Counter Culture

Counter Culture jumped at the chance to interview comedian and writer Katie Folger. Katie was performing her one woman show, Getting in Bed with the Pizza Man at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe.

We talked to her about the show and her future plans.

What inspired you to create Getting in Bed with the Pizza Man?

Well, a number of things! I think the show is a product of an amalgamation of influences on my life over the years. I think a primary one that I like to talk about is when I was 20 and had the fortune of essentially crossing paths with Robert Redford, if you don’t know. At my university and through a very fortunate series of events, he became my mentor for about six or seven years when I was quite young. And Bob actually was, we were sitting across from each other like this at a dinner. And my first dinner I had with him and he was really the driving force encouraging me to write my own work.

Yeah, because I was. I was young. I was you know, charismatic girl, which often, you know, if you have a knack for anything artistic or especially for me and for performance, be an actor, be an actor. And I was, but I was always interested in writing, even as a child. And and he was really like the first major person in my life, obviously, by someone so esteemed and brilliant. And he told me. I know you can act. I don’t even think you act. You’re a genuine person. What I want to hear is your voice. And so that really was the major first part in my desire to make my own work. Then my program at school was also a heavy influence of new work. That was the focus of the program. And so there was like a whole, it was called the New Work Festival. And so it was so special, the university would dump a ton of resources into it. So I was also a part of so many new plays.

And yeah, that was like those were kind of the seeds. And then this I’ve been writing behind the scenes are really my whole life. I have stacks of journals just full of terrible writing. And then eventually, you know, sometimes you hit on something and over the years, of course,

if you write everyday, which I do just for me, you get better. And so I wrote this story. It was it would. I’m very much inspired by a trip that I had taken to Denver, actually. Three summers, or yeah, three summers ago now. It was right during the pandemic and 2021, ’cause the vaccines had just come out, so people were seeing travel again. And I had a really, I think when I first started performing this play, I was a little bit more cheeky about whether it was true or not true. And I think now I’m sort of like later in the life cycle of the show. So like, it is very much based upon a series of events that happened that were quite strange.

And all of the, you know, the end of the show with the pizza ,all of that is like happened. And so when I started telling this story to friends, they were like, You should do something with this.

That was really odd. And so, yeah, I’ve always, as a writer, been most inspired by telling my own stories. I’m not as much of like a, like a fantasy writer or even like, I would say my preferred genre is memoir-style fiction. Just because I would say the main reason for that is because again, a primary influence for my work is sharing my, my uninhibited opinion and perspective from my, from a, from a female perspective. And and within as much detail as possible. And so when I wrote this story, that’s all I was trying to do. I wasn’t really writing a comedy. I just wrote a story. And then when I read it to people for the first time in November 2021, people laughed the wholetime. That was like, interesting. Yeah. So those are kind of some of some of the seeds of influence.

And then I’ve also, I got really excited about solo shows about three or four years ago. Just as a poem, I felt like it seemed scary to me. And I, as a human and as an artist, have always been interested in that, which kind of scared me. Yes. And so, yeah, I wrote this in the short story. I had a best friend read it and she was like, Katie, you’ve always wanted to do a one-woman show. I feel like this could work. And so that’s kind of how it all started.

One of the aspects that I found very impressive was, you know, the physicality of your performance.

Thank you. Yeah.

Do you have some kind of dance background?

Yeah. And what’s funny is, so obviously, as we saw, this show had no tech, no sounds, no lights. The full version of the show, which I think I had mentioned that night, has all of the bells and whistles. Yes. Ihave had this microphone version of the show built for a while just so we could easily travel the show. This wa sthe first time.

Because I had received some feedback. Everybody was like, why don’t you? Because the physicality was not in this version of the show. And I was like, well, if I’m coming to Fringe, it’s one of the people, a lot of people say it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of the show and like surprising. So I built it. I built it into the show, you know, just those shitty theatre chairs on the stage. Like that was a lastminute plan, but.

Yeah, I have a background in dance. I started. I was a dancer well before I was an actor. I started dancing at the age of two and I was primarily a dancer. I mean we were I was in four to five hours of dance after school every day for 14 years. I was on the dance scene.

You can tell.

Thank you. But and then but it’s kept up with me because I’m also so I transitioned from dance. Well, I started acting that kind of took my focus and. But I’ve been doing yoga for like very like I’ve been practicing it very dedicatedly for now. How old? Yeah, 16years. So since I quit dancing, I transitioned onto yoga. And so, yeah, you can kind of see all of those influences in in the show.

I do yoga myself. Oh, nice.

I’ve done it for years. I keep trying it. So it keeps me good.

Yeah. Yeah, it’s very good. It is good.

So, you know, you talk about sort of personal relationships and sexual relationships and it kind of, I suppose there’s a, kind of, a theme of identity there. You know, there were a lot of young women in the audience when I went there.

There were.

What do you think that they draw from the stories?

I think for me, as a young woman, like I said in the show, I think kind of like a main thesis statement is that as a woman, you’re never taught that sexuality or sex is more real, especially in like a more Western conservative mindset, patriarchal society. I think that’s the main part.

I think so many young women in this society and and there’s so many French shows that in their own ways actually talk about these things, which I think only underscores the universal nature of of You know, this theme of of the fact that obviously we’re in a patriarchal society and that, you know, women are objects to be desired. And so if you’re desired, then yes, OK, I show up in this thing and I ain’t getting you what you want. But I think with my show,

I I say this a lot when I talk to people about the show. I have a great friend who says the art that we write is the medicine that we need. And so for me, as you can see, like I was just, I was processing and for years processing these like. these grander themes and trying to flip the script of my own life and and kind of take the reins of my experience. Because really for so many years I was just kind of floating like a feather, just like the character in the show, you know, and and trying to figure out what sexuality and relationships meant to me. And it’s funny, like I feel that This show really helped me process a lot of those things.

And And I really, since I wrote the show, my life has changed quite a bit. And now, you know, I’m in I’m in a really happy relationship. And it’s like now it’s interesting because, like, I feel like the first iteration of this was what are my physical needs? What do I really feel like physically? And now it’s what do I think emotionally? What do I think about marriage? What I think about all of these expectations, what I am to be a woman, emotionally.

So anyway, like it’s constant, constant learning.

Do you journal?

Oh, yes. Yeah. Yeah, every day, pretty much.

I mean, My opinion is that most people aren’t too reflective. about what’s going on in their lives. They’re so busy living lives.

Yeah.

That they don’t have time to pause and reflect on it.

Sure, sure

And I mean, it did come through very strongly that you had taken out time to sort of think about relationships.

Yeah. I came across very strongly. Almost too much time.

And, you know, obviously what you’ve said there, there is a serious theme toit, but your show is also very, very entertaining.

Thank you.

It’s also to a certain extent what an old fashioned word we would use is “racy”. I think that is the word. Yeah, I’d use. Yeah. How do you balance all that and get the balance right in that?

Well, I think a huge piece of finding that kind of like that like. walking that tightrope of, you know, going deep into the core with it, and also staying light is with my collaborator and director of the show, Matrix Kilgore. Matrix really helped shape the really–

Second opinion.

Yeah, so the musicality of the show, and, you know, there are these– They’re honestly my favourite moments, and it’s when when you– like, people laugh when You like totally flip what you were doing. That gets a laugh. So, you know, my favourite moments sometimes when I’m performing are when I’m hanging out in a more serious space with the audience and I can feel like, you know, we’re all, they’re really watching me and I can see everybody’s eyes and then I cut it into a completely different tone and then everybody laughs. That’s really fun. But I think, you know, I think that’s I I think. You know, there is that craft to it. But I think for me as an artist, that is my sweet spot. It’s I’m not just, I’m not a surface level comedian. I’m not like ha ha jokes, jokes, jokes. I’m also not just sort of. I mean, I am funny, but I’m also, I think I’m only funny because it’s just kind of. It’s observational humour.

Yes. Yeah. I think you send that in your review, which I really appreciate it because it is. That’s what I and it’s from your own experience. And obviously if people, I suppose everything’s had certain experiences in their life, but similar if not the same. So, you know, people can relate to it as well.

Exactly. And is this yourfirst time in Edinburgh?

Yes. . Oh, my gosh. I I absolutely love this festival. Yeah, I was. I’ve been kind of saying, I feel like I came on a blind date with friends. Like, I’ve never been. I didn’t know what to expect. I just booked things ahead of time and had people help me. Didn’t even really do that much research because I didn’t have time because I’ve been touring the show in the States all year and in order to even have the funds to come and do this. And there are so many times, ’cause it’s so expensive to come do this. Yes, it’s things. And it continues to be more expensive and little things come up. And there were a lot of times where I tried to talk myself out of doing this, ’cause even before getting here, it’s been a really challenging year, a really rewarding and like successful year for me, but the most challenging alongside that, those wins and like the recognition, it’s been so hard.

To, like, pull this stuff off independently. And so, yeah, there were a lot of times where I wanted to bail on fringe for those tired. Yes. And because I’m also producing the show, I’ve had, of course, help. But I am the primary force that is driving this. It’s not just creative. I’m I’m producing.

And yes. And I’m so glad that I didn’tbail. And I can think, I can completely attribute. the continuation of this to my loved ones and my team. Yeah. My publicist in Austin, my director, my boyfriend, my family, my best friend.

You got them all working.

Yeah, well, they were all like, No, like, you have to go do this. And And my manager too. And so I’m I’m in love with stuff. Like me and my, I have like seven really close friends here and also my boyfriend and he and I just feel like this is one of the most special things we’ve ever done and it’s so inspiring and healing.

Do you think you’d come back next year?

I’m, I’m, yeah, like I’m. I would absolutely consider doing this again. I I think it’s definitely in my wheelhouse. I can also see the benefit of like continuing to come back. Yeah. I think I, now that I’ve done it once, I can, I now know what not to do. Yes. And what to do. I did not know what to do. Like, I made some big mistakes in coming here, namely in where I put my money and where to invest resources that I worked really hard to have and I put them in some of not the best places. So, but yeah, regardless, I think, like, I came here and I’ve achieved what I set out to do. pretty much after the opening night, so I’ve just been having fun ever since.

So, I mean, if you’ve if you’re a writer and a performer, you’ve got a lot of choices about what you might do next.

Yeah.

What are your plans going forward?

Yeah, so I think… I mean, it’s sort of maybe cliché at this point, but a major reason I would even, like Ed Fringe was even on my radar was the Phoebe Waller-Bridge Fleabag. My show is much different than Fleabag. I mean, there are adjacent themes, but it’s really like, I call it the Fleabag model of coming and doing work here, getting some eyes on it, getting some recognition, and taking it to rank a series. And I’ve had a series concepts that I’ve been ideating One for several years and I have a bunch of notes on my iPhone of like, yeah, all of these different episode ideas. It’s a comedy. It’s yeah not quite like maybe I could have an episode that in my it’s a manuscript, but it’s more so the tone and the type of character. And who would she do that with? Yeah, yeah, I so I’m deeply embedded in the often film theme I have been for. I guess, 14 years now. And I have a– I’m such a heart for grassroots development. I think that’s very much within the ethos of the community, largely, I would say, inspired by Richard Linklater, if you’re familiar with him, and all of the people around him. I kind of wrote– those people are kind of like my mentors. Umm I kind of rose up in the scene, like Rank, Linklater, and some other filmmaker. that are in his generation, they were kind of the people that grew me.

And so I’m really interested in kind of carrying the torch of making within the community, but then also like bridging the community into higher earning tiers and also more, more eyes, larger audiences. Austin is very much an indie film scene. Yes. So yeah, I have like I really wish and have fantasized about creating a project that activates and engages my community while also calling in like the dream would be to have a bunch of people within my community cast or working on it, but then also getting key. Yeah, providing work to the community and so on. But then a few higher profile comedians who, and I’ve even been hereat shows this week and watching people, and I’ve been like, oh, that would be a good person. Oh, you’d be a good person to have like write with me or to have in the show.

Yeah. But I have these amazing managers now that I got through the show, and I feel like they came on to my team for one of the main reasons that we can develop this show and sell it, hopefully by next year, and like the actual show,

Would you try Netflix?

Yeah, yeah, like a streaming service would be the goal. Yeah. Yeah

Because they do a lot of comedy.

Yes. And I and I want this one. I I obviously would love to be in it. I want it to be more so about like a community of friends, the actual show. So more than one storyline. Yeah. Iwant it to be like a group of people.

Yeah. Yeah And. What’s the kind of, how would you say the audience have reacted to everything?

You know, I always kind of maybe this is a bit self-deprecating. I’m always like, no one’s ever going to come out to me and tell me they don’t like it.

I know people who would.

Oh, really? OK, good. I will say from my perspective, I’ve been observing my audiences and everybody’s really engaged and leaning in. Nobody’s dragging over their phones. My boyfriend was standing outside of the theatre, like he didn’t go watch the show that night and he was watching people come out and he was like nervous ’cause he was like, and he said that they all were saying how phenomenal and amazing the show was.

Yeah, yeah Thank you very much for this interview. It’s much appreciated.

Thank you. So lovely to chat.