Meet Ellen Karis | Stand-Up Comedian, Actress. Podcast Host & Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellen Karis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellen, why did you pursue a creative career?
I grew up in a very traditional Greek-American home in New York City, where education was first and foremost. Even though as a young girl I wanted to be a “businesswoman”, there was always an artistic side brewing inside of me. I loved anything entertainment-TV, movies, music, plays-but it did not cross my mind to do it professionally until much later into adulthood. No one on either side of my family was in the arts. I graduated college with a BS in Accounting, went on to get my CPA and then MBA in Finance. It was when I completed my studies and had worked in Finance and Accounting for many years, that I decided it was time to take a class that was fun and where I could express my inside voice. I took an Improv class at the New School and loved it, it felt so freeing. I went on to take a variety of classes-Acting, On-Camera, Commercial, Scene Study and years later I did a Meisner Program. It was during one of my classes with an Acting Teacher who I was studying with that strongly suggested that I should do stand-up comedy, which was never in my purview. I was curious and took a class at the Comic Strip Comedy Club in NYC, did my first live performance at the graduation show and my love for stand-up grew from there. All this was going on while I worked at my finance job. The answer to the “Why”, is because I never wanted to say that I did not try.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

As a stand-up comedian, you get to bring your own perspective to the stage. There certainly are overlapping topics and what we call “parallel thinking”, but it is still your take. My humor is very self-deprecating and autobiographical, but I also like to call out some of the societal nonsense that we put up with, which is a benefit of having been on this earth for quite some time and observing how not everything has necessarily changed for the better. I write constantly and always try out new bits in my act. Over the 20 years that I have been performing, my act has changed just as my own life has. I try to write smart or smartish and I am not raunchy or filthy, which I have nothing against, it’s just not my style. I will however throw in salty language when appropriate and allowed. I say allowed because I am very proud that I can and do work clean. I get hired for a lot of private events and am able to stay within the requested parameters. I have enough of an arsenal of jokes that I can tailor my act to meet the needs of the audience.

How did I get here and was it easy. I got here because I did not give up even though I want to every day and no, it was and is still not easy. There is so much competition and tons of comics-some incredibly talented and some still finding their way-but at the end of the day there are just “x” number of gigs. The challenge is to stay the course but to also have other areas of your life that bring you joy. Whether it is family and/or friends and other interests, you have to have other outlets and people you want to spend your time with. It can’t just be show business 24/7, you will burn yourself out and lose productivity. I want to add that as a Stand-Sp Comedian your mind is always going, you look at every conversation or circumstance as “could this be a bit”, and that can be exhausting. I try to turn it off when I can, whether it be through meditation, working out, eating a great meal or looking at the stock market, just to give myself a break.

The lessons I have learned started when I worked in finance. Be professional, be on time, do what you say and say what you do, be reliable, be a good person and for the people that have steered you wrong or screwed you, you have to let it go and don’t go posting your grievance on social media and then get into some Twitter/Facebook war with someone, it is a waste of time and will drain all of your energy.

My brand is that of a mature woman, who has lived a lot of life, seen a lot and tells it to you straight in a quippy, sarcastic and smart way and can be your next entertainment hire at any club, corporate or private event. From corporate America to the stage, I will deliver for your audience. My job is to leave happy customers. I am also an actress although, I tend to lean toward comedy, but I will work on a drama because it is the opposite of what I portray to the outside world. I also love radio and have my own podcast “Sweet and Salty with Ellen Karis”-available on all podcast platforms-the title of the show says it all. I either do a solo show or have guests. I love interviewing people and finding out their stories, I am (and have been told) I am a good listener and interviewer.

Another pride and joy of mine is I am a Sunday School teacher, strange but true. I wrote a children’s book called “Special People: Godparents in the Orthodox Christian Faith”-available on Amazon. I am a Godmother and have a wonderful Godmother, so it is an homage to her as well as a teaching tool for the children of our rich Eastern Orthodox faith.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I live in New York City so that is an easy response. We have everything here, from the best Broadway productions, Lincoln Center, Museums, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Lectures, any kind of food you want to eat or just going to Central Park to people watch. From free Shakespeare in the Park in the summer or Christmas decorations all over the place if it is December. I feel very fortunate to have grown up and still continue to live in Manhattan. In addition, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx also has so much history and interesting places to go like the Coney Island, The Bronx Zoo, Astoria Queens which has some of the best Greek restaurants and dancing on the planet. Of course, there is always a stand-up comedy show. Next.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes, there are quite a few people that deserve a shoutout. First it would be to the acting teacher who told me I should do stand-up comedy, Penny Templeton. I studied with her for about 2 years and before the beginning of each class she would have us Improv something from our life. At the time one of my sisters was getting married and there was a lot of drama, so I would reenact a scene from the previous weekend. During one class in particular after I was done with my scene Penny said, “I have one note, I hope you talk about all this in your Stand-Up act” and I said, “I don’t do Stand-Up” and she said, “Get some” and that statement changed my life forever. Another acting teacher who I studied with was Joanna Beckson, who is not only a phenomenal acting teacher, but mentor as well. I took her 2-year Meisner program which helped me really hone the craft and gain confidence. The rest is my family, friends and fellow comedians who have given me support and words of encouragement. Additionally, the Greek community throughout the U.S. and Canada where I have a niche market with my Greek-American Stand-Up Comedy Act, which has become very popular. Lastly but should be first, my wonderful husband that has put up with the very highs and lows of show business. He is my rock and the most moral person I have ever met; I would not have been able to do any of this without him, barre none.

Website: www.ellenkaris.com

Instagram: @GreekChickComic

Linkedin: Ellen Karis

Twitter: @GreekChickComic

Facebook: Ellen Karis “Greek Goddess of Comedy” Fan Page

Youtube: Ellen Karis

Other: My weekly podcast “Sweet and Salty with Ellen Karis”-available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, iHeart Radio, EllenKaris.Com Children’s Book “Special People: Godparents in the Orthodox Christian Faith” -available on Amazon

Image Credits
The last one with me stretching my hand up-photo credit to Elios Photography Sweet and Salty Logo-BBR Productions, Thomas J. Belleza The one that I used as the image-I am wearing the leather skirt-Stephane Poirier -there is an accent mark on the 1st “e” in Stephane.