mayhem, comedy and the road to her LA stand-up special – Daily News

Nicole Byer tends to find humor in the unexpected — and through her recent experience losing power due to wildfires, she did just that.

“I didn’t even know there were fires until I lost power,” she laughs. In typical Byer fashion, she turned the chaos into a light adventure, crashing into various friends’ houses in search of air conditioning for three whole days. Only later did he realize that the fires were to blame.

That same mix of humor and unpredictability has endeared her to millennial and Gen-Z audiences alike, and it’s exactly what she’ll bring to her upcoming stand-up special at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles on October 4

Best known for her Emmy-nominated hosting of “Nailed It!”—a baking show where amateur bakers with mediocre skills set out to redeem themselves and in turn win some prize money—his comedy Byer is an extension of her larger than life personality. Her stand-up style is bold, unfiltered and charmingly original, just like the show that catapulted her into the mainstream.

“I like to be a bit crazy, I like to make jokes about things that make me giggle and I get asked a lot in interviews if I laugh at my own jokes and I’m always like ‘yeah you think I left home after dark don’t giggle and have fun? this is psychotic,” she said. “I find humor in the most mundane things that happen in my life. Life is ridiculous and that’s where the best stories come from.”

But as Byer prepares for her special, it’s clear this isn’t just another gig. It’s the culmination of years of hard work taking her from Upright Citizens Brigade, a renowned improv and sketch comedy theater in Los Angeles known for launching the careers of comedians like Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari onto major television sets. Byer admits that balancing multiple projects can be a bit chaotic, whether it’s her voice on animated shows like “Rugrats” and “Tuca & Bertie,” or her four podcasts, or the countless other projects she’s juggling normal.

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“I like it when there’s no breath during the day,” she says. “I like it when things are back to back. I have ADHD, so it works with my brain to say, “Oh, I have to do this, then this, and then this.” Driving a lot never gets old. Being on a soundstage never gets old. Recording podcasts never gets old. Stand-up never gets old. There’s always something fun going on. I love what I do, which sounds so corny, but it’s true.”

Helping her keep things afloat these days is her “lifeline,” named her personal assistant Lindsay. Asking for help is a major theme for Byer, who emphasizes the importance of supporting others. “I used to think I had to do everything by myself,” she reflects, “but now I know the power of surrounding myself with incredible people.”

While her comedy continues to evolve, Byer’s stand-up remains rooted in her own life experiences. Her next special will tackle everything from dating disasters to societal pressures around body image. In particular, Byer touches on the recent Ozempic craze, poking fun at the absurdity of the diet industry.

“It’s so funny, every time I do an Ozempic joke in Los Angeles and I ask the crowd who got it, the room goes dead silent. I always say, “Really? In Los Angeles? Are you kidding me? You are a bunch of liars sitting in the dark; no way!” she shared with a laugh. “I think with every special hour or so as a comedian, it’s less about rebranding and more about evolution.”

The show also reflects her joy at being back in front of a live audience and being able to do exactly what she wants.

“You know, sometimes being on set things don’t go as planned or the scene doesn’t work or there might be a delay with the location and it can get frustrating, but then on the weekend when I get to get up. , I can just do exactly what I want,” she said. “On a film set, there’s no instant gratification, but when you’re on stage, the audience immediately tells you they like what you’re saying. There’s nothing like being on stage. I feel at home, I feel good.”

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Of course, Byer’s journey to success was not without its challenges. In 2020, she made history as the first black woman to be nominated for an Emmy in the category of Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program. She notes the stigma surrounding body types in food media, noting that heavier people are often excluded in food advertising.

“Sometimes people ask what it was like to be nominated and I don’t think it’s humbling. It felt validating,” she reflects. It was really wild and I felt great. I hope it opens doors for hiring fat black women, queer people, and trans people. The average woman is a size 15 or something like that, but we rarely see that representation on TV.”