On today’s episode of Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren welcomes stand-up comic and writer, Tamara Shevon. Tamara opens up about her spontaneous post-graduation move to Beijing - and how living in China led to her trying her hand at stand up comedy. We talk about the importance of putting in the work, having respect for the craft, and why you can’t cut corners in comedy, as well as distinguishing between overly critical comments and constructive feedback. Ever considered giving stand up a try? Tamara will tell you exactly like it is in this episode - and have you laughing out loud the entire way through.
“You can’t write it out verbatim. You can’t have a perfect script.” - Tamara Shevon
Follow Tamara on IG: @teemair
Buy Tamara’s albums on Bandcamp: https://tamarashevon.bandcamp.com/
Listen to Tamara co-host her pod: Pretty Bitchy
Follow Don’t Fuck This Up on IG: @dontfuckthisup.podcast
Follow Lauren Alvarez on IG: @LaurentheAlvarez
Email the show at advice@dontfckthisup.com for your questions to be answered on an upcoming episode!
On today’s episode of Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren welcomes stand-up comic and writer, Tamara Shevon. Tamara opens up about her spontaneous post-graduation move to Beijing - and how living in China led to her trying her hand at stand up comedy. We talk about the importance of putting in the work, having respect for the craft, and why you can’t cut corners in comedy, as well as distinguishing between overly critical comments and constructive feedback. Ever considered giving stand up a try? Tamara will tell you exactly like it is in this episode - and have you laughing out loud the entire way through.
“You can’t write it out verbatim. You can’t have a perfect script.” - Tamara Shevon
Follow Tamara on IG: @teemair
Buy Tamara’s albums on Bandcamp: https://tamarashevon.bandcamp.com/
Listen to Tamara co-host her pod: Pretty Bitchy
Follow Don’t Fuck This Up on IG: @dontfuckthisup.podcast
Follow Lauren Alvarez on IG: @LaurentheAlvarez
Email the show at advice@dontfckthisup.com for your questions to be answered on an upcoming episode!
Tamara Shevon (00:00)
Hello, thanks for having me.
Lauren Alvarez (00:02)
Toronto's finest, very happy to have you. I mean, it's kind of feels minimal to even intro you as a standup comic because you're obviously doing so much more than that. And one tiny look at your Instagram would just tell everyone you were on the road for the entire month of February, which is very cool. I definitely wanna talk about that. Before we get into the hecticness, how are you?
Tamara Shevon (00:24)
Oh, you know, it's, honestly, I'm doing pretty good. The eclipse, I feel like changed my energy completely. I know that sounds stupid, but I feel better.
Lauren Alvarez (00:27)
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah, we kind of needed that like rinse and start over situation.
Tamara Shevon (00:38)
Yeah, I think it's doing the opposite for some other people I know, but for me, I feel rejuvenated. I know that other people don't, but it's just been me, my tarot deck, my crystals, and the eclipse.
Lauren Alvarez (00:41)
Okay. Yeah.
I love that. You have the candles behind you. I mean, you've got a whole vibe going on today. And I mean, I think I personally have been feeling the effects of the Mercury retrograde much more than the eclipse. It has been fucking my shit up.
Tamara Shevon (00:54)
Bless, sir.
Can we talk about how every single person is coming out of the woodwork out of nowhere these days? Just being like, hey, long time. I'm like, yeah, and let's make it longer.
Lauren Alvarez (01:10)
Yeah, so wait, who's the most random person that's come out of the woodwork?
Tamara Shevon (01:14)
Three of my exes have messaged me this week. Yeah. And one of them just said, I just wanted to see how things have been. I had a dream about you, which the dream about you thing is always just bullshit. But yeah, and I'm like, yeah. Was it a dream where I was like a humanitarian and I was like at a soup kitchen? Because if it's not, like stop thinking of me.
Lauren Alvarez (01:16)
Ew, no no. I'm just gonna block.
It's sexual.
It was your face, but Mother Teresa's body. And I just really, there was something really hot about that. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (01:41)
Honestly, I have dated too many Aquarius's. They just love the Mercury retrograde. They love coming out of the woodwork.
Lauren Alvarez (01:47)
Maybe it's stating Aquarius is that it's a real problem and not the retrograde, but I'm not passing judgment. I'm just saying as a Libra, I tried. Everyone's like, Aquarius, you're compatible. I learned at like 21, not a thing.
Tamara Shevon (01:58)
You're like I love Libras, but you guys have like you guys love that energy about like you're into yourselves You love that you're flirty. You're aloof to the fact that your partners are mad at you for flirting. I love that But you're good people I can I can tell you every fight you've had with any of your partners just by
Lauren Alvarez (02:09)
I feel seen.
Tamara Shevon (02:16)
it's, I'm a Sagittarius, so I'm just as bad.
Lauren Alvarez (02:16)
So what's your sign?
Okay, so yeah, so fire, fire. What's the, you've been in a long term relationship. What's your partner's sign?
Tamara Shevon (02:26)
He's a Virgo. It's very strange. Yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (02:28)
Okay, I mean, I'm married to a Capricorn, so I was very surprised. Married, best by a landslide relationship from the day we met, it was like, oh, there you are. And it was very easy in the sense that we're both really into it. But I would say there's probably some other elements there. Like he's a double Cap, but he's a Libra Moon. So, we connect well.
Tamara Shevon (02:32)
When Marys with Capricorn!
Yeah.
Ooh, okay, so you connect well on like the way you communicate. Your love is the same love.
Lauren Alvarez (02:59)
Exactly. It's a pretty cool thing though, because everyone was like, Alibra, Capricorn, run! And I'm like, run toward this man.
Tamara Shevon (03:07)
Capricorns are very good once you get older. When you're like 20, 21, you're like, these Capricorns are so intense. But as you get older, you're like, who's doing our taxes? You are. Are you? Well,
Lauren Alvarez (03:11)
Yeah.
Yes, totally.
No, I am actually.
Tamara Shevon (03:20)
Well, you know what, leavers are also the spreadsheet, like the spreadsheet people, anytime you go on a trip, they're like, and here's what we're doing step by step. So it's actually perfect.
Lauren Alvarez (03:26)
Yeah, I mean, I got a lot of Virgo happening, a lot of organization. I mean, you said you liked the intake form for the podcast. That's just the beginning, baby.
Tamara Shevon (03:35)
Oh, I like when people tell me what I need to do. As a Sagittarius, I just wake up and I'm like, hopefully someone's planned this for me because I'm just.
Lauren Alvarez (03:43)
Just out here trying to exist. You've got to, you pack a suitcase, it's a bikini top, you've got leather pants, you've got platforms. We don't know where you're going. I love that. I mean, okay, so when did you know you were funny? Because I'm already having some abdominal pain from giggling and we're five minutes in.
Tamara Shevon (03:46)
Literally!
I have no idea where I'm going, but I'm gonna make it to the airport.
Lauren Alvarez (04:05)
When did you first realize you were funny? You just celebrated 10 years in comedy? I mean, that's amazing. Yeah, so this wasn't a new found thing because I know everyone wants to be a comic overnight, but when did you realize this was a thing?
Tamara Shevon (04:10)
10 years, yuck.
You know what? I was like always kind of like the person making jokes and whatever in my friend group. I was always writing things down and like in my phone and making like boards of all the funny things that we did. And then I moved to China and there was nothing that was funny about that.
Lauren Alvarez (04:27)
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm like, that just took a hard left turn.
Tamara Shevon (04:40)
Well, I didn't prepare, so I just was like, oh, they speak English there. I'll just get there. Everything, you know, chicken balls, everything. First of all, there aren't chicken balls in China, just letting everybody know. That is not a real thing. That is an Americanized thing that they have put into our minds that are like, that's Chinese food. Not true. The food's way better in China, but I got there and I realized I can't speak any of the language.
Lauren Alvarez (04:51)
Okay.
Okay.
Oh, so wait, what was the impetus for going to China? I'm gonna need a little bit more context.
Tamara Shevon (05:08)
Oh, okay, so I was a global studies professor out there. So I moved there, so I did teachers college and I moved to China to teach at a university.
Lauren Alvarez (05:11)
Okay.
I love that. Because I was like, this could be really Sagittarius of you just to be like, you know what? I'm going to China.
Tamara Shevon (05:22)
Well, I did leave in 13 days. I took my course, I graduated, and then everyone was like, what's up? I'm like packing, they're like, for what? I was like, you wanna come to my going away party next week? I'm literally moving to China in 13 days. We're like, sorry? So yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (05:35)
So, didn't learn the language, didn't get any chicken balls, but you did get into comedy.
Tamara Shevon (05:42)
Yeah, because I would just go and watch comedy shows. That's the only thing that was like in English in the beginning that I could go to that was actually like, okay, I feel like I'm not on the other side of the world. And then all the things that were happening to me in China, I was like, I gotta write this down. So I had like a board of all the crazy things that would happen. Like people taking pictures of me 24 seven, shoving their babies in my hand, then giving me money to take pictures of their babies. I made enough money to have dinner one day, like a nice dinner. Just taking pictures of babies, just shoving them in my hand.
Lauren Alvarez (05:48)
Hmm
Just taking pictures with babies. Have you thought about running for political office? Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (06:13)
You know what is so crazy? That's what I want it to be. I want it to be a politician.
Lauren Alvarez (06:18)
So this was like you were in your bag. You were like, I'm shaking hands and kissing babies, literally getting paid for it.
Tamara Shevon (06:22)
Literally. No, I wanted to be a politician. I turned down my scholarship to go and do political science. They were giving me like $15,000. I was going to like go and get half of my school paid for. And then I decided to do communication studies and global studies instead. And that led me to China. So being out there and all the crazy things that were happening, writing them all down. And finally, everyone was like, you should try doing standup. And then I did my first ever set.
Lauren Alvarez (06:40)
It's amazing.
Tamara Shevon (06:50)
on my birthday in 2013. Whoa! Oh my gosh.
Lauren Alvarez (06:55)
Okay, so 10 years in, what is the thing that you remember most from those early days of comedy? Because it is nerve-racking getting up there, but you're in a foreign country. There must be some freedom to not knowing anyone, I'm guessing, but then also you have a little bit less context on the culture and what might resonate.
Tamara Shevon (07:12)
Yes.
Yeah. So we had like, um, government officials that would come in and like secretly sit in to make sure you weren't talking negatively about the country, which I didn't know. Thank God. I didn't know because I was just really out there. But, um, the thing that stuck out the most, I think is I used to throw up before every set that I had for like six months. The point where I had to go to the doctor, like I had to go to the dentist and they're like, you're going to erode all your teeth.
Lauren Alvarez (07:29)
Okay.
Tamara Shevon (07:48)
You gotta figure out a new way to do stand up. It can't be this. So I got so nervous. Like I, and it was psychological after a while. I started thinking to myself, like, if I don't throw up, then I won't be funny. So it kind of became this whole connection. So that was, it was like, I was having fun, but I was also in a really rough spot, like physically.
Lauren Alvarez (07:48)
Whoa. Yeah. Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah. I mean, and also when it's affecting your health, I mean, as they say, like the body keeps the score, it's like you can't get away from sort of what your body's telling you. When did you make the call? Did you either stop doing comedy or did you stop spending time in China?
Tamara Shevon (08:24)
I didn't take a break. I moved to Toronto up until I literally up until I did my headlining set in China, I was still throwing up for every set. It was like, it was, it was such a reaction that I couldn't control. And then also like drinking on top of it. If I had a drink, then it'd make me so much more nauseous. Um, and I think once they got home, it kind of stabilized a little bit because my friends were there in the audience and they were there like,
Lauren Alvarez (08:41)
Yeah.
Mm.
Tamara Shevon (08:52)
to be a bit more supportive, but it took me a year to get out of that. I don't, it just kind of, it just kind of happened one day. They were just basically like, you're going to have no teeth in three years. So I don't know what's going on.
Lauren Alvarez (08:53)
Yeah.
I'm pure.
you're like, okay, so I could give gummers or do comedy. I can't do both.
Tamara Shevon (09:09)
Literally.
Lauren Alvarez (09:10)
Literally. I mean, that is amazing. And when you think about like those early performances coming back and having that community, I mean, something I always love to talk about on the show is just like, who supports you when you're making those big transitions? Who's who shows up for you? Who's your personal board of directors is like to call it, you know, it's like, who can you text and be like, I need to hype up right now. And is that same group of friends that was there when you moved to Toronto following China or is it evolved over time as you've done comedy?
Tamara Shevon (09:35)
You know what, my day ones, like my, so I have a group of five girl best friends, we've been best friends since I was 13 years old. They've just been, like they've been the rock the whole time. They're the ones that are always like, they don't really, they're perfect because they love me, but they don't get how intense comedy is. So when I explain things to them, they're like, yeah, but it'll be fine. Everything just rolls off for them, so they don't really get the severity of it, which is kind of nice, because then it doesn't allow me to like stew, and they're like,
Lauren Alvarez (09:51)
Yes.
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (10:04)
You'll be fine, you're funny, it's cool, figure it out, and then they just keep it moving.
Lauren Alvarez (10:09)
I mean, I think that's great. I think sometimes having like not having the context of what you do, but just having the context of, you know, the people who I like to say like know your guts, like the people who really get you. And they're like, Tamara, we've been doing this forever as friends. Why are you worried about getting out there and telling some jokes? We know you're funny, you know you're funny. And you're like, oh yeah, I'm funny. Just fuck it.
Tamara Shevon (10:29)
Yeah, and honestly, like we grew up in like the hood of Toronto. So like they're not kind of people that would sugarcoat like if I got off stage, but like not your best I've seen you do better, but like whatever you'll be fine. Like they nothing they're all just like you'll be okay. Who cares because they don't have the mentality of like this could ruin my career. If I feel like I've done so badly. I might never want to get on stage. You're like what why we fuck up all the time.
Lauren Alvarez (10:33)
Yeah.
So I think that's a really interesting concept of like, the concept of bombing and you know, I had a little taste of doing stand up. I was a theater kid, so I was like, I can do it. And it's really fucking hard. I mean, I was doing bringer shows in New York and I wanted to just punch myself. And you know, it's a lot of men who are very aged out of the category of doing stand up. And so they're like, I know, I'll tell all these like, young women what to do and how to bring people to shows. And
Tamara Shevon (11:06)
Oof.
Lauren Alvarez (11:21)
to drink minimum and da da, you know, you've been there. But that feeling of bombing, and I have a really particular memory that I remember so well of doing a set, killing it. And I never felt more alive. Like everybody was laughing, everybody was engaged, my crowd work was electric. I was like, oh my God, this is like what I'm supposed to do. And literally did the same set, the next venue, and it was like a crowd of dusty books. There was no reaction.
Tamara Shevon (11:23)
NUTS!
Lauren Alvarez (11:50)
Nobody got it. And I was just so shocked. I bombed so hard and I was like, was it what I ate? I don't know what it was. But it was like, I was so devastated and I didn't have people around me who got comedy. They were just like, well, it's okay. Maybe you're not meant to do it. That's what my friend said. So maybe it was that moment I needed new friends. But it was a really horrible feeling and to shake it off was like.
Tamara Shevon (12:07)
No!
Maybe you're not meant to do it.
Lauren Alvarez (12:16)
It took a minute. So can we talk about like when it doesn't go great, like when you aren't killing it, when something isn't landing, like how do you get yourself kind of back on track?
Tamara Shevon (12:18)
Yeah.
You know what? I haven't had like a really bad bomb in a while, but the worst bomb I had was like, I mean, three or four years ago. I remember where I was, but you ever see like a Christmas story where like he's floating around his own life. That's what I thought. Like I was like, there's no way you're bombing this hard. Like I was like telling myself from the higher-ups like look at you right now. Like no one is getting this. I literally felt like I was in that movie and um.
Lauren Alvarez (12:42)
Yes.
Oh my god.
Tamara Shevon (12:56)
I was like, I can't, I can't believe how bad this is. I like, all my friends were trying to be like, it wasn't that bad. And I was like, you don't get it. I was like losing my mind. And I had to go and do a show the very next day and open for someone. And I was like, how am I gonna go open for somebody when I just bombed so hard? But you just need to shake it off right away. It's like just going in and being like, okay, I'm just gonna do it again and like hope that it's better. I don't know, I can't honestly tell you if I had bombed the second night.
Lauren Alvarez (13:14)
Hmm.
Tamara Shevon (13:25)
If I would have been okay.
Lauren Alvarez (13:27)
Yeah, right. You got to be like, you got like a one show. Okay, I can bomb every once in like 100 shows at this point. Like you got to like, yeah, or just like working out new material. You're like moving on. And I always have so much respect for folks who can keep it moving. It's like something doesn't land and they can just kind of keep going with it. And I actually love witnessing when a comic is working out new material and you can kind of feel that. And then when it doesn't land, they just keep it moving because it's like you can't get caught up in that one reaction, that one joke.
Tamara Shevon (13:34)
Yeah!
Yeah
Can we talk about how that's my biggest pet peeve in comedy when people acknowledge how things aren't going well or how they wanted it in a set? It's so cringe. I actually can't remember, which is like, well, that worked last night. I'm like, it's not last night.
Lauren Alvarez (13:57)
Yes.
And also, why are you showing your hand? Why are you telling people that?
Tamara Shevon (14:13)
Sounds like something you need to write in your diary, babe. Like, I don't care. It's like everyone paid 20 bucks, so they don't care what happened last night. It's tonight.
Lauren Alvarez (14:19)
Yeah, it's tonight. And I actually had been at a show where a guy just walked off the stage. He literally just left in the middle of his set because he just was like, I don't know if he just freaked out, something happened. He just bounced. And then he came back up in the middle of somebody else's set and decided that he was ready. And they were like, can you just...
Tamara Shevon (14:40)
Excuse me?
Lauren Alvarez (14:41)
This was at Dangerfield, this was in New York, this was like a very wild experience and I was like, excuse me? Like everyone was like, this guy. And luckily like the host was like, this motherfucker, gonna get him out of here.
Tamara Shevon (14:54)
As if you're like, actually, let me give it another shot. Like, what?
Lauren Alvarez (14:58)
I'm sorry, your six minutes or whatever the fuck they gave you has gone. You were shown the light, sir.
Tamara Shevon (15:05)
Because if you come back, like the audacity of some people, like first of all, clearly that man has not been embarrassed enough because that is way more embarrassing than just bombing.
Lauren Alvarez (15:11)
No.
I know, like don't you have some personal level of accountability and shame where you can just say like, you know what? It wasn't my night.
Tamara Shevon (15:23)
If there's something I've learned that a lot of people do not have in comedy, it is shame. A lot of people have no shame. I don't really get it. I don't get it. You can just be going out doing jokes that you know are just controversial, but you've never even landed a solid 10 minutes without bombing, and now you want to take on hot takes? Here's a hot take. Maybe you should quit comedy.
Lauren Alvarez (15:27)
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, so like, I like, let's talk about that because I think that there's definitely a lot of people who see comedy and they're like, I could do that. And like, that annoys me more than anything when someone doesn't respect like the hard work and the amount of writing and the working out material and just the years, I mean, 10 years of
coming into, you know, your craft, it's not overnight. And so someone who kind of minimizes it and they expect they're going to go from zero to a thousand, they're going to be touring the US, they're going to get a Netflix special, whatever. That is like the 1%. Like there are very few people who can go to that level. I think Hannibal Burress was one of them. He like blew up overnight, right? Me too, me too. And I think like he was an exception, not the rule. So,
Tamara Shevon (16:24)
love handlebar us yeah
Lauren Alvarez (16:30)
Let's talk about, you mentioned your pet peeve, but let's talk about it. Like, you know, having to grind, having to show up day in, day out. Like for you, what does that look like for you, like as you prepare for shows? How do you kind of get yourself into the zone? And what's annoying about people who don't respect that?
Tamara Shevon (16:46)
Okay, you know what? That's a really good question. Oh my gosh. I feel like I'm on like hot like hot ones Like you're giving me those dope
Lauren Alvarez (16:52)
We're going to give you some, the wings are coming. They're just over the wifi. Yeah. Your doorbell rings. You're like, damn, she's good. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (17:00)
Oh my gosh. I feel like a lot of people have this perception that I did a lot of things and just kind of blew up out of nowhere and came up overnight. And that's not what happened. I worked really, really hard. And I think that a lot of it was being nice to people and having grace with the way that you spoke to people and not having that superiority complex.
Lauren Alvarez (17:15)
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (17:27)
not trying to cut corners. So a lot of people cut corners when they start comedy. They're like, I don't want to have to like answer to these pros. I don't want to have to like, you know, ask these people for help. Me and my friends are funny. I'm already killing it. I know what I'm doing. And then they skipped this huge step where they're like, me and my friends are going to start a show and that's how we're going to get it done. And then they're going to notice us and see how well we're doing. And it's like, well, you're going to have seven minutes for five years. That's the difference. Like.
Lauren Alvarez (17:54)
Yeah, yeah, that's real.
Tamara Shevon (17:57)
Right. And so it's like those things, like having people acknowledge you and like actually help support you and bring you up comes with like writing all the time and like testing those things out, saying thank you when you get a spot, going to a show and watching the whole thing. Not leaving when you're two years into comedy to go through five different spots and disrespecting every room, like acknowledging, like, but like giving money to the bar when you're going and being at a show and like buying a drink.
You know what I mean? Like writing a message saying thank you after a show. That's how you get these things. Like starting your own show, yeah, sure. But it's like getting people that aren't just your friends on it, getting pros on it that are gonna help like even out like the imbalance of what the show is gonna be. And then like learning from people and like watching and like having a schedule. Like when am I gonna post this? When am I gonna post this? Like when is my show gonna be? How am I gonna make this something that's different? Like.
Lauren Alvarez (18:26)
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (18:52)
I made sure that I had like a theme of what I was doing when I was starting my own show. I did like a book. I had two open mics. I had two booked mics that I ran for four years and it was a nightmare. It was a nightmare, but it's the only way I got better. Like I hosted the show. I had 17 comics on one and then I had 10 comics on the other one. And so every Tuesday, no, yeah, Tuesday, every, no, every Wednesday and every Sunday I had booked mics.
Lauren Alvarez (19:06)
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (19:20)
My inbox was flooded with people messaging me constantly. It's so annoying. I already hate getting back to messages. You obviously know that. And I have like a weird anxiety about messages. Like I have to be like in a zone. I like, don't like to like give a part of my time and not finish my conversation. So I have to, I have to get like, yeah. So it's like, I have to set aside that time. And so I mean,
Lauren Alvarez (19:27)
Yes. I wasn't going to call you out, but yeah.
thousand percent.
Tamara Shevon (19:47)
I just was kind of doing all that stuff in the beginning in my first set ever. One of, I don't know if you know who Trix is, now he's like really big.
Lauren Alvarez (19:55)
Yeah, so I was saying, I don't think he's new, but newer to me. Ha ha ha.
Tamara Shevon (19:59)
Yeah. So now he's really big. And like the first thing he said to me when I like, like smash one of my first sets at comedy bar in Toronto, he was like, great set, but let's see how great it is when all your friends aren't here. And I was like, what? And everyone's like, that's so, everyone's like, that's so rude, but he didn't mean it in a rude way. He just meant like, you have a lot of self, like, like a false sense of self right now and like have that set work in a room where none of your friends are. And then you'll know what it actually is.
Lauren Alvarez (20:12)
Oh my god.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (20:28)
And so like those things, like taking criticism and like learning to like shape that into something that's constructive instead of being so butthurt about everything, I find that everyone's always so like they feel things so deeply that aren't that deep.
Lauren Alvarez (20:37)
Yeah.
Yeah, you're like, it's not that deep. It was just feedback. And also, it's just feedback. You don't have to take it. Feedback is just that. It's feedback. It's offered up information. If you choose to ignore it, go for it. But most of the time, if it's somebody who has more experience, it's because they don't want you to fail, because they want you to be successful. Yeah. And so.
Tamara Shevon (20:58)
They don't want you to fail. Yeah. So.
Lauren Alvarez (21:02)
With that in mind, are you mentoring Younger Comics now that you've been in it for a while? Do you see yourself giving back to the community in the same way? You're hosting these shows, that's a lot, but what other ways are you giving back?
Tamara Shevon (21:15)
So now I teach stand-up and I know that everyone says that stand-up can't be taught but it can in the sense of like, I mean I see both sides, people are like, oh you have to naturally be funny going to take a stand-up class is so stupid but it's like now I work for like the second city and like I teach at like Comedy Bar and like Bad Dog Theater and like the people that are there like if they give you give them a direction they're able to figure it out if you give them a structure to follow and then they'll get their own style after right? It's like
Lauren Alvarez (21:42)
Yep.
Tamara Shevon (21:43)
We all learned how to write an essay, but all of our essays are different.
Lauren Alvarez (21:47)
A thousand percent. And I think it's also like, just learning like you said, like the structure of the outline, like what kind of writing, how often you should be writing. I mean, I think like we talked about earlier, people underestimate how much work it is when you're not on stage. You don't just get to go up and wing it. And we've all seen the person who does, and guess what? It's usually not that good. You can feel it. And I think that it's also like, you can't write it out verbatim. You can't have a perfect script. It's somewhere in the middle of like, having an outline, knowing how you're gonna connect your topics and then going from there. But,
you have to consider the crowd. I mean, there's nothing worse when you see a comic who's just completely just trying to plow through their material. They've got their eight minutes and they've got it right, but they can't seem to acknowledge the crowd. They can't seem to be flexible.
Tamara Shevon (22:28)
Yeah, that's the key thing. Like connecting to a crowd is so, cause like what you said is very true. Like when I first started standup, I wrote every single word out, word for word, including like breathe here. Like it was nuts. It was nuts. And I would read over it three times. That's the way I learned how to study like in university. So I was like treating it like it was university. And then like, finally one of my friends was like, like Alex Wood, he's like one of my best friends. He's also a comedian. He was just like,
Lauren Alvarez (22:39)
Oh my god.
Tamara Shevon (22:57)
You have a really great personality already on stage. Don't cloud it with this whole, like, it looks like you're trying to remember something. Ha ha ha.
Lauren Alvarez (23:04)
Yeah, and you can see the wheels turning when someone's doing that. You can like, it's written all over their face. They're just like stressed out trying to be like, oh, wait, I already did that. Okay. They're like glitching in the main frame.
Tamara Shevon (23:14)
Yeah. And then like my biggest fear would be like, what if I froze on stage and I see people freeze on stage and it's always because they're like, I can't forget every specific line. And it's like, those lines don't matter. It's the essence of what you're talking about that matters. You'll figure it out. Like for, well, for me, the more I do it on stage, the more I just like remember how I said it. And I just will like, it's like muscle memory. I know some people don't have that like luxury. I'm happy that I do, but.
Lauren Alvarez (23:27)
Yes.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (23:41)
the reality is that like, if you are trying to remember things, like it's a script, it's going to sound like one.
Lauren Alvarez (23:46)
Absolutely. I mean, so I'm an executive coach, and a lot of things that I coach on, and that I kind of the principles, it's the same vibe. It's like I'm coaching on the same principles. I'm helping leaders to get a little bit more transformational, to actually show up and say things that people care about hearing. There are certain things that I'll say that certainly are part of what I teach. So it's not scripted, but there's a structure to it.
but it's gonna be a different interpretation. Maybe my intonation's different that day, or maybe I asked them a question in the middle of it because it felt appropriate. But it is, I mean, similarly, I am getting the essence of what I'm saying across, and that's what makes it me. That's what makes it my coaching versus something you'd read in a book.
Tamara Shevon (24:24)
100%. Like that's actually really good that you said that, cause that's something that I feel a lot of people are so obsessed with filming their sets these days, like all the time filming their sets, everything like there's, I go to every show, there's like nine tripods up. I'm like, this is nuts. And everyone's like, well, you should record. And it's like a part of me feels, I guess, old school. I want that even if I'm telling jokes that I've been telling already before, there's always gonna be something different. And I want that experience to be for that audience. That's there at that time.
Lauren Alvarez (24:30)
Oh.
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (24:52)
I want it to be like if two people went to a show that I was at, and even if it was like I had certain jokes that were the same, I want them to feel like their experience was different than the other person's. And it's like when you go to a concert, I don't want to hear your cookie cutter concert or else I'll just listen to you on Spotify. Like what's different for me?
Lauren Alvarez (25:01)
Yes.
Totally. Right. A thousand percent. And I think that's interesting because when it comes to, I was gonna ask, having been in this since 10 years ago, we weren't using social media in the same way. Yes, it existed, but Instagram was not a thing that people were posting their comedy sets on or video or anything. How has that landscape really transformed the way that you...
are sharing your comedy that you're posting, when do you decide to post something versus keeping it for that audience specifically?
Tamara Shevon (25:35)
I hate posting. I hate it so much. It takes a lot.
Lauren Alvarez (25:39)
You're consistent though. You're very consistent. So I have to applaud you on that because you made it.
Tamara Shevon (25:44)
Well, if you actually take a close look, what I do is I mix in elements of my life to make it look like I'm a real person. And then I'll slide in a clip so that's like, look, I'm still doing this, but people posting a clip every day, I don't want it to look like when I go to my page, I don't have a life outside of comedy. You know what I mean?
Lauren Alvarez (25:51)
Yeah.
Yeah, totally. Well, I think it's hard because your comedy is your name. And so what are the boundaries that you uphold when it comes to what you share? I mean, you share things about your personal life or your relationship or your, you know, I saw it was your mom's birthday. I loved that you posted that. It was so cute. Happy birthday, mama. But I think it's so sweet. But it's like holding back on certain things that you wanna share versus posting everything. We've all seen the oversharer.
Tamara Shevon (26:16)
Bye!
Oh, she's gonna do that, yeah.
Yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (26:31)
But blending in the person, do you feel like that gives kind of more of a, I'll say 360 to who you are? So when Tamara's on stage, it's not just Tamara the comic, it's like a dynamic individual that is represented. Is that what you're hoping for?
Tamara Shevon (26:44)
hoping for that so much. Honestly, like I want it to be like an experience, like even going to my page to be like, oh, you can kind of follow like what my life is like, but not too deeply and then you can come to a show and get like more insight, but like my boyfriend's a very private person, like super private, like crazy private. And so I tell jokes about him on stage a lot, but I don't like posting a lot of stuff about him online because people would start, people have started like trying to like add him and like follow him and like.
Lauren Alvarez (26:55)
Yes.
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (27:13)
think that because they know him through like my jokes that they know him and he's not, he's not that kind of person. And so.
Lauren Alvarez (27:16)
Mmm.
Yeah. There's always one in the relationship that's bad, and then there's one that's us. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (27:27)
Yes! Literally!
Truly, right? And so I've had to get like a balance on that because I just think that, and you want to leave a little to the imagination. It's just, I can't, I don't, I find it weird when people catch up with you in person and like know everything because you've already posted it. Like.
Lauren Alvarez (27:32)
Yeah.
Yes.
Yes. I mean, it's so strange. I mean, so I have a kid. He's almost eight months. And it's like the craziest thing because people feel like they know what's going on in my life. And I don't really, I have a private account for a great reason because I don't want people to know everything about me. So for my personal account, it's people who I know or people who I interact with or have interacted with that I feel like have permission to see that part of my life.
Tamara Shevon (27:59)
Yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (28:10)
But I'm super private about it. And I would, now that I have a kid that I sometimes post every once in a while, like on the grid or on my stories, it's like, I'm definitely not gonna be a public profile
Tamara Shevon (28:10)
Yeah.
this year was the first year, like what, February, is when I first made a close friends list because I was like, oh, I used to just post whatever to everyone. And then I was like, oh, someone was like, I hope that's in your close friends story. And I was like, oh, I don't have one of those. It was actually Daniel while we were on tour. And he's like, I hope that that's in your close friends story. And I was like, close friends story. He's like,
Lauren Alvarez (28:27)
Yes.
Tamara Shevon (28:40)
You don't have a close friend story? And I was like, I guess I should.
Lauren Alvarez (28:44)
Yeah, as people are screenshotting whatever you posted, you're like, oh, god.
Tamara Shevon (28:49)
Yeah, especially because it's like, yeah, we had some issues with Airbnb and I was like documenting as it as it was happening He's like that needs to be on close friends
Lauren Alvarez (28:56)
Yeah, private investigator just out here documenting.
Tamara Shevon (29:01)
Yeah, looks like they did it on purpose. It's like, oh yeah, shit, I gotta put that in close friends. But yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (29:06)
Yeah, totally. But I think it's interesting because people really want to know and they get that. I mean, there's kind of that like parasocial relationship where they feel like they know you and then, you know, have you had that experience with people come up to you at a show and they kind of spit out everything and you're like, I'm sorry, what was your name? I've never met you in my life. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (29:23)
Yeah, that's happened to me a lot. That's actually why I stopped posting Ivan as much, like my boyfriend, because they were like coming up to him when we would be out together and be like, oh, and then you did this, and like how was camping when you did this? And he's like, who is this? And I was like, yeah, he's like, can you not just post our whole life? And I was like, right. Cause like for me, like.
Lauren Alvarez (29:39)
Oh no.
Yeah.
How to scare your Virgo, yeah.
Tamara Shevon (29:50)
Literally, how to lose your boyfriend in one hour.
Lauren Alvarez (29:53)
I mean, when you think about like, I mean, that's awkward for sure. I was gonna ask like, what was one of your most awkward standup or comedy moments that you've had? I mean, that would be super fucking awkward just for somebody to come up and talk to your partner, not even you about, you know, what's going on in their private life. But have you had any super awkward moments, not nut-pomming, but more so like interactions or things that you were just like, that was fucking weird.
Tamara Shevon (30:16)
For like, I guess what year was that? 2018, I got stalked by two audience members for like half a year to get two restraining orders. Yeah, in Canada, yeah. Like, they're what?
Lauren Alvarez (30:23)
in Canada? Wow. So, they were just like a little bit too far. It was like, what is it? Swim fan?
Tamara Shevon (30:30)
It was literally like, so because I post all of my shows that I have for the month, so they just start showing up to every single one. And then like, if I wasn't talking to them, they'd be like, oh, why aren't you talking to me? They'd send drinks my way. And then it's like, well, that's creepier, like what's in these drinks. And then it was, I had a show that was like right by my house, like my mom's place, back when I lived with her and they showed up all the way on like the other, I was like out of Toronto.
Lauren Alvarez (30:39)
No.
Tamara Shevon (30:59)
They showed up to the show and like where I was like leaving and they were like, why won't you talk to me? This is so weird that you're like ignoring me. I was like, I cannot believe I have to go get a peace bond right now, but I had to. It was nuts.
Lauren Alvarez (30:59)
Uh-uh.
That's so scary. And I think also just like back to like privacy and just like being able to, you know, when your name is your brand and is your work, it's really hard to draw those boundaries and you're trying to be as, you know, you wanna be cordial, you don't wanna be like filmed secretly, like freaking out on someone. But at the same time, I mean, that's your protection, that's your safety, that's your mom's house. Like, oh my God, that's so wild. People have no fucking boundaries.
Tamara Shevon (31:33)
Yeah, right? It's, no, no boundaries. And so that was actually pretty scary. And it was like, there was a line of being too, cause they used to be really friendly, like really, really friendly. Like having my glasses of wine, have a great set, chill, talk to the audience members. Cause I'm like, these are people that are like supporting me. But then it's just like, that's what you, literally, it's so hard being nice out here.
Lauren Alvarez (31:42)
Yeah.
That's what you get for being nice. Yeah.
And cute and amazing. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (32:03)
Nice and cute. You might just wind up with a couple stalkers.
Lauren Alvarez (32:08)
Yeah.
I can't. Yeah. We heard you. Yeah. So when you're working out kind of what you want to do in terms of your year, when did you really find your niche in comedy? Because I think there's so, I mean, let's talk about being a woman in comedy, first of all. I think there's so many misconceptions there. But there's also this kind of assumption that everyone's going to be Amy Schumer. Everyone's going to have.
Tamara Shevon (32:14)
I'm gonna go.
Lauren Alvarez (32:35)
you know, this very specific brand of humor. And I think like knowing that there are greats that have been doing this for a long time, and especially when we look at women, there's like examples in industry, of course. How did you kind of differentiate yourself and carve out your niche and, you know, also having respect for people who came before you?
Tamara Shevon (32:55)
Oh yeah, like, listen, Wanda Sykes is like my everything. I'm obsessed. I went through a lot of journeys with finding my, I guess, voice in comedy. I started off as a clean comic, which is so funny to look at now because I was living in China and there's like so many restrictions on what the things that you could say. You didn't wanna piss anybody off. And I had enough stuff I could make fun of that had nothing to do with.
Lauren Alvarez (33:00)
Love her.
Yeah, right.
Tamara Shevon (33:20)
like being dirty or as blue or sexual or whatever. And then when I moved to Toronto, moved back home, I kind of just was in that same like realm, but my experiences were different. I was like in this long distance relationship. I was still dating someone that lived in China and like we were trying to do long distance. That kind of brought in like some new elements. I started telling more stories, kind of like bringing in more like story elements. And then I started getting a little bit dirtier.
Lauren Alvarez (33:36)
Okay.
Tamara Shevon (33:48)
And then we broke up, obviously, because you can't date someone that lives in China that's literally crazy. And... Ha ha ha.
Lauren Alvarez (33:54)
Yeah, I was like, tell me what were visitations like? Yeah, zero.
Tamara Shevon (33:59)
Well, no, like he came, we went to New York, and we like, it was like this whole thing, like it was really weird to be in a position where like I thought I was going to make it work because I was 25 years old. So I'm like, oh, yeah, you're like, of course we like each other so much. We'll make it work. This is my person. It's like, I couldn't even tell you where that guy is now.
Lauren Alvarez (34:09)
Yeah, I was, I've been there. Yep.
This is my person. Yeah.
Right. Isn't that funny? You go from talking to somebody every fucking day to just being like, I don't know, I hope they're alive, I guess. I don't know. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (34:28)
Hope they're cool. Like, oh my god.
Truly, I'm just like, I don't know. So it was nuts. And then, so I started doing like, and the story element I was kind of like leaning more into, and that was like, you know, kind of what I started getting into. And then I started realizing that I had a lot of stories, so I had a lot of really crazy things that happened to me. And I kind of started leaning into more like storytelling, standup, and like kind of finding my voice in that. Being able to like, I'm pretty long-winded as it is, so it was a perfect way to figure it out.
Lauren Alvarez (34:58)
I love that. I mean, I think that it's good because I think some, I mean, I have a lot of respect for people who can do the hyper fast. Like I went and saw Jay Jordan recently when he was in LA and like that man can turn, he has like boom, boom. And it's all funny. Like But it was impressive. But it was so, so different from any other comic of like what I've seen of just that like super speed. It was like a like a speed bag.
like boxing a speed bag, that's what it felt like. And then there's other people who kind of, I love like the longer form stories where it's like, you know that there's something funny coming, you don't know when it's gonna hit you. But there's a lot of people who kind of hang out right in the middle and it's like not fast enough to be speed bag comedy, but it's not slow enough to make me feel like I'm getting a story. And I think that's always a tough spot to be in. So I love that you went longer. I mean, why not lean into it?
Tamara Shevon (35:24)
Yeah.
Yeah, I find that like I've shortened it up a bit now because I was like, but, so I used to just be like, I'm gonna do two stories and that's kind of it. But now I kind of have like a mixture of stuff because like, you know, but it's, it's not, it's hard to be in that middle that you're talking about. Very few people do it well. Very few people do it like to the point where it's very engaging. Like I love Jerrod Carmichael. Like that's kind of the vibe. Like it's like, that's, that's exactly what it's like. It's like, you can't, it's hard to get that, get that down. Yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (35:52)
Yeah.
Yes.
It's like sweet spot comedy.
Tamara Shevon (36:11)
Right? It's like very interesting. The closest I've seen to that recently, I don't know if you've heard of this comic, but he's amazing. He's like out of Calgary, Hyatia? Hyatia, Faris, yeah. Look him up. He's very, very great. He's one of the new people to watch. He just really has that Jerrod Carmichael kind of eskness, but like his own spin on it, very great.
Lauren Alvarez (36:24)
No, but I'm gonna look them up. That's awesome.
Ooh, I love that.
Tamara Shevon (36:36)
So I like watching stuff like that. I love watching comedy though, that I can't do like one-liner comedy, like, like no matter how it's presented and like, I could never do that. So I love watching that because I'm not even going to try. I love when people are like, now I'm going to branch into this. I'm like, that's on you, babe. If you want to do that, that's great. I'm going to stick to what's good for me. I'm not trying to struggle in my late thirties. Thank you.
Lauren Alvarez (37:00)
Right. Thank you. The late 30s struggle, not interested. I would like to cruise into 40s looking as relaxed and moisturized as possible. That's my goal. I'm just trying to be hydrated.
Tamara Shevon (37:09)
Yeah, like how many under eye patches can I really buy at this point? Like I'm good. I'm not trying to stress.
Lauren Alvarez (37:13)
I mean, Sephora sale ended, we're fucked, yeah. That sale was fire, it was so good. Yes, just like, I'll get three extra things because that adds up, yeah. I mean, tour life, let's talk about it because like, it's hard to keep your routine, hard to keep your rituals, you're on tour. I mean, the one that I was so impressed about was the one where you're taking the train across Canada. I mean like.
Tamara Shevon (37:16)
That sale was fire! I was like, Show me the 20% Yeah
Yeah, yeah, I know.
Lauren Alvarez (37:40)
First of all, like, calling the Underground Comedy Railroad, love that. But then also just like having it in Black History Month, calling it the month of the Black Dragon. I mean, you really, you leaned into it. But then I thought about train travel is not like it is in Europe, even in Canada. It's just not that glamorous. So how do you keep that balance? How do you, I mean, talk about that experience, please. But also like, do you do the under eye patches? Like, what's your self care on the road?
Tamara Shevon (37:51)
Yeah.
No.
Oh yeah, rosehip seed oil is my jam. Ordinary, I keep trying to get them to sponsor me. Maybe this is gonna be the moment. Oh! But, but.
Lauren Alvarez (38:18)
Ordinary if you're listening, Tamara needs a sponsorship.
Tamara Shevon (38:22)
I need it. Like I can't like it's gone up so much. But skincare routine very serious, like, eating well on the road is really important because like it's so easy to just fall into this fast food like routine of like not really caring, not working out. Taking a literal train during our underground comedy railroad tour was nuts. Of course, it was the most chaotic experience. Like, we were like
Lauren Alvarez (38:25)
Ugh.
Yeah.
I do remember seeing a video, you were literally sprinting through the train station and I was like, I'm stressed out watching this.
Tamara Shevon (38:54)
It was so, it's so nuts. Cause trains they don't wait. Like there's nothing you can do to hold them up. Like they're gone. And like, I was really trying to break out of the stereotype of like black people being late on tour, especially like during black history month. And I never, yeah. I, the way that I ran, I was like, this is like the sprint of an Olympian.
Lauren Alvarez (39:02)
No.
Okay.
You're like, this will not be my legacy.
Tamara Shevon (39:21)
Like I've never, and then I get on there, I'm sweating, and then we're in a section with five babies, and I'm like, you've gotta be joking.
And they're all sick.
Lauren Alvarez (39:30)
And yeah, I was like, and you didn't get paid to hold them? Come on.
Tamara Shevon (39:34)
But the one was really cute. One of the babies was really cute. And I was like, aw, but like everyone else on the tour is like, not like baby friendly. Well, they weren't prepared. Like they were like, I was so hung over that I was like, a baby is making me feel so much better. They were ready to drink. So they're like, I feel bad doing this in front of a baby. It was an, it was a whole thing. And then we're on this train for six hours going to Montreal. It was a lot. Um, but, but you know what? It's those things like bring us to you, bring you, they bring you closer together going on tour with people that.
Lauren Alvarez (39:42)
Okay.
That's a lot.
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (40:04)
Um, cause we went, we went to Halifax and then we went to, we had our, so we had our spots, stops, wait, what was it? Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, London, Vancouver. Nuts. And it's a lot. And, um, but we were, when we first started doing this tour, when they first started doing it, doing it, they were like sleeping on couches, sleeping in cars, like booking at home.
Lauren Alvarez (40:19)
That's a lot.
Tamara Shevon (40:30)
I kind of got in on the bougier end of things where we all like had our own rooms. You know what I mean? I was like, listen, it's like, you know, um, and so we were pretty bougie with like our food choices. So luckily I felt a lot better than I usually do on tour. Cause usually like whatever it's late. Let's get a poutine. Do you know what a poutine is? Okay. Yeah. See, yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (40:33)
As one does.
Good.
Of course, I'm actually Canadian. I'm Nova Scotian. Yeah, so yeah. Yeah, I do know, yeah.
Tamara Shevon (41:00)
Yeah, so because I'm like everyone's always like chili cheese fries. I'm like no, um
Lauren Alvarez (41:03)
Yeah. I mean, also delicious, but not the same.
Tamara Shevon (41:07)
Yeah, you shit your pants a little less with the poop pen. Ha!
Lauren Alvarez (41:09)
Yeah.
True. Ha ha ha.
Tamara Shevon (41:12)
But, um, it was a whole thing. It was a great experience, but like you do really need to keep up on like getting up early and then you're also doing promo while you're in the middle of like one of your most hungover days and like drinking really takes the whole thing. Cause like everyone wants to like, cheers with you, buy you drinks. And then, yeah. So every time I come home from tour, I'm like, I take most of March to just detox, lots of matcha, lots.
Lauren Alvarez (41:40)
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (41:41)
Yeah, lots of macha, lots of long walks, lots of water every day. Because I feel like I missed that for a whole month.
Lauren Alvarez (41:44)
Yeah. Yes.
Yeah, I mean, it's hard. And I think also just being, you know, kind of wanting to keep up and, you know, you don't want to be the only person that's like, I'm actually going to go to bed. You know, it's like, they'll be like, well, she's not fun.
Tamara Shevon (41:58)
But that's why, you know what? I do love that like shrooms are not as intense as they used to be now. A lot of like, you can do like a little micro.
Lauren Alvarez (42:03)
So you're not drinking, you're just shrooming.
Tamara Shevon (42:06)
you know what a little bit of both sometimes but everything in moderation yeah so all at once and then not at all
Lauren Alvarez (42:08)
Okay, everything in moderation, a little balance.
This is late 30s. This is actually how you make it work. How do you have it all? Well, yeah.
Tamara Shevon (42:21)
Yeah, well, have you heard of my kudosang?
Lauren Alvarez (42:27)
I mean, And I do think that it's important to also like, stay true to who you are and not really feel like you need to give other people, you know, the opportunity to speak for you. So when you're on the road, when you're doing these things, staying up late, you still have your voice. You know, you still get to say like the things that you wanna say. I mean, going back to social and when you're on tour, are you reading the comments? Are you seeing what people respond to? Cause you are putting shit in your stories. So you know, people are saying stuff.
Like how much are you paying attention to that and do you ever let it affect you? I mean, you're human, so it permeates.
Tamara Shevon (42:55)
Oh
Um, I had to stop looking at comments a long time ago. Um, I have this one video with ASAP science where we did like stone science. And I, so they taught me digestion and then they got me really stoned. And then I had to like regurgitate the information and explain digestion stone. And the, oh my gosh, it's, it's a wild video. So yeah, please. Oh my gosh. But the comments were so bad. And I.
Lauren Alvarez (43:04)
Fuck yeah.
We're gonna link that in the show now.
Tamara Shevon (43:29)
read every single one of them and they were like, Oh yeah. And so after I did that, like, I was just like, I can't, why am I doing this? Why am I doing this? People were convinced that I was like, actually a man. People were saying how gross I was. Like it was, and I was like taking this to heart and that's when I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, Oh my gosh, is that how I look to people? And then, um, my best friends from like my day ones were just like, who cares? It's it's YouTube.
Lauren Alvarez (43:31)
Nooo
You're taking it in.
Tamara Shevon (43:57)
But there are like 300,000 views. So I'm like going through it's like watching every single thing. And I was like, what a disgrace to the channel. And I was like, I gotta stop doing this. Like, no, I couldn't, I was like, a part of me wanted to, and then I was just like, honestly, no, and like, that's probably the most hurt I've ever been. And I've had, I've dated really shitty people.
Lauren Alvarez (44:06)
Were you responding back?
Okay, good.
Tamara Shevon (44:19)
And so like, that's like, for that to like surpass that was like, okay, I'm gonna not do it.
Lauren Alvarez (44:26)
I mean, I think Dating Shitty People is a rite of passage as a comic where you are like, okay, I'm gonna gain more material. Do you ever let it go a little longer because you're gaining good material? It sounds like you're with a good guy now, so we're not talking about Ivan. Ivan, this is not about you. But in the past, did you ever let it just go on a little longer? Because you're like, this is funny.
Tamara Shevon (44:41)
Yeah.
Oh, yes, girl, I dated a full on homeless man. Yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (44:54)
Wait, what? Was it like where you didn't know if he was hot and kind of edgy or homeless, or was this like you knew?
Tamara Shevon (45:03)
I mean, the first time I didn't know for sure, but like, I was like, Ooh, right. No, like we dated twice. It's nuts. And I have a joke about it actually on my album. it's called rock bottom summer. If anyone wants to listen to that. Yeah. The second time around, I was just like, Oh, he's just so hot. He's like so tan, but it's cause he was sleeping outside and like, so like shows up to my house being like, can I shower? And I was like, why wouldn't you?
Lauren Alvarez (45:13)
Oh.
Tamara Shevon (45:31)
already be showered. And then I was like, Oh, he's like, homeless again. Anyway, now, yeah, yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (45:38)
He's like, let's just stay at your place tonight, babe.
Tamara Shevon (45:41)
Oh yeah, so when I went to stay at his place, because he was staying with a friend at the time, we went to his room and it was like a couch. And he's like, oh, wait till it pulls out. And it was like a loveseat that pulled out into like a shittier bed.
Lauren Alvarez (45:45)
Oh no.
You're like, no!
Tamara Shevon (45:56)
The couch was like leaned upwards against the wall, so it was like, it was like a makeshift Murphy shit loveseat pullout bed. And I had like, sucked on that bed. I still had sussed on that bed!
Lauren Alvarez (45:59)
No.
You still had sex with him.
Tamara Shevon (46:10)
and I'm like, oh my god, what is that?
Lauren Alvarez (46:13)
You're like, this is so romantic. It's like, he doesn't have anything, but he still wants me.
Tamara Shevon (46:19)
Yeah, it's like, oh, he's sharing this part of his life with me. How cute. Yeah, truly. And my friends were like, hello. What are you doing?
Lauren Alvarez (46:22)
He trusts me. Was this your day ones as well? They're like, we are coming to pick you up.
Tamara Shevon (46:32)
Yeah, they're like, they're like, bro, you can't do this.
Lauren Alvarez (46:35)
I mean, I'm just glad you lived to tell the tale. I mean, this is like not okay.
Tamara Shevon (46:40)
It was nuts. Now he's like, but then now he's dating one of my old best friends. Yeah. Like, yeah, this is crazy. So he ended up secretly texting one of my best friends at the time while we were all in the same room, that they both pretended they never met each other or knew each other and then tried to present it to me. Like it was like a serendipitous thing, even though it's like I was there when you guys met and that's how you know each other.
Lauren Alvarez (46:45)
No.
No.
Tamara Shevon (47:07)
Luckily I was already dating Ivan at the time, but they really tried to be like, Oh my gosh, I found a person for me. She's like, I found the love of my life. Like, I think you might know him. And then it shows me, I'm like, you think I might know him? Literally cried on your couch. You wiped away my tears. Like that's my literal ex. That kid was crazy, bro.
Lauren Alvarez (47:17)
They...
They FaceTime you from the same makeshift fucking couch Murphy bed. They're like, hey. You're like.
Tamara Shevon (47:32)
Oh, you better believe he moved in with her. He didn't have a home! Like this. Yeah.
Lauren Alvarez (47:36)
He didn't have a home.
Tamara Shevon (47:39)
I just find it so funny the way that they like gaslit me being like, no, like, oh my gosh, how, no, we just met for the first time that time. I'm like, okay.
Lauren Alvarez (47:47)
Yeah, you're like, cool, because I wasn't there. That's so bananas. But you have a joke about this or you have a joke about the other thing.
Tamara Shevon (47:50)
I was literally there and, and then, no, that was just like, that never ended up being funny to me.
Lauren Alvarez (47:59)
That was just hurtful. Yeah, it's like, I think that's the thing is like, you can tell yourself that something is really funny, but sometimes it just stings too much.
Tamara Shevon (48:05)
Yeah, like I'm still- like I'm laughing about it now, but I'm still just like, I cannot believe they literally thought I was that dumb. AHH
Lauren Alvarez (48:11)
Are those tears? Yeah, you're like, I'm just laughing so hard. That's just so funny. Well, I mean, fuck that dude. He sounds like the worst. I mean, it's good that you're in a good place now. Do you find it harder to write jokes when you're happy in your relationship and you're in this like balance, like seemingly, and this is parasocial, like outside looking in, but seemingly balanced, good, happy relationship. Is it harder to write material when...
Tamara Shevon (48:15)
I'm going for it!
Lauren Alvarez (48:37)
things are good. Because I think as an artist, when you hear that with musicians, you hear that with a lot of different, you know, artists that just are challenged when things are going
Tamara Shevon (48:46)
Luckily both of our families are insane, so I never run out of material. HAHA
Lauren Alvarez (48:52)
That's perfect. I love that so much. You're like, it's not us, it's them. It's literally them. I mean, I think thinking about like, you know, your, you know, kind of influences and what you see around you, I mean, obviously you're getting a lot of inspiration from the day to day. Are there any topics that you're like, I just won't. I mean, I think thinking about like, you know, your, you know, kind of influences and what you see around you, I mean, obviously you're getting a lot of inspiration from the day to day. Are there any topics that you're like, I just won't. I mean, I think thinking about like, you know, your, you know, kind of influences and what you see around you, I mean, obviously you're getting a lot of inspiration from the day to day.
Tamara Shevon (49:02)
It's literally them.
Lauren Alvarez (49:16)
talk about that in comedy? Like some people won't go for politics, some people won't go for other things, are there any things that you're just like, I'm just not it, I don't talk about that.
Tamara Shevon (49:24)
Not a big politics person, to be honest. I just, I don't like, mainly because it's just like, I don't really care enough. And I just, I'm like, this whole thing's fake. And I don't know why we're even commenting. Like, like.
Lauren Alvarez (49:26)
Yeah, totally.
Louder please, yeah.
Yeah, like it's not really up to us. I mean, we're going to vote, but like, it's not really up to us anyways. Like we, we know that, right?
Tamara Shevon (49:45)
Yeah. Yeah, like I have one politics joke and it's just about like how funny it is that like every time me and Ivan go to vote, we just cancel out each other's votes. We just like we're on opposite parties and there's no point in even going. It's just like, okay, we go just to be like, well, there's a lot. Yeah. So watch each other's votes out and then just go home and like watch the office. Like, okay.
Lauren Alvarez (50:01)
Here we are!
Yeah, that's perfect. That's funny. In our household, the office is the ultimate palate cleanser. It's like the day has been weird. The world has been cruel. And we can just put on the office and go to bed
Tamara Shevon (50:19)
Yeah, it's the office Seinfeld and curb for us. We're just like, whatever.
Lauren Alvarez (50:22)
Yep, just like let it go. It's for us as the office or peep show. That's always a classic in our household. It's so good and it's so underrated. I have to credit my husband with putting me on to peep show, but it's just so fucking funny.
Tamara Shevon (50:26)
Keep Show is so good!
He just finished! Oh
It's so funny. It's literally amazing. Everyone needs to watch it. It's free on Tubi. Like everyone, there's no excuse.
Lauren Alvarez (50:40)
Yes.
Yeah, just go watch Peep Show and then re-listen to this episode 12 times.
Tamara Shevon (50:49)
Yeah, and then listen to my albums.
Lauren Alvarez (50:53)
And then, yeah, listen to Tamara's albums, please. So let's talk a little bit about that. I mean, I know I don't get to have you all day. I wish I did. But let's talk about a little bit about creating your comedy albums and what that process has been like for you. And then, yeah, let's promote the shit out of it.
Tamara Shevon (51:08)
Yeah, I mean, honestly, I did both of my albums independently, so that's a hard thing to do, because you have to get your own sound guy. My first album was like Zoom mics taped to a wall in like the smallest club of all time. But the process was actually very rewarding. It was like nice to have something that is like your literal baby that you built from the ground up.
My artwork was done by my best friend for both of my albums. So Paul Thompson, he's amazing. One of my favorite people ever, like literally family. So he painted them like literal full on paint, like oil paints doing this whole thing. The first album is all about like, I guess just my struggle of how getting into comedy was so broke, cause you know this, like when you first start comedy, you're just like, everyone's like, why are you doing this? You're gonna make no money. So I was so, so broke.
Lauren Alvarez (51:37)
I love that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (52:03)
And so I'd have to bring wine in my purse to be able to like drink on the way there so I could show.
Lauren Alvarez (52:07)
I wondered about the name, so it was Purse Wine. I mean, it was because you were literally bringing Purse Wine.
Tamara Shevon (52:10)
Yeah! Hahaha! Yeah!
Yeah, I was literally bringing purse wine. It was the only way I only had like, I had enough money to get home and like to my venue. And then like, that was it. And then table wine was more like, I grew up, I actually ended up having like things that were like so trashy about my life ended up being good things. Like they were good learning lessons and like table wine. It's like kind of like showing the growth of like how I was able to like.
Lauren Alvarez (52:21)
Yeah, that's real.
Tamara Shevon (52:39)
take the wine out of the purse actually afford to have it on the bottle on the table, right? Like now I get a bottle of table. I can buy. I mean, I'm not going to get crazy with it. It's still the cooking wine. It's the first one on the list of the menu of the menu, but like we're, we're buying it.
Lauren Alvarez (52:43)
Yeah.
I mean, the next album is going to be Chateau Wine, so I'm here for that. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (52:56)
Chateau wine is great actually, I'm about that. It's going in the archives. We're going to try to figure it out.
Lauren Alvarez (53:01)
Put it in the archives, all good. Yeah, totally. I mean, so talk to me a little bit about what can people find for you online? Where should we point them to? Where should they downloading your albums from? Not streaming for free. Where should they buy them?
Tamara Shevon (53:15)
buy my albums on bandcamp.com slash Tamara Shevon They're both there. You can donate whatever you want, which is great. Well, it's a minimum of $12 Canadian, but I'm sure even with the carbon tax, everyone can figure that out.
Hahahaha
Lauren Alvarez (53:29)
It's linked here and it's gonna be in the show notes and you're gonna just go buy it. And I don't wanna hear a goddamn thing about carbon tax. Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (53:36)
Nothing.
Lauren Alvarez (53:36)
I love that. And then you also post on your Instagram.
Tamara Shevon (53:40)
Yeah, then follow me on Instagram. You can see all my shows, anything that's coming up, clips sometimes. What I feel like, babe. But it's at T-Mare, T-E-E-M-A-I-R. And that's the same on threads and Twitter, if we still use that X, whatever that is.
Lauren Alvarez (53:46)
when you feel like it.
Absolutely.
If you're not run out of it by Spambots, then you can find you on X. What can we expect from you next? Are you working on another album? I know you're doing a lot of shows right now, so what can we expect from you?
Tamara Shevon (54:01)
Damn, truly.
I'm going to be recording a special in September, so look out for that. And then that will probably come out for my birthday. Cause I loved, I love ruining my birthday with just adding full comedy into it. Yeah. So I'm looking to release that by November 27th, which is my birthday, Sag Queen, so keep an eye out for that.
Lauren Alvarez (54:12)
Yes.
Yes. Amazing. Well, what is one final thought that you want to leave our listeners with today?
Tamara Shevon (54:32)
Um, what, okay. So I guess basically doing things yourself is the best way to get them done and not following the path of somebody else and creating your own thing. That's what makes you unique. And that's what gets people to follow you for who you are. I'm trying to go for a cult following kind of vibe. I don't want to be like, I don't want to be the most famous person in the world, but I do want to have people understand what I'm doing. So always making sure that you put your effort of like your personality and who you are.
Lauren Alvarez (54:47)
Yeah.
Tamara Shevon (54:58)
know what you want to have out there and how you want to be perceived and that will show in your art.
Lauren Alvarez (55:03)
Just being understood, shout out to being understood. Tamara, thank you so much for coming on today. This has been amazing. My pleasure, you're the best. This has been Don't Fuck This Up, the podcast answering the ultimate question, how the fuck did you land your cool job? I'm your host, Lauren Alvarez, and we will talk to you next week.
Tamara Shevon (55:04)
Yeah.
Thank you so much for having me, you're the best.