Mamrie Hart, author, Youtube phenom and star of “You Deserve a Drink” is performing her #NOFILTER show at the Neptune in Seattle tonight. You might be able to score some last minute tix here or at the Neptune box office. You can order her new book “You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery” here or at your local bookstore.
ED: How did you get started doing your “You Deserve a Drink” Youtube videos?
MH: Well, I moved to New York City out of college and started doing traditional comedy club stuff. I did a lot of improve theater sort of stuff. That is where I met my bestie Grace Helbig. Grace was already doing the Youtbe stuff. She has been doing it since the beginning. I was going along doing my sketch comedy and bartending as a survival job. I was a total fan of Grace’s stuff so when Charlie Sheen was having his breakdown, I decided this is the perfect opportunity to tryout this idea I had for a show. It was about mixing cocktails and lots of bad jokes. I went over to Grace’s house and we shot that one and haven’t stopped since.
ED: How did that transition into writing a book?
MH: In the last three years while I have been doing Youtube, I have also been performing sketch comedy, and writing my own shows. I wrote a movie last year. I have always been a writer. I have always done freelance writing jobs for TV and digital along with bartending.
ED: You know it is Gay Pride month. What do you think would be the best Pride cocktail?
MH: I did a Gay Pride cocktail about a year ago. I think that one is the best! You mix vodka with Skittles so that you have rainbow shots.
ED: Do you have a favorite “You Deserve a Drink” video so far?
MH: Hmm, I think one of my favorite videos was for St. Patrick’s Day. I actually didn’t even make a drink in the video. I started making a drink with my friends Grace and Hannah. Then I accidentally cut Hannah’s bangs off. She had on a wig for St. Patrick’s Day and they both knew I was going to trim the bangs on wig. I didn’t realize at first that I had cut a huge chunk of her real hair off. So the entire video is me screaming ‘Oh my God.’ It is sheer terror. You don’t mess with somebodies bangs. Hannah has short hair as it is. I lost a couple years off my life that day.
ED: Who would be your dream guest for your show?
MH: It would have to be Dolly Parton. I think she would be amazing. She’s got such a mouth on her. She is so funny and so smart that I would be immediately put to shame.
ED: Do you have any advice for people thinking about starting their own Youtube shows/channels?
MH: A lot of people say that the best advice is collaborating with other Youtubers or consistency, like putting it out on a schedule. I am just sticking to the fact that you have to really like what you are making. If it really makes you laugh then that is comedy. Then just go forth. I didn’t really get any traction on my videos for the first couple of years. I really like going back and looking through my old videos and seeing that there isn’t a change in the videos. They are consistent. I didn’t change what I was doing just hoping that people would start watching. As long as it makes you laugh, fuck everybody else.
