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

Hi Anastasia, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
It’s basic but “Carpe Diem” (Seize the Day).

My dad would make me say it when I was crashing out over math homework as a kid. He’d tell me not to let the algebra win, to seize it and take control. To go into class the next day with questions instead of a blank page.

He passed away when I was in 6th grade and ever since, I’ll say “Carpe Diem, Dad” outloud to him when I’m feeling stuck, or I’m nervous for a big show. I’ll whisper it right before I go out onstage sort of as a way to give myself good energy and hopefully then he is too.

If you need a secret weapon (or secret placebo effect) against self doubt, I highly recommend. Be brave! Carpe Diem that shit!

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or get to where you are today career-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you learned? What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Stand-up being “art” always sounds funny to me—like I’m literally reading intrusive thoughts off my notes app but yes, yes my ART. It is a tortured art—I’ll give it that. Standup isn’t as easy as it looks and as a perfectionist, it was difficult at first to let myself “be bad.” For context, I’m an actor—have been my whole life—and I’ve gotten good at it, so when I stumbled into the foreign territory of standup, I became an amateur again and I was ill at my badness. Absolutely ill. For the first time in a long time, my taste and my skill level were nowhere near each other and I had to GRIND. Who knew talking into a mic for 5 min could be tougher than crying on command? But the greater the challenge, the greater the satisfaction and your grinding (heehee) does pay off. The first time you experience the high of being fully present onstage, connected with the audience, and you’re just absolutely crushing—woowee, you will never stop chasing that feeling.

With more comics on the scene than ever, this career can be daunting at first. But unlike acting, I believe my trajectory is in my own hands, and that is empowering. A wise friend told me that “to be successful in comedy, your taste is more important than your aptitude.” Basically if you have great taste, you know what it takes and you can rise to the occasion. You can start with nothing and become a huge talent. But if you jump on the scene thinking you’re hot shit, and maybe you are, but you make the mistake of thinking you’ve got nothing to learn, you’ve just taken yourself out of the running. You watch a lot of bright flames burn out fast in this business and you watch a lot of talents you slept on, slow burn their way to the top. So my goal at every show is just to get an inch closer to my taste.
That’s all I need to do—put in the work and trust in my taste.

Stand-up is a very deep well—there really is no retirement age, no final level to beat so you can always up your game. It took a lot of work to find my voice and craft jokes that were authentic to me and had weight to them. One of my first ever bits about how I look like an American Girl Doll, went from a self deprecating one-liner at the top of my set to a full-fledged, 5 minute long, doll-themed political commentary that I still perform 3 years later. And I’m very proud of that. There’s a lot of joy in honing a bit over time and developing your point of view. I love learning more about myself through standup—learning what makes my funny, funny, what makes me worth listening to.

With social media, a lot of comics have found super niche audiences and built a community of people that didn’t know they all spoke the same language. As a bubbly, Gen-Z, girly pop who’s happened to have seen some sh_t, my darker jokes that end with the tag “lol slay!” can really throw people off. But for the people who speak my language, I get to be their slay sad clown in the mirror. I get to help them feel seen. They hear me rant about ADHD turning into early-onset dementia when you’re on your period and go: “Omg, I’m not the only one! I’m not crazy!” I’m sure some people instead go: “Jeez this b_tch is f_in crazy,” but hey can’t win em all! The girl’s that get it, get it! And all I want is to make the girls that get it, laugh… and also be successful and also talk about American Girl Dolls, in that order;)

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my bestie was in town we’d immediately hit up a back alley psychic off Hollywood Blvd and then have the psychic plan the rest of our destiny–DUH!

No, I’d want to make sure we hit the coast because that’s what sold me on this city–specifically El Matador Beach in Malibu. There’s a restaurant down there with pasta noodles for straws to save the turtles I guess, and I love watching people gaslight themselves about it and take a scared bite haha.

For food, Dan Sung Sa in Koreatown (iykyk) or Petty Cash Taqueria if someone could please bring that place back from the dead!!

Then drinks and jazz at The Dresden, followed by dancing at Davey Wayne’s or No Vacancy because live music and burlseque are always a crowd pleaser.

For culture– hot take: Getty Museum over the Villa, and Academy Museum over both.
And of course, the trip would not be complete without seeing a show in the Original room at The Comedy Store.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my stand-up peers! They say standup is a lonely career but my comedy crew is the driving force behind my success and my sanity. Between running a mic with friends, putting each other shows, and yapping on the patio at The Comedy Store, I’ve connected with some of the coolest, most genuine people through comedy. Just don’t be a rotten d_ckhead and you’ll find fast friends in this biz.

Special shoutout to Todd Doram (@toddmarceldoram) who put me in front of my first big crowd when I was a stand-up newborn and baptized me by fire. I’ve been hooked ever since!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anastasiacomedy/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@anastasiacomedy

Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anastasiacomedy

recent clip: https://www.instagram.com/p/DL-FAFQxnn3/

Image Credits
Leah Huebner (pink top)
Andrew Max Levy (my profile photo and the one of the crowd at The Stand)
Aidan DeStefano (don’t tell comedy)
Lu Louis (tan tank top with friend)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.