In the infamously insincere world of showbiz, genuine friendships can be hard to come by. But against all odds, American comedy starlets Catherine Cohen and Megan Stalter have managed to cultivate just that. Having first met through the interconnected worlds of the Chicago and New York comedy scenes, Stalter and Cohen were immediately drawn to each other’s unique styles of performance and have since navigated their careers side by side, albeit from opposite coasts (Stalter is currently based in Los Angeles while Cohen remains in New York).  

Cohen has made the pilgrimage to Edinburgh several times before, even taking home the 2019 Best Newcomer award for her debut show The Twist . . . ? She’s Gorgeous, now a special on Netflix. But Stalter, known for creating acutely observed character sketches online, as well as playing Kayla in HBO series Hacks, makes her highly anticipated debut this year.

In this conversation, the comics reveal their pre-show rituals and reminisce about meeting for the first time, while Cohen imparts wisdom on the chaos of Fringe runs. But first, following a serendipitous meeting at The Eras Tour a few days earlier, Taylor Swift was on the brain . . .

Megan Stalter: So I went to see the show in Colorado because our friends MUNA were opening for Taylor there, so got us tickets. 

Catherine Cohen: And I was on vacation with my family so I said ‘hey, I’m in Colorado, you freak!’ and made you add me on Find My Friends and followed you around. We are both big fans. I felt so weird that Taylor didn’t ask me to open . . .

MS: Don’t you wonder when you see any show, ‘why am I not allowed to go up and shake my thing for a second?’ Do you think if she knew who we were she would let us go up and do like ten minutes?

CC: Totally. Alas we were just in the crowd. It was such an intense experience, like my whole body was sore for the next two days from standing and crying.

MS: Did you cry during the concert?

CC: I did. I didn’t expect to but during the ten-minute ‘All Too Well’, hearing the crowd scream the lyrics. . . anyone whose heart has been broken was like, ‘yes Taylor, that's me!’ Great art makes you feel less alone and like you’re not crazy. Like the feelings you have, even if they’re bad, will pass and are part of the human experience.

MS: That gave me chills down my spine. It’s fun to see adults just being like, let’s forget about work for the night.

CC: One million percent. I hope that in her 40s she cares about me and has the nerve to invite me on stage. But yes, it’s fun to see adults on their nights off and hopefully that’s what we’ll see a lot of during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 . . .

MS: I’ve always wanted to go! I think you’re one of the first people that introduced me to it. I love the idea of a ‘run of a show’ where things change every night; it’s so exciting.

CC: It's my favourite thing in the world. You’re so focused and the show gets better every day, with ideas that you would never think of if you were just living your life. By the end of the Fringe run, I feel like a superhero. I haven’t seen your show in a while. Is it a lot of audience stuff? Or what do you have planned?

MS: It’s one character, or more of a persona I’d say. A woman who wants to be famous but shouldn’t be. But there is still a lot of audience stuff. You know I love to be a brat and a sassy girl . . . 

CC: It’s my favourite thing in the world. Will you do your scary dance?

MS: If you’re watching the show, I have to. I haven’t done it in so long!

CC: Years ago we were in Chicago and Meg was like, ‘this next bit is my dance that’s a little bit scary’ and then she does her scary dance.

MS: It’s actually pretty scary. 

CC: Good art does scare you. It should make you uncomfortable.

MS: I do feel like people from the UK are so smart and they like weird stuff so maybe I’ll do it. Wait, you also have a show that I haven’t seen yet!

CC: Yes, ma’am. Last year I did a work-in-progress and this is what it’s turned into. I got to tour it in the UK earlier this year and I just did it at Joe’s Pub in New York for a month which was so fun. What do you do to prep for a show? I’m very diva. 

MS: I definitely need most of the day free so I have time to go print things off (I always have weird props to get ready) but I think the trickiest thing is eating. I can never figure it out.

CC: I think about this all the time. It’s the Goldilocks of being alive: not hungry, not full. It’s impossible. Are you obsessed with sleep? Are you a good bedtime girl or night-owl naughty?

MS: I’m night-owl naughty that’s trying to be more good bedtime girl.

CC: If I don’t get enough sleep I’ll feel it in my singing voice! The emotional, mental and physical energy that it requires to do a Fringe run, it’s like you have to be so cocoon.

MS: I do want to party, but I shouldn’t stay up too late, you’re right. I should be good.

CC: No, be a night-owl naughty! I’m just curious about an artist’s process.

Megan Merino: Now you are both doing more TV and film, does that tempt you away from live performance?

MS: I always wanted to act when I was little, but I will say that I’ll never stop performing live, there’s nothing like it. You're not going to disappoint anyone if the show’s bad because it’s your show. And it’s the connection with the audience you just don’t feel anywhere else. I’m so addicted to it.

CC: I feel the same. I’ll absolutely never stop doing it. It’s my favourite thing. Doing both is obviously heaven on earth, but growing up as a theatre kid, live is my bread and butt.

MM: Do you remember how you met?

CC: I’ll never forget. I had just started my show at Club Cumming and our mutual friend Sarah Sherman was doing the show and she’s like, ‘can my friend Meg from Chicago do the show? I promise she’s funny.’ Then Meg did a set and I was dying, losing it, I’d never seen anyone like her. Meg told one of the audience members to ‘frog on over towards her’ which I'll never forget. Afterwards we went to a diner and I felt so lucky to be around all these fascinating, hilarious people. I’ve always had great friends but not necessarily ones that I’ve looked up to creatively. And the rest is history, wouldn’t you say?

MS: The rest was history! I was so excited to do your show. It was literally my favourite moment on that first New York trip. When I first met you, I thought you were the funniest, most beautiful star I’d ever seen. 

CC: It’s so fun when you think someone’s funny but then you talk to them and you actually really connect. My life’s been sort of punctuated by meeting very funny women who make me feel like I’m floating.

MS: I will say that Cat and Sarah have always been on my list of the world’s funniest people.

CC: It’s been a rollercoaster (picture me smoking a cigarette) and it’s just the beginning. It’s just the beginning, baby.

MM: What’s the ultimate dream?

CC: Meg and I star in a movie about two girls with everything to gain and nothing to lose. 

MS: If I were to do a movie with you, you’d have to take me to the hospital and revive me and I’d go, ‘honey, I died and went to heaven after I heard the news’ . . . It’s gonna be a road trip movie.

CC: And it’s gonna be in a car sans top.

An Evening Of Mayhem With Megan Stalter, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 12–27 August, 8.30pm. Visit Catherine Cohen's website for all international tour dates.