Monica Nevi didn’t plan on becoming a stepmom all at once. But that’s kind of how it happens.
This week on Moms Unhinged, Andrea Marie sits down with Monica Nevi to talk about standup, stepping into a parenting role in real time, and raising a kid who really wants to be funny… sometimes at the worst possible moment.
What starts as a conversation about comedy turns into one about structure, boundaries, and the shift from being the fun adult to the one making the rules.
Monica shares how she got into standup after a college basketball injury, what it takes to keep going even when you bomb, and how parenting inevitably makes its way into your material.
They also get into middle school chaos, parenting without yelling, and the very specific challenge of helping a kid find their voice while also teaching them when not to use it.
We Talk About:
- Monica’s path from college athlete to standup comedian
- What it’s like to keep doing comedy when it doesn’t go well
- Becoming a stepmom and figuring out your role in real time
- The shift from “fun adult” to being the one in charge
- Parenting without yelling (and how that actually works)
- Why structure and consistency matter more than expected
- Raising a kid who wants to be funny… with very confident timing
Because sometimes you’re just trying to get through the day… and accidentally end up in a conversation with a teacher.
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Prefer reading to laughing out loud? Peek at the transcript.
Is 11 too old to believe in Santa Claus?
Monica Nevi: My son is 11 now. Is that too old to believe in Santa Claus? Some people say, see, it’s maybe right on the edge. I don’t know. Some people say no, I don’t know.
All I know is it’s not our job to tell him That’s some dickhead at school’s job. It’s not us. I thought last year was gonna be the year he came home from school and he was like, my friend at school said she doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, and I was like, oh, here we go. I said, well, what do you think about that?
He said, I don’t think we can be friends anymore.
Andrea Marie: We are Moms Unhinged, a nationally touring standup comedy show. Join us in our podcast as we explore everything from motherhood, midlife, crisis, marriage, divorce, online dating, menopause, and other things that irritate us.
Hello everyone and welcome to Mom’s Unhinged, the podcast. I’m your host, Andrea Marie, and I’m here with the incredible, the amazing Monica Nevi. She’s done so much. She’s got two albums, two comedy specials. She tours all over the country. She’s one of our Seattle based Moms Unhinged comedians.
Welcome Monica.
Monica Nevi: Thank you for having me. Hello everyone.
Andrea Marie: Hello everybody. I know, it’s so fun. I just ran into someone I hadn’t seen at my gym in a little while, and she’s like, Hey.
And I was like, Hey, what’s going on? She’s like, I feel like I kinda know more about you. I listen to the podcast and I’m always like, oh, oh, that’s funny. Tell me something about you now. What’s going on? going on that is, you’re like, hey, You got to know the secrets. What is this?
I know, I know. My deepest, darkest, embarrassing moments. So good.
Getting on stage for the first time
Andrea Marie: So Monica, tell us a little bit about yourself. Just share with the audience, like how, tell us about your comedy journey. Like how did you get started doing comedy?
Monica Nevi: Yeah, that’s a great question. It actually doesn’t really make sense, I guess. But I started standup when I was 20.
Andrea Marie: Okay.
Monica Nevi: In college still, so junior. Before that I was an athlete. I played basketball in college and then I got hurt and couldn’t play anymore. And I had been writing jokes. I come from a very funny family.
They’re just, I love comedy. Growing up I watched a lot of standup, just ’cause I liked it. I think I started writing jokes when I was like 18. And then, yeah, when I couldn’t play anymore, I decided to try standup, which I guess doesn’t [make sense].
Andrea Marie: No, but you know, the nice thing is I just thought of that is like, you don’t, there’s not a lot of comedy injuries, you know, it’s not like we’re getting injured and taken out from this activity.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, That’s fair.
Andrea Marie: So, sports, you know, that’s harder on your body maybe. That is kind of a random thing to go into.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, I don’t know, maybe not. Personality wise, I was pretty quiet. Like, I definitely have always been funny, but it was like only to like people who were closer.
I wasn’t a class clown necessarily or anything like that. And so then I went to an open mic, lied about my age and how many people I brought.
I didn’t bring anybody because I just wanted to see, I didn’t want people to be there for the first time. You know, like that would be, and that’s what clubs, if people don’t know when you first start, you’re supposed to bring six people.
Andrea Marie: Bring people. Yeah.
Monica Nevi: I told ’em that I brought four and I brought zero.
Andrea Marie: They’re probably like, we know everyone here. We know you didn’t bring anybody.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, exactly. It was good, it wasn’t a resolution, but I did start in January and that’s actually a good time to start because a lot of people do, like the resolution is to do standup and so they’ll bring people, and so you actually get more of like a real audience for an open mic than normal.
Andrea Marie: Yeah, that’s a good point.
Bombing on the comedy stage to confidence
Monica Nevi: Probably helped quite a bit. Yeah, I went and watched one and then the next week. Did it and it went well. And I still wonder if it didn’t go well the first time, would I have kept doing it or you know, like, I don’t know. I mean, I watch people who are not good at standup all the time and I don’t know how they do it.
Andrea Marie: Yeah. It’s funny, some people are not good for a long time. I mean, it takes a long time to get good, but sometimes people are like, I’m like, wow.
You’re taking a little longer. Yeah, there’s a slower ramp. There’s a ramp that you’re on.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, I would, I used to be probably more judgmental, but now I’m like, that’s gotta take a lot of mental fortitude to keep going. If it’s not really going well, I don’t know. And not that, I mean, everyone gets better. Hopefully. I hope I’m still getting better and I would cringe, I’m sure in those first few months.
But it felt good at the time and so it kept going. And obviously there were moments that were not.
Andrea Marie: Right.
Monica Nevi: Good either, but it was, yeah. And then for the next two years, ’cause I was still in school and finishing my degree, I was working, I was doing standup quite a bit, but less than, you know, the grind, do it every night kind of thing.
‘Cause yeah, I was still finishing my degree and still with the team. Actually, I was interning even though I couldn’t play.
Andrea Marie: Okay. Yeah, So you got a lot going on.
Monica Nevi: Yeah. And then I think it was like four years in. I’m outta school. I’m working for a boys and girls club and doing standup all the time. And at that point I had to start, Tuesday nights were the night that I would not go do standup, because if I did then I was always working like every night of the week and I was too tired.
So then at the end of that year, like September of 2016. Yeah. So it was like, no, 2015, I quit my job and went on tour for three months and then moved to LA for three years.
Andrea Marie: That is awesome. That is so great. So you moved to LA for three years. That’s, that is commitment.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, it was interesting, I think it was good for me, regardless of standup. Because I had never lived, I’m from the Seattle area. I went to school at Seattle University. You know, I kind of just have always been here. So it was a good experience to live somewhere else.
And also like I learned a lot about the business and the industry and, I think it helped me decide what I want my career to look like.
I think a lot of standups feel like you have to do certain things or you have to move to a certain place, or you have to have it, you know, look a certain way. At the time. I mean, having a family was like, don’t do that. That’s gonna ruin your career. You know, things like that. And so I was able to learn what I could do and that it’s really up to you to kind of structure your career the way that you want it and that having a family was totally possible.
And COVID kind of helped with all of that too, for a lot of us, I think. And then, yeah, in 2019 is when technically I wasn’t living anywhere. I was on the road so much and I was like, subletting my apartment in LA so eventually I just got rid of it and then was basically on the road all the time.
But if I did have breaks, I would come up here to the northwest where my family is, and then that’s when I met my now wife, Erin, during that time. So, yeah, now we live up here.
How standup led Monica to her wife
Andrea Marie: Now, if I remember right, did you meet your wife? While you were doing standup?
Monica Nevi: Yeah, yeah. Yes, she was. Look, I’m trying to get some gender equity in this business. You know, the guys were always hitting on the wait staff. I never was, but the one waitress I ever hung out with, I ended up marrying. So, yeah. yeah, she was a server at a comedy club.
Yeah, it felt like eight years in. I should probably date a server I guess. I don’t know. Yeah, she’s no longer. She doesn’t work at the comedy club anymore, but yeah, that’s how we met. And she was best friends with my college agent at the time, and, she was like, oh, I think you guys would like each other.
The shift from “fun adult” to authority figure at home
Andrea Marie: That’s so great. I love that. I love that. Now you are a stepmom. Yeah, yeah. So that is amazing because your wife was married before.
Monica Nevi: Wasn’t married, but yeah. Had a child a previous relationship and he was five when I started coming around.
So I do, sometimes I feel like I missed out on baby stuff. Like I don’t really know a ton of parenting from a baby and toddler perspective. And when I worked with kids it was, you know, five to 12 anyways.
So pretty good with that range. But yeah, it was so interesting. I mean, obviously my life changed pretty drastically anyways from being single on the road all the time to, in a relationship with a child and, you know, home then, ’cause COVID. I moved in with them in January 2020.
Andrea Marie: Wow. Everything changed.
Monica Nevi: Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
Andrea Marie: Your world, their world, every, all the worlds.
Monica Nevi: Definitely. Yeah, it was. So then what worked out best, ’cause our job became illegal and understandably so but we, I was only doing stuff online, you know, over Zoom or whatever. And then, luckily Erin was working at a bank and so she could keep her job, which was good for us at the time.
But I then did all the remote learning with him.
Andrea Marie: Man.
Monica Nevi: It went from me being like this fun friend that hangs around and stuff, and then, okay, we are moving into the teacher and the authority figure really. And we spent more time together. I’ve spent more time with him than anyone probably in the past seven years.
So just because of the schedule, you know, even now I’m available during the day. Luckily, Erin’s moved into large scale event production, which is awesome, but she is able to be remote a lot in his home. So we actually get to be with him like most of the time, which is awesome.
Andrea Marie: Well, that’s great.
Monica Nevi: But I really accelerated our relationship.
I mean, it was, I think, respects me as a parent and it feels a lot. I’m very involved. I mean, I know that can be a choice when you’re a stepparent. You know.
Andrea Marie: Mm-hmm.
Monica Nevi: How much you and your partner want you to be involved. And it probably helps that the mother is also on my side of the things, you know, so that moms are just more in tune, I guess, with the kid and more involved.
That’s just how it goes. Yeah, it seems so I’ve also been on that kind of path, but I know there’s a lot of ways to be a stepparent. It seems like being a stepdad would be the easiest.
Andrea Marie: I think being a dad in general.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, yeah. They really have a fun time over there.
Andrea Marie: Easier you’re gonna be a dad, be a stepdad.
Monica Nevi: It’s a vibe for sure. No, we have fun. But yeah, I’m just very involved.
The reality of becoming a stepmom early on
Andrea Marie: Yeah, that’s huge. You had to really jump into the deep end with this so quickly and like, what were some of the initial challenges you were feeling with that? If you, you know, think back to that time. Was it hard to, like, I mean, ’cause obviously you were already coming around him, you kind of knew his personality, but did you find any deeper challenges with that?
Monica Nevi: Yeah, I’d say, some of the parenting structure, that wasn’t up to me, I would’ve done differently, not in like a crazy way or anything, but like stuff around screens or like, you know, I was an athlete and my wife’s background is musical theater. And so, we just had diff, you know, we’d go and play.
I’d make sure of our structure of the day. Like we would still go out and do PE time and we’d play and stuff, and I was very adamant about never letting him win. I don’t want this ego inflated. I don’t know, it’s probably whatever. So I wasn’t like trying to kick his ass all the time, but it just happened.
Yeah, it was just like, we’re gonna play to have fun and if you get a bad attitude, then I’m not gonna play, you know, things like that. So there was certain stuff, and I totally get that from a single mother’s perspective of being like, I want him to be so happy and, you baby him a little bit and that’s absolutely understandable.
But I wasn’t gonna do that. So there was definitely things we had to like work through on that part. I didn’t, I also didn’t want him to think like, oh, you’re, I’m just being mean or something.
Andrea Marie: Yeah.
Monica Nevi: These are the reasons. I’m very, because of the background with the youth development programs and stuff.
One, I’m not really a loud person anyways. I’m just pretty chill and never yell. I don’t find it effective, but that was something that I had at work. So it was very much like, if we needed discipline, come over, let’s talk about it. Let’s figure it out together. And that’s always been, my approach with him as well.
And I think Erin’s on the same page. So getting him used to like, oh, you’re not in trouble. You know, come, let’s come figure it out. Let’s figure out what’s best. Or I can tell you why this is making me feel annoyed, really, is what it is. But you know, when you’re being a poor sport and we’re playing, you know, soccer in the apartment building’s driveway, it’s not that big a deal.
You know, that kind of thing. So, some of that stuff had to be just how we communicate. That he wasn’t, you know, he’d been yelled at in other places and really didn’t respond well to that. And so I needed him to know, this is what’s up. You can always be honest and we are gonna be very structured.
Why structure and consistency make a difference
Monica Nevi: I think he thrives in structure. So I take him to school in the morning, we do the, I make him breakfast, I wake him up, I take him to school. As soon as we get home, we do whatever homework we have to right away. And then he can do his screen times or whatever, you know.
Andrea Marie: Yeah, yeah.
Monica Nevi: Consistency is really good for him.
But at first he was like, what the hell is this? You know, like, is this, like, I’m just gonna be on the tablet at 5:30.
Andrea Marie: Mom?
Monica Nevi: 30 in the morning. I’m like, mm, no, we’re not gonna do that, yeah.
Andrea Marie: Oh yeah. That is hard. So it sounds like you’re more of the, I don’t know, or do you feel like you’re more the disciplinarian?
Monica Nevi: I don’t even know. Yeah. It’s hard to say it in that term, I guess, just because. For the most part, he’s a really good kid. And that is our one rule is as long as you’re honest, everybody makes mistakes. But as long as you’re honest, then there’s not really a repercussion, I guess. But I feel like we’re on the same page. But yes, I am the one that kind of sets more rules.
Andrea Marie: More boundaries. Yeah.
Monica Nevi: Sometimes that’s kind of a bonding moment for them. They’re very close. I mean, she was 20 when she had him, so still growing up herself, and they kind of went through a lot of hard things together. So they’re very bonded, which is great.
But then, you know, so I’m like, Hey, let’s not eat popcorn on the couch.
Andrea Marie: Yeah.
Monica Nevi: And then they’re annoyed. They’re both annoyed by that.
Andrea Marie: I know, what is rule?
Monica Nevi: And then I go to work and I come back and they’re eating popcorn on the couch. You know, it’s kind of that, and I’m like, all right, that’s fine. I don’t really, it doesn’t really bother me, but I’m like, okay, if you spill, you guys gotta clean it up, you know?
But, so yeah, I’m definitely a little bit more strict in that way, but honestly, I’m so weird and so goofy and not afraid to joke around with him and his friends too. So there’s a good balance of like, okay, there are rules, but she’s fun to be around.
Andrea Marie: We can have fun. Yeah. Fun too. Yeah, that’s awesome. That’s awesome. And now how old is he now?
Monica Nevi: 12.
Andrea Marie: 12.
Monica Nevi: Middle school, puberty time.
Andrea Marie: Ooh, yeah.
Monica Nevi: Yeah. And he we got in the car this morning and I was like, what didn’t you shower last night? Like, what is happening?
Andrea Marie: I know. And it’s either like, yeah, it’s like way smelly or too much Axe body spray or whatever it might be. It’s like, yikes. I imagine that’s just gotta be, I think parenting is challenging at any point, but coming in, you know, into a already connected situation, I think probably just has its own experience.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, he was really, and I don’t know if this is how all kids are, but he was really protective of her. Not in like a, he wasn’t mean to me or anything, but you could tell kind of like.
Andrea Marie: I don’t wanna share.
Monica Nevi: Yeah. At first he was just excited I think, ’cause she had never dated anyone that she brought over. So he had never like, met anyone and didn’t remember his parents together.
Andrea Marie: Yeah.
Monica Nevi: I think he was also reacting to her being happier.
Andrea Marie: Mm-hmm.
Monica Nevi: Then maybe she had been. So he was excited I was there, but he also still needed me to know that she was his. And I was like, man. I get it. He also, I mean, now he’s probably equally as protective of me, so that’s nice.
But yeah, when we first started dating, ’cause he would come in our room in the morning every morning, and when we first started, I would wake up and his face was like right here. And he’s like hey.
Andrea Marie: I know.
Monica Nevi: I’m like, oh.
Andrea Marie: I know it’s a lot. It’s a lot.
Monica Nevi: Then he’d try to get on my side and every morning Erin would go, no, Lyndon, come over here.
You know? And so then he, we’d cuddle with her and then we go about our day. But he, I mean, he still, they both just aren’t very good at waking up. So I’m like the morning person that gets them up now.
Andrea Marie: Oh, that’s fun.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, I’m sure there’s obstacles no matter what coming in to a situation.
Andrea Marie: Yeah.
Kids trying to be funny (and not understanding)
Andrea Marie: Well, that’s, that’s great that you’ve, sounds like you really navigated it super well. That’s awesome. I love that. So one of the things I always love to ask is for an unhinged moment in either your childhood or unhinged moment with your kid or whatever, you know, whatever comes to mind.
So what is an unhinged moment so we can all feel a little bit better about ourselves?
Monica Nevi: Oh my goodness. It is tough.
Andrea Marie: Like
Monica Nevi: One, he wants to be funny really badly.
Andrea Marie: Ah, yeah.
Monica Nevi: He’s a funny kid, but it’s never intentional, you know what I mean? And so for a long time he would, I had this little joke book that I, you know, dumb jokes for smart kids or something like this. That I had. So I gave it to him and he’s like going through it and he would try to read ’em at school and
Andrea Marie: Oh
Monica Nevi: He’s like, nobody laughs I don’t get it. Like, no, I don’t understand. And I’m like, okay, how are you reading it? And we’re going through like, just the cadence of certain jokes, you know, because he was just reading it, you know, and there wasn’t a pause and stuff.
So we’re working on the timing, you know, and he’s like, okay, I didn’t.
The joke that made it to school
Monica Nevi: He really wanted to tell jokes in class, like all the time. And so then I was like, all right, man, I don’t, if it’s not working, you always can go farts. You know, like kids, they’re always gonna get a laugh, you know? Farts are always funny, right?
And he’s like, okay. And he thought that was hilarious. Right? And then, it’s going fine. He is still trying to tell, and he would bring it up all the time. He is like, farts, farts work, you know? And I’m like, yeah. And so then he’s got this little lamb that’s like a, it’s kind of half blanket, half lamb.
So her head really flops all around. And so one night I was making her throw up basically like I was putting her head forward and then I was making a vomiting sound, you know.
And we get a call from the teacher the next day. She’s like, I don’t know what he’s doing, but he’s making a vomiting sound in the back of the classroom, like all day.
And I was like, oh. I was like, that was me. Sorry, that was me. I didn’t think to tell him like, ’cause he was laughing so hard, so I’m assuming he was like, well, I wanna be funny. That’s funny. I’m gonna start doing that. Even though he didn’t have the lamb in class, like he was just.
Just making the vomiting sound in the back of class all the time. And I was like, Ooh, that’s my bad. Yeah, sorry about that.
Andrea Marie: That’s hilarious.
Monica Nevi: Oh yeah. You don’t think about, I mean, yes they are little sponges or whatever, but he can’t remember anything. You know, he forgets his stuff everywhere all the time. whatever. then as soon as you say something, he should not repeat.
Andrea Marie: Ooh. Oh man.
Monica Nevi: That’s what he remembers. And you’re like, oh, and we’ll be somewhere. And he’s like, oh, but you said you hated that person. And I’m like, not out loud to them?
Andrea Marie: No, no. no I said.
Monica Nevi: Yeah. I don’t, with this time of his life, you know, middle school is like, they’re just now all into crushes and who’s going out and whatever. And he loves the tea. He loves and he’ll come home and tell, oh, he thinks he’s the matchmaker and stuff. But I don’t, and I think we’re, you know, on par for maybe the first little heartbreak here and I don’t really know how to navigate it.
‘Cause at that time, oh, the most unhinged you are is probably middle school. I mean, you even make, it’s not like you’re not even making decisions. Your emotion goes so much faster than your brain.
Andrea Marie: Yeah, yeah. And you just don’t know who you are yet. You’re really kind of coming into this like, you know, just testing things out like, and it is interesting at that time, and it’s hard to, as a parent, it’s hard to like, support them during that time. ’cause it’s like you don’t know what to do.
Monica Nevi: Yeah. Well that’s, I was talking about this yesterday, but with my parents like. You know, we had like instant messenger and like MySpace was probably just coming about when I was in middle school and high school, they didn’t, I was like, oh, my parents don’t even know how to log into this.
They don’t know how to do anything. Right. And I thought they were dumb, you know, like, oh, they’re not gonna figure out this technology. And now as an adult I’m like, oh, I don’t care to learn how to log into Minecraft and see what you guys are saying. Maybe I should, but I don’t, you know. He only plays for an hour a day, who cares?
But I’m sure there, I’m sure it’s the same who likes who and they kissed and that type of thing.
When kids start asking about gender identity and labels
Monica Nevi: We had always joked, yeah that, you know, Erin’s the theater nerd and we kind of want the nerdy queer kids to feel safe at our house. And boy did we get that. I mean, all him and his friends are hanging out in the basement and they’re like, we’re gonna perform a song from Hamilton for you guys. Is that okay? And we’re like, sure.
Andrea Marie: That’s awesome.
Monica Nevi: No, but it’s lovely. But, so that’s like just learning what we’re all into and at this time where they’re really figuring it out. So one day they’re, maybe they are oh, I’m gay, or I’m, non-binary or something like that. And then the next day that changes.
That’s totally fine. But right now, and this is like, I’m a very progressive liberal person, gentle parent. But if one more of them changes their name, I am gonna lose my mind.
Andrea Marie: They’re really changing their names.
Monica Nevi: All the time. All the time.
Andrea Marie: Wow.
Monica Nevi: We have a friend that was Violet and then Rhythm, and now Emmy, and then like, none of those are her actual name.
Like it’s, which is fine, and I know because he wants to be respectful of people’s pronouns and your names and all that stuff. He just changes it immediately. So he’s like, oh, I’m walking around with Emmy and I’m like, oh, is this a new friend? You know? And then I’m like, wait, that’s Rhythm. You know, like everyone has. Yesterday, he was like, oh, I’m at Safeway with Ember. I was like,
Andrea Marie: Ember.
Monica Nevi: And I’m like, who are these new friends? It’s the same person every time. I can’t. I don’t know. Yeah so they’re all figuring themselves out, almost literally what their names are.
Andrea Marie: Right.
Monica Nevi: I need to update each time, or can we have at least a time limit on them or something, you know.
Andrea Marie: Yeah. Or at least, minimum you, if you’re gonna do it, you got a minimum one week. You’ve got to keep it, you know.
Monica Nevi: Yeah, yeah.
Andrea Marie: And I don’t know how their teachers are down with all of that .
Monica Nevi: That’s gotta be hard to keep track or are they, yeah ’cause are they writing their different name? I don’t know.
Andrea Marie: yeah. I don’t know.
Monica Nevi: I totally support them, figuring it all out and finding out who they are and stuff. He was in like fifth grade and he was like, oh, well my friend is aromantic and asexual, and I was like, she’s 10, so I think that’s just being 10. You know, like that’s not, yeah.
Andrea Marie: That is a normal 10-year-old.
Monica Nevi: I was like, you don’t have to figure it out right now. You know? I was like, okay. I mean, I’m glad you guys know there’s lots of different, fluid spectrums and stuff. Yes. But you don’t have to pick one, you know, you just see what’s going on. Yeah, yeah. I was like, I think everyone is asexual. Hopefully when they’re 10.
Andrea Marie: And it comes and goes. know that.
Monica Nevi: Absolutely. You’ll get back to it, don’t worry. Oh God.
Andrea Marie: Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. So what is the part you love about comedy? Just getting back to comedy, what do you love about traveling around doing comedy?
Monica Nevi: I love knowing that I’m funny all over the place. That’s really nice. you know, I do love the travel. That can also be the hard part, just kind of tiring and stuff. But I, it’s also at the moment like.
It feels very hopeful when I’m on stage with people I’ve never met in a very divided time in maybe an area of the country that would not be excited about Seattle and then we’re all still laughing together and having a good time and not worrying for a little bit.
That’s really, really a no matter how much the travel is or how tired I am. Once that’s happening, you know, the actual doing the standup itself, and we’re all, I feel like we’re a team a little bit, you know, like we’re all the same goal is to just have a good time for a second, and that’s really, really fun.
Andrea Marie: Yeah. And I think especially now, it’s such a wild time and I think people are coming out more to, I think it’s almost reminds me a little bit of COVID times after, you know, people are like, we just need to laugh. Let’s just all laugh together ’cause we need Yeah, it.
Monica Nevi: That’s always been kind of my, well, and I’m not really political on stage really at all anyway, so it’s not, you know, it’s accessible. I don’t know, there was a little bit of pressure, I would say earlier in my career, maybe like five years in. So this was. Yeah, probably 2016 ish.
Very like social justice heavy was a thing and you needed to be saying stuff. And as a person in the gay community, I at times felt like maybe I wasn’t saying enough or standing up for us enough or something like that. And, felt maybe inadequate, I guess. In that regard, just because it was popular at the time.
And then something just hit me where I was like, well, the most important part is that it’s funny and actually it is still, you know, doing a service or kind of giving a gift to let people not have to worry about whatever they’re worried about for a little bit. You know? So that’s really become the goal is just I wanna distract you, I guess.
Andrea Marie: Well, and I think we can all just laugh about being, you know, what it is to be human, you know? I mean like, it doesn’t have to be political. It can be like, Hey, we’re all humans together.
Monica Nevi: Which is why farts always works. You know.
Andrea Marie: Farts. I so agree. I think farts are hilarious. I think they’re very underrated.
Monica Nevi: Really getting a bad rap, fart.
Andrea Marie: I know.
Monica Nevi: No, but that, stand up, it’s supposed to be relatable and so that’s relatable.
Andrea Marie: Yeah, It’s awesome. We all fart, right? I think I’m pretty sure.
Monica Nevi: It’s just the moral of my standup journey now. It’s like just always bring it back to farts. I don’t know.
Where to find Monica for upcoming shows
Andrea Marie: That is so awesome. Well, Monica, this has been so fun. It’s been so great to talk to you. Why don’t you let people know where they can find you, follow you, all that stuff. We’ll have all these links in the show notes, but share where people can get connected to you.
Monica Nevi: Love that. Yeah. Everything is my name for the most part. Like @monicanevi, on the Instagram and Facebook, those things. And my website is monicanevicomedy.com and that will have my tour dates that are usually updated. They are currently. And then, also links to my specials and albums and stuff like that, if you wanna check those out.
Yeah. My first special is called Big Stepdad Energy. And then I did a second special that’s only Christmas jokes. But I think it’s good all year round, you know? But one’s called Jokes for the Holidays. Those are both available on YouTube, so you can go hear the actual standup and the, I mean, you know, parenting is gonna creep into your standup no matter what, a lot.
Andrea Marie: Right.
Monica Nevi: of it, especially right now, the new stuff. Yeah, come see me on the road. I’m gonna film. Some new specials this year. So, it’s all different stuff than you would’ve seen on the specials and it’s been really fun to develop and yeah, now be a middle school mom, you know.
Andrea Marie: Yeah, yeah. Always so much material.
Monica Nevi: Definitely.
Andrea Marie: Well, thank you so much, Monica.
Thanks everybody.
Monica Nevi: Thank you.
Andrea Marie: Thanks for listening and make sure you subscribe, share, and follow us on the socials to get more comedy clips.
Monica Nevi is a Seattle-based comedian touring nationally and internationally. Her debut special Big Stepdad Energy was voted Top 50 of the Year, and she’s appeared on FOX’s Laughs and ESPN’s SportsCenter. She’s also released two #1 comedy albums and the Amazon series 80 for 80. Follow her on Instagram @monicanevi

