Comedian Hannah Berner, who spent three seasons as a member of the Bravo show “Summer House,” isn’t someone whose big personality lends itself easily to the ultra-manipulated and overcut nature of reality TV – even though, she says, they tried.
“Imagine people who don't like you narrating your life to America. You're just like, f*ck it. That's how it happened. That's not how it happened. And it's hard ’cuz you're also oversimplified to these characters. Like there's the hot girl. There's the messy girl. There's the truth teller. There's the hot guy. There's the whatever. And like we're as humans so much more complex than that. … Then like six months [after production], [you’re] watching like a show that sometimes you don't really even recognize. And sometimes you even recognize yourself.” – Hannah (32:53)
On today’s episode, Hannah talks about the funhouse mirror of reality TV, leaving pro tennis for comedy after college, the identity politics of being Italian and Jewish, and why she prefers being standup-anxious to being tennis-pro anxious.
“I don't have that much fear and I'm not holding it too close to my ego. So I actually like don't really get nervous. The only time I get nervous is if like it's an audition for something or like I know someone's watching and I'll be like nervous for like the first five seconds. And then I'll kind of calm down. But also deep down, I like a little nerves. I like the high of it all, but I don't have the sick, horrible anxiety in my stomach that I used to have when I [played tennis]. I say it's like surfing – when you find the right thing, when you find the right wave, you just go.” – Hannah (45:26)
And how do you go from being a straight-edge tennis star to making it big in comedy, anyway? Hannah shares what the transition was like – and why she’s so much happier these days.
“I feel like I'm doing what I'm meant to do now. Even though I do love to play tennis, just ‘cuz you're really good at something doesn't always mean it's what you're meant to do. Or maybe for that time, it's what I was meant to do. But at this time in my life I found what makes me happy.” – Hannah (46:16)
In This Episode
- (02:45) Leaving pro tennis for comedy
- (08:13) Being a “bagel”: Hannah’s identity as a half-Jewish, half-Italian woman
- (16:08) Why comics have insecurities, and getting canceled for controversial jokes
- (22:16) Hannah’s whirlwind romance with her now-husband
- (25:43) Men vs women in love
- (31:08) How Hannah came to be on Bravo’s “Summer House”
- (36:01) How reality TV impacted her mental health
- (41:30) The courage it takes to leave relationships
- (44:01) Hannah’s performance anxiety during standup
- (50:03) Are you happy today?
Our Guest
Hannah Berner is a comedian, podcast host and mental health advocate. Hannah was a cohost on Bravo’s “Chat Room” and was a member of Bravo’s “Summer House” for three seasons.
Her podcasts, “Giggly Squad” and “Berning in Hell,” have more than 20 million downloads, and she has over 1.2 million followers on social media.
Hannah performs standup across the country.
Resources & Links
Off The Cuff
Hannah Berner
