Sara Pascoe Interview

Writer, stand-up comedian and vegan Sara Pascoe is kindly supporting May’s Friends Scheme with a prize draw to win a copy of her latest book and gig tickets.

Following appearances on satirical TV shows The Thick of It, Have I got News For You and Mock the Week, Pascoe’s debut book, Animal: The Autobiography of a Female Body, was published in April last year and was an immediate Edinburgh Festival hit. In an exclusive interview for us, here’s what she had to say:

1. You are giving us a copy of Animal – where did the idea
come from?

Sara – I wanted to look at evolution from a completely female
perspective- the female body is very different from the male
body because of its potential to gestate children. But I also
knew I wanted to examine pair-bonding (particularly notions of
monogamy) and consent and that I wanted the whole book to
be accessible and funny. Hence all the personal stories.

2. What has your journey been like into comedy? Is it male
dominated and do you have strategies to deal with male
hecklers?

Sara – It is male dominated in terms of more men do stand up than
women, but not in terms of women being unwelcome or
unrepresented. There is a lot of space for the variety of female
voices now and that space is getting bigger and bigger as
audiences demand more. It is an audience led thing- and while
there is a way to go in terms of getting full representation, it is
also a really fun environment to work in. And men don’t heckle
any more than women!

3. You have said there’s nothing you can’t joke about – are you
always thinking of new topics?

Sara – My comedy is led by my life and is confessional in tone. So the
topics come up from what is happening to me- if my leg falls off
I will be doing jokes about that. At the moment my stand up is
all yoga retreats and being single and happy!

4. What and who makes you laugh?

Sara – Ru Paul’s Drag Race

5. You have brilliantly given two lucky Friends tickets to your
Edinburgh Fringe preview show. What can we expect?

Sara – I don’t know yet I am still writing it! But jokes and honesty for
sure!

Sara Pascoe’s award-winning book Animal and gig tickets for her London Edinburgh preview are our May giveaway for Feminist Library Friends. One winner will be chosen from a prize draw on 10th May.

To become a Friend and take advantage of this great offer, please sign up here: https://feministlibrary.co.uk/support/friends-scheme/ Once signed up email friends@feministlibrary.co.uk to be entered into the prize draw.