From the minute I saw Sara Schaefer step out into her mock office on the stage of Juvie Hall, wearing a party skirt, fancy silver heels, with a big smile on her face, I knew I'd like her. In a city where so many people are trying to out-cool each other, Sara wears her obsessions on her sleeve-literally. With her bimonthly Friday night comedy show Sara Schaefer is Obsessed With You (SSIOWY), the native Virginian unleashes her inner Kelly Ripa, but her show is cooler than any daytime talk show you'll ever see. With her co-writers cast as officemates, she includes everything from special guests to giveaways, along with her own offbeat, humorous, and hugely enthusiastic personality. In the crowded confines of the Juvie Hall basement, it's hard not to laugh along with Sara as she lives out her tv hosting dream. It's no surprise that she's both kind-hearted and funny, proving that one can get ahead by living out their dreams, and making people laugh along with them. Yes, I'm not ashamed to admit it - I'm just as obsessed with Sara Schaefer as she is with you.
Your show is called Sara Schaefer is Obsessed With You. When and why did you start it, and what does the title mean? Are you obsessed with your audience?
Juvie Hall Sketch Comedy Theatre (where the show takes place) used to be called Above Kleptomania and was housed in what's now the Laugh Factory over by the Port Authority. We were performing in a former strip club, that really looked like a former strip club, with mirrors everywhere and an actual porn shop and sex video-watching place on the lower level.
One night, Erik Marcisak, who runs the theatre, asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I guess I was caught up in the whimsy of the dazzling lights bouncing off the mirrors and the creepy clown-themed decorations in the lobby, because I said, "I want to be a late night TV host." Erik said, "Okay, let's do it."
That was a little over a year ago, and the first show was in January 2004. When we (Erik, and my two co-writers, Amanda Melson and Kara Lee Burk) started planning the show, the theme of obsession started bouncing around, and Amanda coined the name of the show. It stuck; I guess kind of how the name "Boyz II Men" stuck. When you find a good name, you just know it.
The show is set up as if it were your own TV show. If you had a TV show, what time slot would you want, and who would you have as your guests (aside from some of the people you've had on your show, let's assume you could have any living person you wanted)?
I'd love to have Conan's spot. Late enough to be really wacky but with re-runs on Comedy Central the next day for people like me who are too tired to stay up. I think re-runs on TBS would be fine too. Or just put me on HBO and make my show available on-demand. I'm flexible.
As far as guests go, I don't know how it works. I guess they have this list of people who want to promote their movies and such, and you pick from that? I'd rather get people that I personally am obsessed with. Like practically everyone on the Food Network, except that lady Ina who does Barefoot Contessa. She really pisses me off. I'd also love to have Tori Amos as a guest. I am really obsessed with her, and she's a complete nut, so I think it'd make for great entertainment. I'd be sobbing uncontrollably while she burns sage and ritualistically dry-humps the goddess of my desk.
What I loved the most about the show is your unabashed enthusiasm - when I attended, you were running around screaming as you gave out small gifts and waxed enthusiastic about Oprah and Ellen gifting their audiences. And that enthusiasm seems to be at the heart of the show, from the guests you booked to your demeanor - you are obsessed, but in a good, giddy, supportive way. How does it feel to show that side of yourself to people like Samantha Bee from The Daily Show, a recent guest, and a roomful of strangers?
It feels like I'm 14, and zitty. But really, I'm not ashamed of showing my love for people and things. Even if it's spastic and awkward, it's sincere, it's who I am. I could start really going into my convoluted theories about the universe and energy flow, etc., but I think too many people try so hard to be contained and cool and in control all the time. For me, doing that is unbearable. I let people see that vulnerable side of me - the part that would follow Samantha Bee into Satan's inner chamber - and it feels good for some reason. Self-expression - it's neat.
You and I have very similar music taste, so I was thrilled to see that you have had performers such as Ida, Kendall Meade and Kimya Dawson. Does the audience ever clamor for "funnier" music, because some of these artists are very beautiful and intense, but not necessarily humorous, or does it fit easily within the show's format? What have been some musical highlights of the show for you?
At my show, I don't think people clamor for funny music. I think they are relieved to have a break from the constant, nearly-suffocating belly laughter that occurs when they see my show. But really, I think having non-funny musical guests not only easily fits into the format, but is a huge opportunity to make the show more well-rounded and unique for the audience. I love live music, it really gets me in the gut, physically, and electrifies me more than anything. Come look at me backstage during the musical act and 9 times out of ten I'm crying. Seriously.
Ah, and musical highlights: Steve Burns & Paul Ford performing an 11 minute musical about a rat and a squirrel, Ida's crushingly pure voices, Emil McGloin's velvety voice, and Kimya Dawson's outbreak into "The Greatest Love of All."
Speaking of Ida, you recently hosted the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls benefit at Knitting Factory, where you read from your teenage diary about going to Christian camp and, in a true act of daring, belted out Madonna's "Into the Groove" with Ida backing you. Because I prefer to hide behind my computer to bare my soul, I'm always curious-does being onstage come naturally to you, or do you ever get nervous or freaked out?
I was terrified. It's always been a fantasy of mine to sing with a band backing me, in a venue like that, and I can't believe they let me do that. Especially since I didn't know the words and they had never played the song before. Totally improvised - they are awesome. I went offstage and immediately did a little silent scream to myself a la Laura Linney in Love Actually.
Being onstage is nerve-racking but you learn to feed off it and use it to make your performance all that much better. I find that I'm usually better if I'm a little nervous.
Being as musically obsessed as you seem to be, have you ever been in or wanted to be in a band of your own?
Constantly fantasizing about it. I love performing music. I played piano and guitar growing up, and I actually started out in New York doing musical comedy - singing songs to tracks that I had recorded from my Casio keyboard. But I've never been in a real band. Well, actually, in high school, I was in a two-girl band called "The Femme Fatales". We sang at a church youth group "poetry jam" thing - we did Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan covers. We also had one original song. Something about falling off a cliff. It was awesome.
Perfect for Gothamist, which has repeatedly obsessed over Law & Order, you also have a guest who's been on Law & Order on each episode of SSIOWY, in which you show their clip and ask them about the experience. Why Law & Order-are you a huge fan or is it just a comment on how many New York actors have guested on the show-and how do you find the guests?
It's both. I love Law & Order. It's like the most successful series of all time or something. And I can see why. I guarantee you - if you watch the show past the first gavel noise, you're hooked. You can't stop watching it. The marathons are the worst, because they show the first teaser segment right on the tail-end of the previous show. It's a never-ending cycle. My mom was going through chemotherapy this last summer and was really depressed. Her doctor actually recommended that she watched Law & Order because it just grabs your attention from the get go and helps pass the time when you're too weak to do anything but
get lost in your thoughts. I firmly believe that in some ways Law & Order helped save my mom's life.
And of course, where can you go in New York without bumping into someone who's been on Law & Order? As of now the Law & Order guests are coming out of the woodworks, because everyone knows someone who's done it at some point. It's also becoming something all of us on the show incorporate into our everyday small talk with people. Instead of asking, so what do you do? We ask, have you ever been on Law & Order? A lot of times they say no, but almost always they know someone who has.
SSIOWY takes place in an office setting, complete with cubicle and copy machine. Are offices inherently funny places? For those who don't find them such, what can office drones do to better enjoy and laugh at their daily office experience?
Offices have to be funny, or else I would have killed myself by now. I think offices offer a lot of creative fodder because you are stuck with the same people for a long time and after a while you start to observe what's funny about their habits and dysfunctional personalities.
What does 2005 have in store for the show?
Well, we have a lot of cool musical and celebrity guests in the works. Can't tell you much more, other than that it's going to be awesome. And, my New Year's Resolution is to get Ralph Maccio on the show. Just a personal goal. So if you know him...
To create a mock tv show, I imagine you must watch and have watched lots of tv. What are your favorite and least favorite shows, and why? Whose show would you love to be a guest on?
I love reality TV. My current obsession is Project Runway. And of course Road Rules/Real World Battle of the Sexes. It is unmatched in its drama...especially when you consider the fact that the Real World/Road Rules challenges are the only reality series with long-term character development. I mean, some of these people have been doing these things for practically 10 years. Other than that, I love Food Network, CBS Sunday Morning, and most anything on Adult Swim.
You're one of the writers for Saturday Night Rewritten, a show also at Juvie Hall which is performed on Sundays and takes on the previous night's Saturday Night Live performance. Can you tell me more about the show and what the writing process is like?
The show is written, rehearsed, and performed in about 8 hours time. We don't spoof SNL directly; we use the previous night's episode more for inspiration in terms of topic and concepts. It's more of an homage to SNL than anything else, and it's in the same spirit of live, topical sketch comedy. It's a challenge for the writers and performers to create a written show on the fly - and all the while it's really really fun.
How much of the show is pre-written and how much is adlibbed? Does one have to have seen the previous night's SNL for it to make sense?
The show is written - but inevitably because of the time constraint we end up adlibbing our lines a little, because it's really hard to
memorize lines so quick. But it's definitely a written show. And there is no requirement to see the previous night's SNL. It's interesting to see how we use the episode for inspiration but it's not like the comedy is based on something you had to see the night before in order to get at SNR the next day. What you'll see is a completely original show that stands on its own.
You're originally from Richmond, Virginia, have lived in New Orleans, and have been in New York for three years. Do you notice regional differences in New York humor versus Southern humor? Do you think New Yorkers are more reticent to show their enthusiasm generally?
I don't notice any regional differences in senses of humor - I think it's more person to person than anything. Enthusiasm. Yes, there is a lack of it in people, but I don't think that's a regional thing, I think it's an age / place in life thing maybe. I know so many people - New York and everywhere else - that have big ideas and want big things for their lives but don't do a damn thing to go and get it. They are so passionate about things but don't take action on those passions. They get their panties in a bunch over this issue or that issue and then don't actually live a life that reflects those beliefs. That pisses me off. It's the self-righteous Southern Baptist upbringing. We're all about walking the walk. Talk didn't get you nowhere but the fiery pits of hell.
What are your favorite and least favorite things about being a comedian in New York?
Favorite: Other comedians. I've met so many talented, hard-working people that really are doing some great stuff here. I've laughed so much and love these people - and to have them coming out and supporting me back is so awesome. Also, Erik, Amanda, and Kara Lee, they are my most favorite and I really am lucky to be working with them.
Least favorite: Other other comedians. Just like with anything in the entertainment business, the risk of failure is really high and it brings out the worst in people. You can really get bogged down in politics if you want to.
What else are you obsessed with that we might not know about?
Cereal. I love cereal, all kinds. The guys in my local bodega tease me because I take so long picking out my cereal. They say I'm a connoisseur. They're right. Apparently there is a place in Philly called Cereality, which is like a 31 flavors type thing but with cereal. Genius. I need to go to this place, immediately.
Your site says you work as a financial analyst for a securities law fraud firm. Somehow, though I've only seen you perform twice, I can't quite picture Sara the comedian with such a serious day job. Is it ever tough to reconcile the two, or have you gotten used to that?
When I moved to New York I had a friend who was encouraging me to not work in an office and just get "odd jobs." I'm so glad I didn't do that. The financial type job has really been a motivator to make this comedy thing happen. A constant reminder that I need to make it in comedy so that I don't have to do this the rest of my life. That mindset of "this isn't your life" makes the job easier to deal with. And being able to afford food is also a huge plus. It has also made me realize on a more basic level that I'm capable of things I never thought I was capable of before. Like kicking Excel's ass.
Any words of advice for aspiring comedians?
First, look around and see what all the other aspiring comedians are doing - not just in terms of material, style, etc. but also where they are performing, whose ass they are kissing. Second, ignore all that and go do your own thing.
Anything else to say to those who've never seen your show?
Come see!
The next edition of Sara Schaefer is Obsessed With You takes place Friday, January 14th at 8 pm at Juvie Hall, located at 24 Bond Street. Saturday Night Rewritten also takes place at Juvie Hall every Sunday night at 8 pm. Find out more about Sara on her website.
-- Interview by Rachel Kramer Bussel
