WE ASKED ROBBY HOFFMAN

Name/Stage name

Robby Hoffman

WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF?

I’m a comic. This is the first time I’m travelling and I put down for occupation on my customs form, comic. That’s fun. You know, I’m like this straight edged accountant, it’s like“Robby you can’t be doing that they’re going to be questioning us,” and I’m like“I’m putting it down!”
(Air writes: C-o-m-i-c.) I like the title better.



WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS CALL YOU?

My Yiddish name.

DAY JOB

I work in finance actually.

SIGN

Sagittarius, obviously.

HOMETOWN

Montreal I call home, I’m from Brooklyn.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE GAME?

A year and five months now.

HOW DID YOU START OUT?

The first time was at the loft. I was only around for the last 2-3 months of the loft and I was there every single Friday.

WHAT MAKES YOU FUNNY?

Authenticity, Angst at a young age. I always felt like an 88 year old Jewish grandmother living in a 20 something year old body. I find myself walking around like, Kids these days! You know?

(HAVE TO AGREE….KIDS THESE DAYS)

WHAT IS THE BEST AND WORST THING ABOUT BEING A COMIC?  

It’s you, start to finish. You get to see something you’ve written actually develop and become a show, become some entertainment for other people.

I think it’s the best art. I’ve done other arts in my life, I’ve done fine arts and things like that; but I think that this is something that incorporates all of them. You write it, you produce it, you perform it. At the end of the day there’s no one on stage with you, there’s nothing else. It’s you and a mic, no music and people watching. Work it out!

The worst is a bad show in the middle of nowhere. Three people showing up to an open mic that nobody knew about, and you still have 3 hours to get home after.

What is your highest achievement to date?

I had my own feature in the gazette. I’ve also performed on the Just For Laughs stage.

IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONLY ONE OTHER COMEDIAN, WHO WOULD IT BE?

Eman, cause were the same but we’re different. I think she’s hilarious on and off stage.

IF YOU COULD BRING BACK ONE COMEDIAN FROM THE DEAD (TO BONE) WHO WOULD IT BE?

Do I have to have sex with them? Chris Farley. He was so all over the place and he gave everything he had.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COMEDY SPOT AND WHY?

The Comedy Works, because it’s a comedy club. It feels like New York. The Rialto theatre also. There’s really something eclectic about that place. It’s gorgeous, it has this old charm; the ornamented ceiling, it’s really spectacular.

The loft was my favourite spot because it was comedy for doing comedy, it wasn’t for anything else. It was a place where local comics could hang out, conglomerate, shoot the shit and also perform. Anything goes; bomb, succeed,  anything.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE JOKE?

Seinfeld’s been posting his archives, 3 jokes a day and if you miss them that day you miss them. One of my favourite jokes this week; he talks about what a scam the weather report is. If the 5 day forecast was true wouldn’t they just announce it once every five days???? Why do I need 5 days to figure out what I’m going to wear today? You got shorts, you got a jacket, figure it out!!!!

WHAT IS A FUNNY WORD?

I like old school words, like hussy, my coworkers and I use that at work, ‘Oh, you wore your hussy pants.’ or ‘Heavens to Betsy!’ Is hilarious these days!



WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?

My girlfriend, cause she’s cute, my coworkers and other peoples laughs.

WHAT IS NOT FUNNY?

Jew jokes when you’re not Jewish, black jokes when you’re not black. Nothing really offends me. I get over everything in 2 seconds.

COMEDIC PHILOSOPHY

Be funny and trust your gut. A lot of people are going to give you advice, and tell you what do, what not to do. If it’s funny it will work, you’ll know.

CAN YOU JUDGE BY THE LAUGHTER?

Not necessarily. You can’t always tell with the crowd. But if you really believe it’s funny, and you deliver it perfectly, authentically onstage. If the crowd feels that honesty, they’ll think it’s funny. You can judge by laughter sometimes. Depends on what kind of crowd it is.

DO YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR THE UP AND COMING?

I don’t have advice. You’re on your own, comedy is a windy road.

WHAT IS YOUR COMEDY DREAM?

Well, I’ve got 17 years to prepare for hosting the 100^th Oscars. Who better to host right? I mean they haven’t confirmed officially, but yeah, 17 years to work that out. I’ll do the 100^th , I don’t care. Don’t worry about it, I’ll do it, its ok.

Robby is performing her own show at the Fringe Festival. June 11^th to the 19^th at Petit Campus. For tickets call (514) 849-FEST.

In her own words: It’s going to be a hoot. Only 10 bucks, it’s a steal! And, you got this eye candy on stage!!!!