Janine Harouni chatted about her upcoming shows at Soho Playhouse in New York, as well as her comedy career and being a part of the digital age.
Can you tell us about your show at Soho Playhouse? (What can we expect)
It’s first and foremost a stand-up show, so it’s full of jokes and funny stories – like the time I forced my husband to propose when I accidentally (on purpose) found the engagement ring in his night stand or the story of how I only realized I wanted to be a parent after taking magic mushrooms on a beach in Thailand.
But it’s also a show that has heart and tackles some of life’s tougher subjects.
What inspires your comedy?
I write a lot about family, I come from a mixed family – Irish, Italian, Lebanese so there’s a lot of food and a lot of yelling.
My favorite kind of comedy is the kind where you see yourself reflected back. So I tell a lot of personal stories from my life that I think people can relate to.
What do your plans for the future include?
I’d like to find some balance. It’s hard working and being a new parent. I’m trying to find the middle ground between holding on to myself and who I was before and making space for this new amazing little person in my life.
I’ve also had pink eye four times this year so I’d like my future plans to include my son not picking up every infectious disease possible from daycare. That would be nice.
How does it feel to be a part of the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology, and social media being so prevalent)
Towards the tail end of covid I started posting clips of my stand up to social media and it really helped me build up a following. And because of that, last year I was able to tour to countries I’d never even been to.
I performed in Mumbai, Bangalore, Dubai, and in cities all across Europe and the US. None of that would have been possible without social media, and sure it sucks up all my time and makes me feel incredibly anxious but that’s a small price to pay for an expenses paid trip to India, right?
What is your advice for young and aspiring comedians?
Do it. Don’t plan to do it, or think about doing it, just do it. The only way you get good is by doing. I waited a long time to try stand up because I was terrified of failing. So if that’s you – let me help you out. You are going to fail. A lot.
In fact you’re going to fail more than you’re going to succeed. But there’s so much value in failing. We live in a culture that hides failure and shames it and devalues it. But failure is your greatest teacher.
You learn so much more from your losses. So don’t fear it. Just book in an open mic spot and start.
Were there any moments in your career that helped define you?
The defining moment in my career was meeting the late great director Adam Brace. He’s directed many brilliant shows over the years including the Emmy winning “Just For Us” and a bunch of HBO specials. But I met him about two years into comedy when we were both relatively unknown.
We argued over a bit of mine he said wouldn’t work and I insisted would and we then spent the next five years working (and arguing) together. That moment sparked one of my most creatively fulfilling comedy partnerships.
Adam was comedy rocket fuel.
He helped me grow so much as a comic and taught me that comedy can be much richer than just jokes. He encouraged me to not shy away from material that is personal and meaningful. And that completely transformed the work that I make.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
I think we live in a culture that has very skewed vision of what it means to be a success.
Can you be the best, make the most money, be the most well known, well respected — and the truth is I’ve met a lot of those people and they suck.
In order to achieve all of that you have to sacrifice a lot of the things that ground you and make you happy: friends, family, outside interests.
Nobody lays on their death bead asking to see their awards again or to look at their bank statement one last time.
So the older I get the more I think true success is balance. You make enough money to live a life that’s comfortable, you’re proud of the work you do, and you nourish the relationships and things that nourish you back. That to me is true success.
To learn more about Janine Harouni, follow her on Instagram.
