All stereotypes are thrown out the window at Taylor P. Miller and Reem Edan’s comedy show Opposites Attract. The show, based in LA, showcases comedians from two different walks of life, in efforts to bring together people despite their differences.
We had a chance to talk to Miller and Edan about this exciting project!
What inspired you to create this show?
We met at a standup networking event in Burbank. We were really open about discussing our religious backgrounds – Jewish and Muslim respectively – finding ourselves both surprised at the similarities and curious to know more. We thought it would be meaningful to put on an event that took politics out of the equation and brought people together to learn and laugh TOGETHER.
At the first event, we gave partial proceeds to a summer camp called “Kids4Peace” which brings together children of both Muslim and Jewish background to promote peace.
We decided to call our show “Opposites Attract” and have a rotating theme each month in an effort to bring all different types of groups together. Some months are very silly (like our next show Stoner’s and Drunks) others are more meaningful like Jewish and Muslim.
Every month is fun. Great up and coming comics, chances to win free drinks, and endless laughter.
What challenges, if any, have you encountered so far?
We’re still very much at the beginning of this process so not much has presented itself thus far. Parking is #LAstyle at the venue, so try to Uber, carpool, or give yourself 10 extra minutes.
How do you think your experiences as a woman in entertainment have influenced this project?
We’re willing to meet each other at a coffee shop at 9am on a Sunday. That might be difficult to convince a male comic to do lol.
I (Taylor) have also found that Reem and I are very good at communicating with one another and expressing our feelings. We think alike. This project occasionally deals with sensitive subject matter given the current political climate, and it’s really special to be able to sit down and really break down our feelings in an honest and open way. It always leads to a better end project in my opinion. I’m sure that would be possible with a man, but it would be the exception not the rule.
Also, when it comes to booking, I think we are more sensitive to a diverse lineup. We have both experienced being the only girl in a comedy room (or in Reem’s case, the only person of color) and we don’t want that to be the case at our show. We even re-booked our lineup when we realized we had both reached out to male comics. We were mortified, laughed it off and rebooked the show to be more balanced. It was a huge identity crisis moment. But the difference here is that we didn’t just laugh and shrug. We took action and rebooked.
What advice do you have for women seeking to create their own content?
Do it. Don’t wait. Don’t wait for advice or a mentor. Just do it. Mess up. Do it again better. Rinse and repeat.
Don’t miss out on the next two Opposites Attract shows! March 1st and April 5th at Copper Still!
Follow Opposites Attract:
@taylorpmiller
@reemedan
@oppositiesattractcomedy
