This week, we’re highlighting 25 talented writers and performers for Vulture’s annual list “The Comedians You Should and Will Know.†Our goal is to introduce a wider audience to the talent that has the comedy community and industry buzzing. (You can read more about our methodology at the link above.) We asked the comedians on the list to answer a series of questions about their work, performing, goals for the future, and more. Next up is Katrina Davis.
Tell us a story from your childhood you think explains why you ended up becoming a comedian.
I took dance classes growing up, and sometimes we had short intermissions in between classes. Another girl and I started using the downtime to do terrible, second-grade versions of the “Coffee Talk†sketch from Saturday Night Live for the other girls until the next class started. They went over well enough for us to get a few additional booking requests. I am still horrible at impressions.
What unscripted or reality series do you think you’d excel at? What archetype do you think you’d be?
Top Design. I love design and buildings. I was an architecture major in college for one full week before I got scared and switched to advertising, but I still make floor plans for fun. A decent amount of my Instagram Stories are doors, tile patterns, and other design details that make me happy when I see them.
There were only two seasons of Top Design, but it would be fun to design a space with challenges like that. As for my archetype, I think I’d be: The One That Tells It Like It Is But Only Because They Can’t Fix Their Face When They Hate Someone.
What’s your proudest achievement of your comedy career so far?
Taping my first comedy special is up there, for sure. It can be hard to know when you’re ready to record your first hour. I tend to have pretty low expectations for myself comedically, but I do try to follow my gut, so I’m proud I went for it. It’s nice to get messages from people who relate to my jokes or accidentally woke up the person next to them on a red-eye flight laughing at me. (Thanks, United!)
I was really proud to be a part of the Tribeca Film Festival, and I’m still a little overwhelmed by the people who came out to support me. I scream-cried Miss America style when I saw my friends afterward. I was the last one to tape that night, and I’ll always remember taking celebratory speed-tequila shots and stuffing my bag with mini Slim Jims as the night janitor politely kicked us out of the greenroom.
What have you learned about your own joke-writing process that you didn’t know when you started?
I move through material quickly — sometimes a little too quickly. I get sick of hearing myself say the same things, so I try to start with newer material and switch things up with stories that pop into my head when I hear the other comics go up. It makes it feel more natural and conversational for me to mildly tailor my set to what’s already been discussed or not discussed at a show.
Tell us everything about your worst show ever. (This can involve venue, audience, other comedians on the lineup, anything!)
I brought a bunch of co-workers to a show once, and one of my peers had a little too much to drink. Her five-plus glasses of wine did not pair well with the racially charged (and unfunny) comic that happened to be up. She started a fight with him mid-set that somehow escalated into an argument with the entire bar — some patrons siding with her, some telling her to shut up, some starting their own fights. The entire show fell apart. Then, another audience member took it upon herself to pick up the abandoned microphone and attempt to rally the group in a calming chant and breath exercise. I cried in the bathroom. And don’t even start with that hack Florida trash, because this was in Beverly Hills.
Let’s say we live in a “Kings of Catchphrase Comedy†alternate dimension where every single comedian is required to have a hit catchphrase. What’s yours and why?
“Hooooot dog!†It has an overall positive vibe, and I love hot dogs. Hopefully, it would make people bring me hot dogs.
Nominate one comedian you don’t know personally you think is overdue for wider recognition and why you’re a fan of their work.
Milan Patel and Danika Lyle. Milan’s comedy is insightful and hilarious, and now he does animation to go along with his jokes that add another layer that’s so enjoyable. Danika creates characters that are so funny they make me hate TikTok less.
When it comes to your comedy opinions — about material, performing, audience, trends you want to kill/revive, the industry, etc. — what hill will you die on?
You can wear shorts onstage. Climate change is real, and performers should be allowed to adapt. I heard John Cena pushes for wardrobe to let him wear shorts because they’re more comfortable for his massive calves, and I think comedians should be allowed similar performative freedoms.
If you had to come onstage to just one song for the rest of your life, what song would it be and why?
“Jump in the Line†by Harry Belafonte. You can’t be in a bad mood when you hear it. It’s about a woman owning her sexuality. Mr. Belafonte was a wonderful man and activist. Also I love Beetlejuice.
What is the best comedy advice, and then the worst comedy advice, you’ve ever received, either when you were starting out or more recently?
Best: “Are they paying you?â€
A comedian I love and respect overheard me talking about a bigger opportunity I had just gotten. She subtly leaned over and said, “Are they paying you?†When I said “yes,†she said, “Good.†It’s technically more of a confirmation of a decision I’d already made than advice, but it solidified for me that it’s worth waiting to work with people who see you as a talent worth investing in.
Worst: “You should be more like _______.†It’s hard enough for me to make sure I’m being the best version of myself; I can’t be adding all kinds of other people to the mix.
More From This Series
- 2023’s Comedians You Should Know Reflect on a Big Year
- Zach Zucker Dares to Say Comedy Is About Being Funny
- Sophie Zucker Is Sick of the Irony
- We Promise Zach Zimmerman Was Invited