Virtual Author Talks: <i> Not Funny</i>

Growing up, Jena Friedman didnt care about being likable. She never wanted to be a comedian, either. A child of the 90s, she wouldnt discover her knack for the funny business until research for her college thesis led her to take an improv class in Chicago. That anthropology paper, written on race, class, and gender in the citys comedy scene, was, in Jenas own words, just as funny as it sounds. But it did lay the groundwork for a career that has seen her write and produce for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the Late Show with David Letterman, and the Oscar nominated Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Friedmans debut collection, Not Funny, takes on the third rails of modern life in Jenas bold and subversive style. Jena applies her unique gifts to pull a laugh from things deemed too raw, too precious, and too scary to joke about. She shares her stories of taking on those who told her she was too brash, too edgy, and too unlikable to make it. This program is presented in partnership with Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.