F E S T I VA L F E AT U R E S | Phoebe Robinson
H O L D I N G C O U R T
Phoebe Robinson brings an unfi ltered goofi ness to some serious subject matter in her Fringe debut. Claire Sawers catches up with the TV and
podcast star who hopes that Edinburgh audiences will be ‘down to clown’
N o, not the Phoebe that wrote Fleabag and Killing Eve. Or the Phoebe with the smelly cat in Friends. The other Phoebe – from the 2 Dope Queens podcast and TV shows – is making her UK stand-up debut at the Fringe. Phoebe – is making her UK stand-up debut at the Fringe. Phoebe Robinson recorded a warm, woke podcast in Brooklyn with Robinson recorded a warm, woke podcast in Brooklyn with her friend Jess Williams back in 2016, featuring guest POC comedians her friend Jess Williams back in 2016, featuring guest POC comedians and feminist allies, then watched it slide straight into number one and feminist allies, then watched it slide straight into number one on the iTunes podcast charts the fi rst week it aired.
Spin-off podcast, Sooo Many White Spin-off podcast, Sooo Many White
quickly quickly
followed followed , after, Guys, after, produced by Robinson’s pal Ilana produced by Robinson’s pal Ilana Broad City. Or maybe Glazer from Broad City. Or maybe you’ve spotted someone you’ve spotted someone Instagramming Robinson’s Instagramming Robinson’s essay collections You Can’t essay collections You Can’t Touch My Hair (& Other Touch My Hair (& Other Things I Still Have Things I Still Have or last to Explain) or last year’s Everything’s Trash, But It’s It’s Trash, But she , where Okay, where she shares funny, daft shares funny, daft anecdotes and lets anecdotes and lets off righteous steam off righteous steam about race, about race, gender and pop gender and pop culture.
is is
touring a touring a After making her After making her fi lm acting debut in fi lm acting debut in and scriptwriting Ibiza and scriptwriting among for Portlandia among many other things, the many other things, the comedian comedian show about the escaped slave show about the escaped slave and political activist Harriet and political activist Harriet Tubman. Or rather, it’s about how Tubman. Or rather, it’s about how to live up to to live up to Robinson has failed to live up to Tubman’s heroic legacy. ‘What Tubman’s heroic legacy. ‘What Phoebe has done with freedom Phoebe has done with freedom has mostly been . . . trash,’ her has mostly been . . . trash,’ her press release confesses. ‘From press release confesses. ‘From being a failed wannabe activist being a failed wannabe activist to using a food delivery app to to using a food delivery app to pick up the morning-after pill pick up the morning-after pill because she didn’t feel like because she didn’t feel like getting out bed.’
‘This week was pretty nutty ‘This week was pretty nutty because I had to fl y to LA because I had to fl y to LA to do one of my favourite to do one of my favourite TV shows,’ says Robinson. TV shows,’ says Robinson. ‘I can’t tell you what it is ‘I can’t tell you what it is because I signed an NDA and because I signed an NDA and I’m trying not to get cussed I’m trying not to get cussed out for spilling the beans, but out for spilling the beans, but I’m excited! Now I’m on my I’m excited! Now I’m on my way back to NYC to do another way back to NYC to do another 20 THE LIST FESTIVAL 7–14 Aug 2019
shoot, a bunch of meetings and some stand-up. I’m pretty tired, but I’m taking my Goop vitamins and it’s getting me through it all.’ So what can Edinburgh audiences expect from her show? ‘If you’ve 2 Dope Queens or read my books, you’re familiar with my seen 2 Dope Queens or read my books, you’re familiar with my unfi ltered, goofy side. Jokes about my boyfriend, gender, not wanting unfi ltered, goofy side. Jokes about my boyfriend, gender, not wanting to have kids etc. I think you’ll feel like you’re hanging out with one of to have kids etc. I think you’ll feel like you’re hanging out with one of your best friends for brunch.’
After trading tips on where she can buy make-up (sorry, After trading tips on where she can buy make-up (sorry, there’s no Sephora in Edinburgh yet) I ask if she there’s no Sephora in Edinburgh yet) I ask if she still gets nervous before shows. ‘Defi nitely, still gets nervous before shows. ‘Defi nitely, but I remember to have fun and that the but I remember to have fun and that the audience wouldn’t be there if they audience wouldn’t be there if they didn’t also want to have a good time. didn’t also want to have a good time. I’m defi nitely worried about the I’m defi nitely worried about the weather and getting lost.’ Has she weather and getting lost.’ Has she asked her comedian friends for any asked her comedian friends for any Edinburgh tips, like the excellent Edinburgh tips, like the excellent Tig Notaro for example, who Tig Notaro for example, who was on 2 Dope Queens was on 2 Dope Queens sharing very wise, queer relationship very wise, queer relationship advice with listeners?
‘I haven’t gotten a chance ‘I haven’t gotten a chance to chat with Tig about the to chat with Tig about the festival yet because we’ve festival yet because we’ve been so busy. But other comics been so busy. But other comics have told me to just have fun, go have told me to just have fun, go in there with an open mind, be in there with an open mind, be ready for your hour to morph ready for your hour to morph and take different shapes, and and take different shapes, and check out as many other shows as check out as many other shows as possible. So honestly, I can’t wait to possible. So honestly, I can’t wait to
see how I’m going to be surprised.’ Despite all her gags about white guys, Despite all her gags about white guys, she’s clearly not she’s clearly not that offended by them: she lives with one, and doesn’t mind she lives with one, and doesn’t mind if more come to see her show. ‘As if more come to see her show. ‘As long as the crowd is smart, down long as the crowd is smart, down to clown, and not disruptive, I’ll to clown, and not disruptive, I’ll be so happy. You can’t control be so happy. You can’t control who will show up, which I think who will show up, which I think is part of the fun of stand-up. It is part of the fun of stand-up. It keeps it fresh for me. And all keeps it fresh for me. And all the white dudes can come to the white dudes can come to the show as long as they’re the show as long as they’re open to learning and don’t open to learning and don’t manspread too much in the manspread too much in the
audience.’
Phoebe Robinson: Sorry, Harriet Tubman, Assembly George Square Studios, 14–25 Aug, 6.45pm, £14–£16. Previews 12 & 13 Aug, £12.