Humor’s Healing Effect

For her latest standup tour and Netflix special, Bedford native Sarah Silverman is getting real.

BY ELISA GONZALES VERDI / PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBYN VON SWANK

Following the loss of her father and stepmother, Sarah Silverman took her comedy in a new direction — bringing it all the way back home. Expect material the Bedford native recently unleashed at the Capitol Center for the Arts as part of "The Post Mortem Tour" to evolve by the time she records an upcoming Netflix special. (This story originally appeared at nhmagazine.com in advance of the Jan. 22 Concord performance.)

New Hampshire Magazine: You’ve just started “The Postmortem Tour,” which is your first tour in about two years. Why call it “Postmortem,” and what made you want to tour again?

Sarah Silverman: I usually have many years between specials, and I don’t really work on stand-up with a special in mind usually. Just as my last special (“Someone You Love”) came out, both of my parents died nine days apart. When I started doing stand-up again after that, I had no material because my special had just come out. My material was just naturally all about them, and it all just kind of vomited out of me. I started touring because Netflix wanted to make it a special. I had about 37 minutes of material when I started on the road and now, I’m chipping away at a little over an hour trying to get it tighter. It’s postmortem because it’s literally that. It’s processing my parents dying. I know that doesn't sound very funny at all, but it is a comedy. I’m definitely trying to make it more hardcore comedy than one-woman show, but there’s death in it.

NHM: Has forming this show helped you process your grief? How has this process been for you as you're moving through the motions of everything?

SS: It’s been so different from any other set or show I’ve put together. The tour started in September, so I’ve been on the road for a while. I had an element of dread going into each day (during the first part of the tour) heading towards the night of the show and rehashing it, reliving it and bringing it up. Even though it’s comedy, it was just so personal. This is the most personal thing I’ve done in stand-up, and as I figured it out and pulled it together and it got shape, I was able to kind of separate myself from it a little bit. (Now) it’s become like a real joy, where I can’t wait to tell the audience each night about these people and this ridiculous family.

NHM: What has the reaction been so far?

SS: I think people are really connecting with it. Friends said like it was the most relatable they’ve seen me be. I will tell you: New Hampshire is the absolute star of this hour.

NHM: And what do you mean by that?

SS: Half the time, I’m talking as my dad with his very thick New England, ‘New Hampsha’ accent, and all the things about growing up there and having such a New Hampshire dad and a mom who says croissants (with a French accent).

NHM: Bringing the tour to New Hampshire is a big homecoming moment for you. Are you more nervous bringing this tour home, or does it feel like any other show?

SS: It’s scary going home on tour, and this is the first time I’ve done it. I’m going to have so many people in the audience and I’m really excited about it. It’s definitely the one I’m like most nervous and excited for. I talk about the store my dad had in Concord, Crazy Sophie’s Factory Outlet. So much (of the show) is about that. It’s going to be interesting, because every night of the tour, I’m talking about New Hampshire to people who really don’t know New Hampshire. It’s going to be interesting when I’m in Concord,

Medford and Boston to be talking about New Hampshire to people who know New Hampshire.

NHM: You work pretty much nonstop, and have been go, go, go for your whole career. What keeps you going and inspired?

SS: I’m never really thinking about the future. I think that’s my gift and my cross to bear. I’m pretty good at being in the moment, and I never think about the big picture. I don’t feel like nearly as productive as I guess I am. Any other time I’m not working, I’m desperately sleeping, watching TV and playing Call of Duty, which are like my three passions.

NHM: Even though you don't look at the big picture, has there been anything that's happened, career- or life-wise, that’s just taking you the most by surprise?

SS: Kind of all of it. I think of myself as having odd jobs. The best is when you have work coming and stuff, and it’s like, “Oh, I can relax.” I just love making stuff and laughing. This is the dream, right? I’m so lucky I get to make stuff, and people seem to still be interested in it.

NHM: Now that you’re getting more personal on stage, and in your podcast, is that something you want to explore more going forward?

SS: I guess I don’t know. We don’t usually stand outside of ourselves and look at ourselves and our trajectory. I mean, there’s such evidence that there’s no one way to go about anything in the arts. I had never wanted to do a podcast. Then the pandemic happened, and I couldn’t do stand-up, and I had no outlet to express myself, so I was like “OK, I’ll do a podcast.” Interviewing people isn’t my joy, and I didn’t want to have celebrity guests and ask friends for favors.

Instead, I said let’s have a phone line, and anyone can call in and say anything, and that will dictate the trajectory of the show. And boy, that’s exactly what happened! It’s become this incredibly helpful, super loving, weird, silly community that is just so special, and I didn’t expect it to go in this direction. That, and being in therapy have affected my comedy, because it’s affected my brain. My brain does my comedy; it definitely has influenced it. I always try to have the funny angle, but you can always sneak some veggies in there. The things I talk about are the things that interest me; those are always changing.

NHM: What is one thing that even a brief trip back to New Hampshire wouldn’t be complete without?

SS: Either going to the Red Arrow Diner or the Airport Diner. The Airport Diner was my dad’s favorite diner. Whenever he walked in, they’d give him a hat, and he’d wear it the rest of the day. Anytime I came home, that’s the first place we’d go. We buried (my parents) together, and they have one picture of the two of them at the Airport Diner on their headstone. We’re a diner family. NH

Quick Questions with Sarah Silverman

What’s your favorite song right now?

I love so much music. I change my alarm to my favorite song, and right now it’s “I and Love and You” by The Avett Brothers.

What’s a meal you can't live without?

It's a sandwich with avocado, cheese (could be Munster, could be provolone, could be jack), some banana peppers, tomato and mustard on white or wheat.

What is your favorite thing about New Hampshire?

The air, the water and the fact that, like, in seventh grade, we just tapped trees and got maple syrup. It’s magic.