Jenny Hagel has spent the last decade writing (and performing) razor-sharp political jokes for Late Night with Seth Meyers. But in her live stage show, she brings her talents to a more chaotic arena: your personal life.
Jenny Hagel Gives Advice returns to Union Hall in Brooklyn this Saturday, June 28, followed by a July 26 stop at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan. After that, she’s set to take the show to Chicago in August, and Los Angeles in September.
The format is simple: audience members drop anonymous questions into one of four onstage buckets labeled “Love Advice,” “Job Advice,” “Financial Advice,” and “Dares.” Then Hagel and a guest draw the question at random and dish out advice that’s heartfelt, hilarious, and “absolutely not professional.”
“In real life, for better or worse, I constantly give people advice they did not ask for,” Hagel tells LateNighter. “I cannot stop myself from doing it.”
Past guests have included SNL alum Alex Moffat, Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, Broadway and American Idol star Justin Guarini, Daily Show correspondent Desi Lydic, actor Jeff Hiller, and downtown comedy legend Murray Hill. This Saturday’s Brooklyn show will feature TV writer and Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! panelist Shantira Jackson.
While the show is packed with punchlines, Hagel says there’s heart behind the humor.
“We really do give it our best shot,” she says. “And at the end of the show, I bring out a real, actual therapist. They give us feedback on whether or not our advice was good—and then they give us a letter grade.”
It’s the rare comedy show that includes emotional vulnerability, crowd participation, and a licensed mental health professional. And for Hagel, it’s a dream format.
“I wanted to do something live, something that didn’t require a lot of prep, and something where I could spend an hour with a comedian I know or want to get to know,” she says. “It’s so much fun to do.”
Tickets are available now for Jenny Hagel Gives Advice at Brooklyn’s Union Hall (June 28), Manhattan’s Joe’s Pub (July 26), and LA’s Lyric Hyperion (Sept 6). Chicago dates will be announced soon.
