https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/9fcy3j/carolefinal_-_3_1_23_811_PM9qcgv.mp3
EPISODE SUMMARY:
Carole Montgomery is an esteemed veteran of comedy, with over two dozen television credits, two different Las Vegas production shows, and a plethora of events headlining clubs and colleges across the U.S. In today’s episode, we sat down with Carole to discuss her comedy series Funny Women of a Certain Age, how females are censored in comedy, midlife comedy, and the response Carole has received to Funny Women of a Certain Age.
First, we asked Carole about her hilarious comedy series Funny Women of a Certain Age, a comedy show that highlights the voices of midlife women. She told us that the idea for the show first came to her when she turned fifty. Once she entered midlife, Carole realized how older women are treated as invisible by society. After sitting on a podcast with her friends to discuss the issues and laughing the entire time, Carole was inspired to continue the conversation further. If society wouldn’t give midlife women a voice, especially those without fame or a platform, then Carole would do it. With a combination of known and known female comedians in the show, Carole was able to premiere Funny Women of a Certain Age at a comedy festival and later ended up receiving a monthly residency for the show at a theater. Six years later, and the show is still going strong. Carole even plans to pursue future projects that would allow her to showcase more voices and share the dark sides of being a woman in comedy.
Funny Women of a Certain Age was built upon the premise of giving unheard voices a platform. However, when collaborating with other companies, compromises and sacrifices have to be made. When asked how she came up with her set list for the show, Carole detailed how it was a collaborative effort between her and Showtime. She had a list of guests, the network had one, and together the two worked together to come up with a set that met both of their needs. Carole was able to highlight unknown talent while still showcasing well-known names such as Fran Drescher in her show. The show has received great responses, with midlife women from all over coming up to Carole and telling her how grateful they are to see a show that caters to their humor and life experiences. We also spoke to Carole about how female comedians are treated versus male comedians in the industry. As someone who’s worked in comedy for decades, Carole knows all too well how women are judged for telling the same jokes that men are praised for. When men talk about sex in their sets, they’re applauded for being so open and daring. When women do it, they’re deemed too “raunchy” for comedy. However, rather than letting the double standards bother her, Carole has come to peace with the fact that she can’t please everyone, so she’ll continue to do comedy that feels right for her regardless. She also doesn’t worry about telling too many midlife or menopause jokes in her sets. While many of her audiences are full of young people or men, she tries not to assume anything about the crowd beforehand and has actually seen many of her midlife-centered jokes land well with young or male audience members.
As Carole has aged, so has her comedy. She explained how when looking at her acts over the years, they portray a timeline of her life. As a comedian who shares what she’s going through in her sets, as her life changes, so do her jokes and bits. She has also been inspired by many female comedians over the years, including the iconic Lily Tomlin. Finally, we asked Carole about any upcoming young female comedians she enjoys, and she highly recommended Liz Miele. We also asked her about the potential for a fourth Funny Women of a Certain Age Show, and she told us that while they are still waiting on the networks to resolve issues before decisions can be made, she’d be open to doing another show.
Carole Montgomery
Carole Montgomery has had a long and varied career. With over two dozen television credits to her name, Carole Montgomery is a respected veteran of the standup comedy scene nationwide.
In addition to her numerous television appearances, Carole Montgomery has headlined clubs and colleges across the USA and starred in two different Las Vegas production shows. In her ten years as a Las Vegas Star, she was seen by over five million audience members. Carole Montgomery created and stars in three SHOWTIME specials for Funny Women of A Certain Age.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Introduction
- [3:31] Guest Introduction
- [4:20] Funny Women of a Certain Age
- [10:02] Choosing the Line Up for the First Funny Women of a Certain Age Show
- [14:12] Female Censorship in Comedy
- [17:04] Midlife Comedy
- [19:48] How Carole’s Comedy Has Changed as She’s Aged
- [24:46] The Responses to Funny Women of a Certain Age
- [27:35] Upcoming Young Female Comedians
- [29:22] Closing Thoughts
- [30:38] Outro
Useful Resources:
Carole’s Website I [https://www.donefirst.com/]
Carole’s IMDb I [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4521030/]
Carole’s LinkedIn I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-montgomery-2068265/]
Carole’s Facebook I [https://www.facebook.com/carolemontgomerycomedian/]
Carole’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/carolemontgomerycomic/]
Carole’s Twitter I [https://twitter.com/nationalmom]
Carole’s YouTube Channel I [https://www.youtube.com/@CAROLEMONTGOMERY/featured]
Funny Women of a Certain Age
Funny Women of a Certain Age’s Website I [https://www.funnywomenofacertainage.com/]
Funny Women of a Certain Age’s Facebook I [https://www.facebook.com/funnywomenofacertainage/]
Funny Women of a Certain Age’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/funnywomenofacertainage/]
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