times until I arrive at my destination, and with each milestone, I set another goal, and am always reminded that the hard times were never in vain because they taught me what’s important in life and how to trust myself.