Episode Details

I had my first conversation with Aloe Azimov during my two-star summer of wretched mental health.

Before that I knew Aloe from her candid and hilarious stand-up sets at queer-friendly venues across the city. If you’ve been at the same shows as Aloe, you’ll recognize her unmistakeable and uproarious laughter that reverberates the venue walls and vodka bottles. In the throes of my break-up grief (and worse), I told Aloe about one terrible day after another, the crapshoot of emotional regulation, and whether to embark on a fraught course of pharmaceuticals. As I vented, I discovered that Aloe was a conscientious, compassionate conversationalist, and I thought, when the podcast comes back to life, she needs an episode. So, here we are!

ALOE AZIMOV’S EPISODE

On the pod, we talk about Aloe’s comedic origin story, how she used to have to wear baggy hoodies so that people couldn’t see how much she was sweating and shaking, how failure became a motivator to keep getting up on stage, and how she overcame most of her performance anxiety (with a little help from therapy). We discuss the difference between comedy and storytelling, citing my darling bestie Sherwin who claims that storytelling comes from the heart, while comedy aims lower from your gut and your junk. Aloe shares her mental health journey, and how her bipolar disorder affects and does not affect her comedy. (Hint: You don’t have to be manic to be an artist, and medication will not destroy all your creativity.) We dig into medication, with its ups and downs and tradeoffs. (NEVER GO OFF YOUR MEDS BASED ON ANYTHING YOU HEAR ON THIS PODCAST OR THE INTERNET!) There’s some talk of lost will to live and suicidal ideation, but we infuse tough topics with riveting charm, and in general, the content warning is milder than anticipated. Our listener question from My House Smells Really Bad! Please Help! features a devastating roommate conundrum. Aloe and Erica can’t fix it—but our thoughts are pragmatic and decisive. Make sure to listen to the end for Aloe’s morning, creative, and cleaning routines, plus the title and topic of her life’s most spectacular TED talk. Like Aloe, this is a thoughtful and generous episode, and the perfect interview to break the sad summer hiatus. THANK YOU, ALOE!

LINKS AND RECOMMENDED EPISODES

FULL SHOWNOTES ON ERICA’S WEBSITE

Aloe Azimov, LIVE AT LADYFEST MONTREAL with Abby Stonehouse on House of Stone Podcast

Follow Aloe on Instagram @aloe_azi

Catch Aloe’s performances at Stand-up Saint Henri, the Polymic, and Tales of Gender Affirmation.

Follow Erica on Facebook or Instagram or check out her website at ericajschmidt.com. You can also make her