5 Minutes With Gilli Apter

How did you get into stand-up comedy?

I started three years ago, on 7 September. My first gig was absolutely terrifying. It was something I wanted to do for a long time but I was too scared. Because I was an adult, not, like a baby in this world, I knew a few things I knew I wasnt going to be brilliant my first time out the gate. It takes time to become good at things and so my strategy was, just be good enough so that youre not scared to go again. People go and try a thing, they do terribly (which is inevitable) and then they dont do it again. I did okay and then it was just about going up again and again.

- Zoya Pon

That's really good advice for people want ing to get into the game. Do you think courage is important for potential comedians in particular?

In the beginning it’s more important than anything – than your skills, even more than whether you’re funny or not, yet. The most important thing is being able to face rejection. If you can do that, you’ll make it through your first year.

Why did you decide to get into comedy?

I loved comedy as a child – I was obsessed with it, whether it was film or TV. I’ve always wanted to make comedy content and do comedic entertainment. I went to film school and studied writing and directing. I’ve been a writer for years, writing for comedians and for lots of different sitcoms, but I never had the guts to actually do stand-up.

Did you feel welcome in the industry as a female comedian, or did you feel like there were certain barriers?

I felt welcome in some instances, and not welcome in others. What happens is, people are always sceptical in the beginning but I felt a lot of support from the comics. I was going into a heavily male-dominated industry, in environments that are not friendly to women who are alone. They’re the kinds of places you would go to with friends to have a drink, but that you wouldn’t go to alone, and so you very much need the support and encouragement of your male colleagues. They were very encouraging and very supportive.

Do you remember the first joke you told at your first gig?