Ophira Eisenberg is known for hosting NPR’s Ask Me Another, The Moth mainstage, and her new stand-up special, I Used to Be Nicer. She also has the distinction of filming her previous special when she was 8 ½ months pregnant.
Ophira joins Comedy History 101 to dive into the history of comedians who filmed their stand-up specials while pregnant.
From Joan Rivers pushing pregnancy taboos on The Ed Sullivan Show to Ali Wong’s Baby Cobra, Jena Friedman’s Ladykiller, Kira Soltanovich’s You Did This to Me, and Ophira’s own pregnancy special, Inside Joke.
At one time, a comedian couldn’t say the word ‘pregnant’ on TV. Now being pregnant on stage can make for the centerpiece of a stand-up special.