brandon follick will teach you how to write a joke

plus, where I've been

our pets in a very damp Hampton Inn, midway through our cross-country move

Oh my god! Hey!

Remember a few months ago when I mentioned being in a state of limbo? Well, boys, that’s settled—but escaping limbo involved a series of fully insane, sweeping life events. In the last 45 days, I have:

• taken a wonderful job that required me to relocate from Chicago to New York City

• found a subleaser for our Chicago apartment

• signed a lease on a friend’s old apartment in Brooklyn

• embarked on a pre-planned vacation to Spain with my sister, which included a narrowly-avoided 30-hour flight delay

• contracted Covid on aforementioned vacation

• repaired and repainted our Chicago apartment for aforementioned subleaser

• packed up our entire apartment along with my partner and our two pets (still need to unpack the partner and the pets—they’re all getting testy in their Box)

• moved across the country with partner, pets, and a 16-foot moving truck

• turned 30

• googled “are fumes from floor wax harmful” numerous times (they waxed the hell out of this place, jesus)

I’m planning a big post about this very welcome, very chaotic time; in the meantime, I am, as my friend Claire put it, busting into this new era like the Kool-Aid Man. But today, it’s time for a treat!

ooh la la it’s time for another creative Q&A

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Brandon Follick is teaching the hottest humor class in town

an excellent teacher AND stylish? okay!!!!

For this month’s interview, I chatted with Brandon Follick. He’s a humor writer, a fellow Brooklynite (I can say that now), and a government-certified sweet pea. You know him as the twisted mind behind your favorite Reductress headlines (ex: “Selfish? This Woman Insisted on the Window Seat Even Though She Has Nothing to Yearn About”). Starting September 16, Brandon is teaching a virtual humor/satire writing class at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective. It’s limited to 10 students, so you’re gonna want to sign up ASAP, buddy.

Below, Brandon and I talk about community, inspiration, and, crucially, the gut-brain axis.

Hi Brandon! How'd you get into humor writing?

Brandon Follick: I remember first learning about The Onion in sixth grade, but I was too distracted by DCOMs and getting braces to engage with politics. Humor writing re-entered my consciousness my senior year of college when my best friend sent me this. (He drank whole milk, our roommate drank almond, and I drank soy, which I find to be an increasingly endangered choice nowadays and I’m hoping a cafe owner reading this can put my preferences over profits.)

By 2017, I moved to NYC to formally pursue a career in comedy. I started learning more about the humor/satire world and people creating humor projects like James Folta with The Neu Jorker, Milly Tamarez and Dash Turner with FLEXX Mag, and Ginny Hogan and Mary Cella with Little Old Lady. While I was applying for contributor positions and fellowships, I took workshops led by some of the greatest minds of our generation—Caitlin Kunkel, Elissa Bassist, Beth Newell, Sarah Pappalardo, Rachel Wenitsky, and more. In 2018, I joined Reductress as a contributor and got my first (and only) McSweeney’s piece in the same week, and that felt validating enough to waste all this time. 

What's your proudest humor writing moment thus far?

B.F.: Not to be earnest (sorry), but the 2023 Diverse As Fuck (can I curse on this podcast?) weekend in Chicago. DAF highlights diversity in comedy by producing comedy festivals and a series of writing workshops taught by staff writers at The Onion. It was created by Milly Tamarez pre-pandemic,; I joined in 2020, and we were blessed with the addition of Gaby Wilson for the 2023 edition.

2023 was the first in-person DAF workshop since the pandemic started, and we were fortunate enough to be joined by many alums who I previously met virtually. It means the world to me to get to work with Milly and Gaby. The Onion is also composed of some special, thoughtful people as well, particularly Sam Hungerford, Jordan LaFlure, and the writers and panelists who volunteer their free time to teach.

I don’t know what the rest of my career will look like—especially right now, when the entertainment economy has shrunk down to the size of the gorgeous septet orchestra giving it their all while the Titanic sinks. BUT, from what I can see, DAF has made a tangible difference for many comedy writers (and if you’re a DAF alum reading this who vehemently disagrees, pleeeease lie to my face because we do this for freeeeee).

Before I leave this question, I need to add that writing with Rima Parikh has improved my life immeasurably. Watch her show, Death Threat.

Do you have a day job? If so, what is it and do they know about your humor stuff?

B.F.: Legally speaking I am “in between jobs" due to ":) company restructuring :)”, but for the last ~8 years I worked as a research associate/project manager at a biotech startup (their name is K******e, they study the gut-brain axis, I am no longer on their website, check it out). Many of my old coworkers did not know [about my humor stuff] until someone saw me in a Reductress stock photo, at which point the jig was up. I mistakenly went to college for biology when I should have studied something useful like Improvised Tap Dancing or Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses (I'm not kidding, I believe those are the professionals that will guide us towards salvation).

You're someone who has built a really strong, supportive community of humor and comedy folks. What's your advice for people looking to find their people?

B.F.: I really do try to get to know comedians and keep up with them, and I’m grateful to groups like the organizers of the Satire & Humor Festival, the hosts of the Some Fun Lines open mic in Brooklyn, and many more for organizing spaces for communities to connect. I’m so bad at remembering names, but I am good at remembering faces and details about a person. Remember details! If you see someone in person, ask them how their solo show/apartment hunt/sketch team/grad school applications/thing is going. And if you don't remember details, gracefully admit it and start taking notes.

Getting into comedy in general is so hard. Getting anything made is so hard. Skyler Higley recently articulated a fantastic perspective on today’s state of comedy. I’m willing to bet ($1 at most because I'm unemployed) that anyone who pursues humor/comedy was told at some formative point in their life by someone they care about that they are funny. I admire anyone who recognized that as fact and took permission to pursue comedy as a result. I have a lot of inherent respect for comedians, and genuinely caring about each other is how I’ve made it this far.  

Let’s talk about the class you’re teaching.

B.F.: I really do mean it when this class is for anyone at any level in their career, from anywhere, which is also why the class is virtual. I know you people are funny, and I’m going to provide you with a handful of frameworks so we can see where your sensibilities work best comedically. And if you have any questions about if this class is right for you, I’m happy to talk more at brandonfollick@gmail.com.

What's one thing you're consuming right now?

B.F.: The TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the band Magdalena Bay, Steve Martin movies (I loved Leap of Faith), and grating ginger at home instead of buying it prepared. My boyfriend recently got a corgi (Phoebe) who has been consuming a lot of my time taking her to various parks.

Follow along with Brandon’s upcoming shows and humor stuff, and sign up for his class while you still can!

thanks for reading, see you next week <3

can anybody let me know if these floor wax fumes are harmful for real,

lil