We’re looking forward to introducing you to Vivian Burgett. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Vivian, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Definitely wandering. I have an idea of where the path is going, but I’m ready to be called on a side quest at any moment. And that’s something you learn doing comedy onstage too–you might think your path is going one way and you’re going to talk about one thing, but then something happens in the audience that you have to address and suddenly you’re taking an unexpected detour. Performance onstage and in life requires a good level of flexibility.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a stand-up comedian, so I perform in comedy shows and open mics all over the Midwest. Comedy can incorporate a lot of different elements–I’ve done podcasts, Tiktoks, and I even hosted a short-lived comedy bingo night.
I ran a show in Michigan that was specifically geared at femme and them comedians that ended up being very successful and am working on bringing that same show to the Chicago area.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was an extremely curious, nerdy, and rebellious kid. I often feel like the world crushed some of that rebelliousness out of me, but in actuality, I think it just evolved to a medium that’s more palatable instead of polemic.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Constantly. I think a lot of comedians are constantly on the verge of giving up comedy because it hardly pays and it’s a lot of work to get good at it. It’s a real rollercoaster–when you’re up, you’re up, but then the ride goes down and you consider cutting your losses and getting off the ride. It’s unpredictable, but if you love it enough, you learn to grit your teeth and bare it and hope the picture comes out alright at the end.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That the only thing that matters is being funny. Comedy is so much more work than people realize and being funny isn’t enough–you need to actually work at it.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What false labels are you still carrying?
Ha, man-hater. People like to pretend I hate men because I dare to be critical of them. But I don’t have anything against men, I just don’t like people who don’t reflect on their inherent privilege. Many men DO do that, but still others refuse to and they’re the ones I’m critical of.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @vivianburgettcomedy
Image Credits
Lee Klawans, Heather Sejnow.
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