The finalists for the Funny Women Awards 2020 have been announced. This year the competition has been held virtually, and this also goes for the final which will be streamed live from the Comedy Store in London on Tuesday 22nd September at 7.30pm. MoodyComedy is chatting to this year’s finalists. Next is Eryn Tett.
Hi there! How are you feeling about being nominated as a Funny Women 2020 finalist?
I’ve entered the awards a few times so I was pretty stoked to get to this stage! Really looking forward to the final and excited to tell some jokes.
Tell us a little about who you are as a comedian?
Hey, I’m Eryn. I’m an alternative comedian born and raised in Singapore, now living in Manchester. I do stand up comedy, host and produce a webseries/gig called ‘Unpaid But Great Exposure’ and make silly videos. Described as “fast moving…and absurd” (Diva Magazine), my stand up is made up of word play, short jokes, odd observations and surreal storytelling set to a charmingly uncomfortable rhythm.
What does the Funny Women competition mean to you, considering the current comedy landscape in 2020?
Competitions are always a great way to be seen and Funny Women is perfect for showcasing female talent. The Funny Women Awards have been particularly amazing to have around this year. They’ve given me something to work towards, and a sense of achievement at a time where I’ve otherwise been (occasionally) spiralling head first into pandemic-induced existentialist dread. I’m so grateful they decided to fight against the odds and push forward this year!
Are you prepared for a final without a live audience?
As prepared as I’ll ever be! It’ll definitely be strange, but I’d be lying if I said I’ve never performed without a live audience before. I do comedy, it’s always a luxury to have anyone around… especially if they’re paying attention.
What are your hopes for the future of your comedy career?
In the near future I hope to develop my solo show ‘Eryn Tett Finds Her Audience’. With a style that toes the line between straight stand up and absurdism, it can be hard to find my place. As a newly proactive misfit, I’m creating an alternative stand up comedy show which takes a more literal, ‘data collecting’ approach to the common advice to comedians – ‘find your audience and build from there’. Hopefully I’ll be taking it to some Fringes- Covid allowing! I suppose this leads to an even higher goal of a mine: when I’ve actually ‘found my audience’ and get to invite them to my future touring stand up shows, and we can all be oddballs together.
In the meantime I plan to continue writing and producing sketches, as well as finishing the first season of my sitcom I’m writing. The dream is to spend my life making comedy with talented groups of people. Nothing sounds better than that.
You can get your ticket to the live virtual final here. Follow Eryn Tett on Twitter here.