Heather McMahan is unstoppable. In October 2023, when viewers were about to watch her first Netflix special, The Son Never Had, the Atlanta-based comedian was already working on her second special, The Breadwinner, and was 10 It will be available to watch on Hulu starting April 11th.
“The first special was me introducing myself to the world,” she told Yahoo Canada. “The next special breadwinner is all about me being in the middle of getting married. I had a big wedding in Italy and it’s all about how I’m surviving day to day. This is my favorite piece.”
She has a huge amount of success under her belt, including two hugely successful comedy tours, a popular podcast, and a gig as the second coming of Joan Rivers on the red carpet of E! News, McMahan’s schedule is just as jam-packed as she likes.
Ahead of the release of her second special, Yahoo Canada spoke to McMahan about heartbreak, Hollywood disappointment, and taking fans out to sea.
gift of sadness
After her father, Kyle, died of pancreatic cancer in 2015, McMahan moved back to Atlanta with her family. She began posting videos on Instagram, which helped her gain a loyal fan base who identified with her grief and subsequent fertility journey. She discusses both topics in her stand-up and on her podcast Absolutely Not.
“I was in the midst of grief when things really started to take off on Instagram,” she says. “I was just losing my mind, and the whole world was like, ‘Oh, this is interesting.’ When you’re in the middle of a wave, you have to ride the wave. After we get our high from the waves, we’ll go for some chocolate chip cookies and some wine.”
Over time, McMahan’s Facebook fan group became a meeting place for people (mostly women) to connect, share their experiences of joining “The Dead Dad Club,” and support each other through infertility, miscarriages, and breakups. It has become.
“This is a testament to the power of women and the community we have built,” she says. “Nobody wants to be the face of the Dead Dad Club. … But this happened to me. … The fact that people could connect to it, I stepped back and said, ‘This is the best. You have to think, ‘That’s cool.’” Community. ‘
“Just knowing that I’m saying the right thing is really reassuring as an artist and I’m happy to share this because obviously it’s about connecting with people when they’re going through it. , when I’m going through grief and sadness, I feel so alone…The outpouring of responses from people who’ve been through it has given me reassurance that I’m not alone.
Ask, believe, try, and receive.
McMahan is candid with fans about his goals and dreams. From vision boards to putting things into words, McMahan knows what she wants. It’s a sense of unabashed ambition that fans love. If you want something, you need the courage to claim it.
“Write it down. If you have a good idea, write it down. If you want something, write it down. Just put pen to paper. Half the time, it’s because you think people will act the way they do. As Nike says, “Just do it.” ‘Just stand up and put your other foot in front of you. Life isn’t easy. But at least you did it. ”
roll with a punch
In 2020, McMahan and longtime collaborator Jen Zaborowski signed a deal with Peacock to create a half-hour comedy series, Good Grief, about her life. The series never came together, and McMahan was candid about his disappointment when the project never materialized.
“This was really eye-opening and the lesson for me is that when you’re working with studs and producers like this on TV, it’s not really up to me. It’s not up to me to make the decisions. It’s up to the top two. Whereas with comedy, if I want to do a show, I can sit in the seat, and I can do a stand-up. There’s so much freedom in it, that’s why I go back to it, it’s my story, it’s my life.
What will Joan do?
McMahan has become E!’s red carpet correspondent. News of following in the footsteps of her idol, Joan Rivers. She has covered the Emmys, Oscars and People’s Choice Country Awards, which she calls “one of the most difficult jobs” because of the fast pace and level of preparation required.
“You have to bring a certain level of levity to awards shows like this. Rich people make creative things and we all give each other awards. I’m a fan of this award show. I’m an artist, and I love this. I just want to be able to have honest and interesting conversations with people who are going to win Emmys and Oscars,” she says. “I was nervous the whole night. You’re trying to answer the perfect question. So when people come up to me, I kind of want to laugh.”
somewhere across the sea
McMahan’s loyal fan base is taking to the water on the Absolutely Not Cruise, a four-day cruise from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas. Fans have been encouraging McMahan to plan a vacation for years, but she never imagined it would take place on the high seas.
“The idea came to me and then it moved very quickly. Before I knew it, I was filming a promo on the ship and selling cabins. … I’m so excited. It’s going to be a great time. “If people gather together and leave it alone for four days, there will be nothing we can do about it. ”
Planned activities include a pit bull impersonation night, live podcast recordings and stand-up by McMahan, Canadian comedians Steph Trev, Becky Robinson and Adam Ray.
“I get so excited just seeing everyone let their hair down,” she says. “Once you’re on this boat in the middle of the ocean, anything goes. It’s wild. It’s the wild, wild West.”
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