Interview: Rarely Asked Questions – Judah Friedlander: Page 2 of 2

6. What do your parents think of your job?

I think they like it.

7. What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?

Probably having to deal with the fakeness & lying of the many gatekeepers at the many different levels of showbiz. Oh, and the fakeness & lying of some of the comics as well.

8. I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?

I’ve mostly been very hard on myself and toughest critic. I still am. I used to let it get in the way of me putting out albums, specials and stand-up performance films. But I’m not letting it inhibit me any
more. I used to be too much of a perfectionist, so I would never put out any projects even though I’ve always been doing multiple shows pretty much every night for over 25 years. So I’ve gotten better at
not being too hard on myself. But I still always work very hard to always get better and do new stuff - even if I like the stuff I’m currently doing.

9. How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?

If I could make 10% of what bankers make, that’d be great.

10. How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had ucky breaks?

I think being a sellout and ass-kisser are the most important qualities in having the success of fame or money (i’m guessing that’s what you mean by career success). But I’m not interested in that. In
terms of luck - luck is always cool if it happens. I’ve been lucky to have worked with some quality artists. I don’t know if any of the breaks I’ve had are lucky or not. The way I view things is I’m still trying to make it.

11. Alan Davies has said that comedians fall into two categories - golfers and self-harmers. The former just get on with life, the latter are tortured artists. Which are you – or do you think you fit into a third category?

If those are the two categories to choose from, I’d say I’ve often been too much of a self-harmer. Sometimes I also have too much depression, or paranoia (as in a lack of trusting other people), and
OCD. Those qualities can make things harder to be productive or to say yes to projects - but they’re not intentional. But I deal with them, and try to move past them.

12. Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?

I’m a fan of anyone who has the courage to fight for the rights of other people, who fights for the dismantling of systemic government oppression and human rights violations, and who exposes the lies of powerful oppressors. I can’t pick one person, but Harriet Tubman must’ve been absolutely incredible.

13. Do you keep your drawers tidy and if not why not? (please think long and hard about this question, it's to settle an argument with my
girlfriend. The future of our relationship could depend on your response).

If by drawers, you mean pants - yes, pants are clean. If you mean pubic hair. Yes, it’s perfect. It’s kept incredibly clean. It’s never trimmed. I think people’s intense & irrational fear of pubic hair is one of the big moral failures of society today. If by drawers, you mean the furniture where a person keeps their clothes - then yes, the clothes in my drawers are all clean - but not neatly stacked.

 

 

 

 

 

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