Kate Berlant
"Blending performance art with comedy to create something wholly original"
The Pioneering Performance Artist Redefining Comedy
Kate Berlant represents the bleeding edge of alternative comedy, where the lines between performance art and stand-up completely dissolve. With her improvisational prowess and analytical eye, Berlant has crafted a singular comedic voice that defies easy categorization while becoming one of the most influential performers in the New York and Los Angeles comedy scenes.
Blending performance art with comedy, Berlant's improvisational style and examination of human behavior represents the cutting edge of experimental comedy. As one half of the influential duo with John Early, she has brought a distinctively original delivery and abstract sensibility to the stage, shaping the direction of New York's alt-comedy scene.
Her work is simultaneously cerebral and absurd, like a sociological study conducted by an alien visitor with an uncanny gift for mimicry and a fascination with human pretension. She'll shift between characters or personas mid-sentence, maintaining perfect composure while deconstructing performance itself.
— The New York Times MagazineBerlant's comedy is marked by a heightened awareness of performance conventions and social dynamics. She often begins sets with exaggerated confidence, assuming intellectual authority while gradually revealing the ridiculous nature of such posturing. This meta-approach to performance—comedy about the act of performing comedy—has made her work particularly influential among fellow comedians.
Her work is widely regarded as foundational among her peers—many emerging comics cite her approach as a direct inspiration, and her impact is visible in the evolution of alt-comedy clubs across the country. Berlant's performances investigate the boundaries between sincerity and irony, often inhabiting characters so fully that audiences can't determine where the performance ends and begins.
Performance Style and Techniques
Berlant's performances are characterized by several distinctive elements:
- Improvisation: While her shows may have loose structures, Berlant largely works improvisationally, allowing performances to evolve organically and differently each time.
- Character Work: She rapidly inhabits different personas, from self-important academics to spiritually enlightened wellness gurus, often without explicitly announcing the shifts.
- Physical Comedy: Her performances incorporate distinctive movements, facial expressions, and vocal modulations that complement her verbal comedy.
- Audience Interaction: Berlant frequently breaks the fourth wall, addressing audience dynamics directly or incorporating reactions into her performance.
- Social Commentary: Her characters and scenarios often serve as vehicles for subtle critique of social norms, pretensions, and performative behavior.
Kate Berlant's Comedy Journey
Early Career (2000s)
Berlant began performing while attending NYU, developing her unique performance style in small venues around New York City. Her early work already showed signs of the meta-commentary and character studies that would become her signature.
New York Comedy Scene (2010-2015)
Becomes a fixture in alternative comedy venues like Upright Citizens Brigade and Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen. During this period, she begins her creative partnership with John Early, developing their complementary performance styles.
Breakthrough (2015-2018)
Gains wider recognition through appearances on Netflix's "The Characters" and in the anthology series "555" with John Early. Her distinctive style begins influencing a new generation of alternative comedians, and she expands into acting roles in film and television.
Mainstream Recognition (2019-2021)
Appears in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and expands her television presence with roles in "Search Party" and "Black Monday." Continues developing experimental comedy projects while gaining recognition in more mainstream entertainment.
Solo Show and Continued Innovation (2022-Present)
Debuts her critically acclaimed one-woman show "Kate" directed by Bo Burnham, showcasing her range as a performer. Releases the Peacock special "Would It Kill You to Laugh?" with John Early, further cementing their creative partnership and pushing comedy boundaries.
The Berlant-Early Creative Partnership
One of the most significant elements of Berlant's career has been her long-running creative partnership with fellow comedian John Early. Their collaboration represents one of the most distinctive duos in contemporary alternative comedy, combining their complementary yet distinct approaches to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
The pair first met in New York's comedy scene and quickly recognized their creative chemistry. Their work together embraces awkwardness, explores social dynamics, and frequently examines the performative nature of identity. Their chemistry comes from a shared sensibility that allows them to build on each other's ideas while maintaining their individual voices.
Their collaborations include the 2017 anthology series "555" directed by Andrew DeYoung, numerous short films and sketches, and their 2022 Peacock special "Would It Kill You to Laugh?" This special, structured as a fake reunion special for a 90s sitcom that never existed, exemplifies their approach to comedy—layering meta-commentary with character work and social observation.
When we're performing together, there's something that happens that I couldn't necessarily plan... It's almost like we become these vessels. I know it sounds really mystical and crazy, but I really do feel like we are channeling energies beyond ourselves.
— Kate Berlant on working with John EarlyEssential Kate Berlant Performances
Experience the range and brilliance of Kate Berlant's comedic work through these seminal performances:
"Rock n' Roll" - Comedy Central
One of Berlant's early televised performances, showcasing her unique style and character work.
"555" - Episode 1: "Casting Director"
From the anthology series with John Early, exploring Hollywood archetypes with surreal humor.
"Would It Kill You to Laugh?"
Highlights from the Peacock special with John Early, a masterclass in character comedy.
Influence on Alternative Comedy
Kate Berlant's work represents a significant evolution in alternative comedy, pushing the form toward more abstract, conceptual territory while remaining fundamentally entertaining. Her influence extends across multiple dimensions of the comedy landscape:
Redefining Performance Boundaries
Berlant has helped expand what comedy can include by deliberately blurring the lines between performance art, character work, and traditional stand-up. This has opened doors for performers whose work doesn't fit conventional formats to find audiences in comedy spaces.
Inspiring New Performers
Her distinctively original delivery and abstract sensibility have directly influenced many emerging comedians, particularly those working in New York's alt-comedy scene. Many cite her fearlessness in following creative impulses as formative to their own development.
Technical Innovation
Berlant's precise character work, voice modulation, and physical embodiment of different personas have raised the bar for technical performance in alternative comedy. Her ability to transition seamlessly between characters has influenced a generation of performers interested in more theatrical approaches to comedy.
Intellectual Engagement
By incorporating elements of social theory, academic language, and cultural critique into her work, Berlant has helped validate comedy as an art form capable of serious intellectual engagement while remaining fundamentally playful.
What makes Kate so influential is that she's invented this completely singular tone that is unmistakably hers. She captures absurdities that were always there but that no one else noticed or knew how to express. Once you've seen her perform, you start seeing the world through her lens.
— Fellow comedian and collaboratorRelated Alternative Comedians
Further Reading and Resources
To explore Kate Berlant's work and impact in greater depth, check out these resources: