This woman is no novice to the comedy scene. Wendy Liebman has been performing stand-up comedy for close to 20 years. I know! A graduate of Wellesley College, majoring in psychology, Wendy made the transition from mental therapy to comic relief. Some of her many television credits include “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”, “The Late Show with David Letterman”, and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”. To add to her list of achievements Wendy is now starring in her own one hour Showtime special Wendy Liebman: Taller on TV where she’ll bowl you over with her quick wit. Wendy is one of the featured artists at the much buzzed about 4th Annual Women in Comedy Festival kicking of March 21st in Boston. So if you are not impressed yet, relax and find out more about this hilariously successful lady.

Serial Optimist: Hi Wendy! Which of your comedy idols would you most like to perform psychological analysis on?

Wendy Liebman: Joan Rivers. WHY JOAN, WHY?!

SO: You have a bachelor’s in psychology from Wellesley College and have done psych research at Harvard Medical School. Has that work helped you in your comedy career?

Wendy: Probably. But I decided I’d rather make 100 people laugh then one person cry. I’ve raised two step kids and wish I had a degree in reverse psychology.

SO: How did you get your start in comedy?

Wendy: A series of fortunate events. Coincidences. And a dare. I was 23.

SO: You have a very distinctive comedy style. There is a witty follow-up to your jokes. Where do you get your joke ideas? Do you enjoy using Twitter as a joke writing tool or more for promotion?

Wendy: I wait for my husband to talk in his sleep and I write it down. I love Twitter and Facebook because they challenge me to think of funny things throughout the day.

SO: You list the many lessons you’ve learned doing stand-up on your website LMAO with Wendy. Which do you find are the real gems from that list? One of my favorites is “Pray that no one throws anything at your head.”

Wendy: “Sometimes I’m great. Sometimes I suck. Most of the time, I’m fine.” (The full list is here)

SO: You’ve made many TV appearances, namely “The Tonight Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” What are some of the differences between doing stand-up in front of a TV audience verses a comedy club?

Wendy: It’s nerve wrecking/racking? to do a TV spot because you know it can end up anywhere, so even though I’m performing for 100 people, anyone could potentially see it.

SO: Your one hour special “Wendy Liebman: Taller on TV” is currently airing on Showtime. This is your first solo TV special. Describe the experience of taping that. Are you able to watch yourself perform? A lot of performers find that difficult.

Wendy: I decided to tape a show instead of throwing myself a 50th birthday party. I invited all my friends and family, we taped it, and then had a little party, and my husband and John Landis, who produced it with my husband, sold it to Showtime. The whole experience was surreal because I knew everyone in the audience. It’s difficult for me to listen to myself more than watching myself. But we invited a bunch of people over to watch it on TV. I looked a lot taller.

SO: You will be performing at the Women in Comedy Festival March 24th. What women do you currently find hilarious on the comedy scene?

Wendy: Tig Notaro, Michele Balan, Morgan Murphy, Sarah Silverman, Kathleen Madigan, Elayne Boosler, Judy Tenuta, Maria Bamford. The list goes on for days.

____

SO Note: For all things Wendy check out her site wendyliebman.com, and of course follow her @WendyLiebman!