Are You Brave Enough to Be Funny?

Presence isn’t something you practice — it’s something you preserve.

Over the last few months, I’ve learned something that has changed my comedy, my teaching, and my relationship to myself: presence isn’t a skill you grind for — it’s a state you protect. When I recently taught a workshop for 150 SAG-AFTRA actors at the Screen Actors Guild Conservatory, I was nervous, but instead of pushing through it, I trusted that if I stayed grounded, the message would carry me. And it did. The room became intuitive, connected, and deeply human because no one was performing — they were present. People learned how to offer tiny truths, those small honest moments that make comedy feel alive.

That same shift showed up again last night when I performed at a club. It was one of my best sets in months — not because I over-prepared, but because I didn’t override my energy. I preserved it. I skipped the open mic the night before, stayed regulated, and walked onstage resourced and fully myself. When your nervous system trusts you, the room trusts you.

This is a big change from the years I spent chasing the industry, chasing roles, chasing relationships, chasing belonging. I used to think I had to earn love by over-functioning. Now I’m learning to let myself be free to love and free to love me — and that shift has made my comedy more grounded, intuitive, and human than ever.

If you want to explore this work in a deeper, more intimate way, I’m teaching my masterclass Are You Brave Enough to Be Funny? at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, California, on April 30th from 6–9 PM. It’s a small group, intentionally. We won’t strive or push. We’ll regulate, trust, and tell the truth. All parts of you are welcome. Come be human with me.

Humor happens when the truth gets a little air.

Takeaway for comics: Your presence is your power. Preserve it, and your comedy will take care of itself! 

If you want to see me more often, please check me out on instagram @myfriendmary