Brooklyn’s 50 Funniest People: Sue Smith
Sue Smith
A couple years ago, on assignment for UCB1, Sue Smith went to the Gathering of the Juggalos (avid fans of Insane Clown Posse) in Thornville, Ohio. To get there, she had to drive through her hometown in Pennsylvania and skip a family reunion, but she’s not friends with her mom on Facebook, so everything turned out mostly fine. When Smith asked a Jugalette how many dicks she’d have to suck to be officially recognized as a Jugalette, I was relieved her mom wasn’t watching, and probably never would.
I know keeping a straight face is something every comedian has to do, but Smith’s seems harder-earned, somehow. Glamour sent her to Union Square to play “Sex Toy or Beauty Tool” with strangers, and when she asks “Would you shove it up your ass?” her face is perfectly earnest and open, and it makes you feel like yelling “Yes! I would!”
Smith was named one of New York’s top 10 funniest women by Time Out, has appeared on MTV and VH1, and co-hosts Open Michelle and BYOT at UCB.
When was the first time you remember making someone laugh? What happened?
In high school I kept a traffic cone, safari hat, and large stuffed duck in my Ford Escort hatchback. Passengers had to jump through the window to get in because the door was broken. I’ve always liked surprising people with weird shit.
What is the toughest part about being on the comedy scene in Brooklyn today? What is the best?
The toughest part is the hustle! You gotta do it, but running around to shows in different parts of Brooklyn can take its toll. (That’s a very minor complaint, please don’t think I’m a total snob.)
The best part is getting to see so much hilarious comedy! Brooklyn comics are doing exciting stuff.There are so many moments when I’m waiting to perform, laughing at the person before me, and I step back and think, “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be in this moment.” I feel so grateful.
Who do you find funny?
My true laugh is a snort that sounds like I’m hyperventilating or choking on a slab of steak. These people always make me choke laugh: Austin Rodrigues, Anna Callegari, Jo Firestone, Joe Pera, Anna Drezen, Naomi Ekperigin, Guilia Rozzi, and the UCB sketch group OSFUG.
What was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?
I went on a road trip to Indiana last month and we spent several hours composing silly puns based on the word gossip. (“In goss we trust.”) This is all documented on a Facebook thread.
What are your goals for your comedy career?
I have the same goals as everyone else: make money, buy a huge farm, and let all the animals live there.
I just want to be making funny shit that I believe in for the rest of my life.
And finally: What is your favorite knock-knock (or otherwise goofy) joke?
How did the ghost audition for the movie? He took a SCREAM test!
To see 49 more of Brooklyn’s funniest people, click here.
Photo by Nicolas Maloof.
