We’re looking forward to introducing you to Zoe Rogers. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Zoe , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
This was Boulder Comedy Festival’s 5th year and we were just about half women which is awesome. When I started doing stand up most festivals only had a handful of women. We had positive feedback from comics and audiences and that means a tremendous amount.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I started doing stand up comedy in Los Angeles 14 years ago and shortly after started producing so I could create more stage time for women and diversity in what felt like a male dominated scene. After a few years I started teaching and focusing on helping students find their comedic voice and talk about personal, vulnerable and relatable material. In 2018 we moved to Colorado and I was offered hosting and curating the monthly comedy show at Dairy Arts Center in Boulder. Partnering with Dairy Arts was incredible and after a few years I asked the if they would be open to me doing Boulder Comedy Festival, that highlights women and diversity, there. They were hugely supportive and we launched the first year with awesome comics and sold out shows. The audience was really happy to hear women’s voices and see everyone represented. It’s been 5 years and we love sharinginclusive and very funny comics with Boulder audiences.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think that universally relatable things connect us. We have a pretty divided society recently, so it’s nice to see people sitting shoulder to shoulder and laughing at relatable things. We aren’t as different as we think. I like seeing people relate to someone from a totally different demographic, where by the time the audience goes home they realize they have more in common than they thought. We are all human and have vulnerabilities. Let’s come together and laugh about what makes us feel weird, that way we won’t feel so isolated.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have been a bunch of times I almost gave up. Thankfully, I didn’t. I have terrific people in my life who help me refocus on what matters. When you are trying to affect change, there are going to be people that do not like you. That’s just a reality of life, but it’s important to focus on why you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ll run into people who trash talk you to try to ruin opportunities or pull down your posters. That’s about them. Take the highroad.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My family and affecting change and making the world a better place.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
Having more time to spend more time with my kids and family,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Bouldercomedyfestival.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boulder_comedy_festival?igsh=bm56MG50aDR5enM4
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/bococomedyfestival
- Other: ZoeRogersComedy.com
Highroadcomedy.com
Comedyfempire.com
Image Credits
Personal collection Boulder Comedy Festival
