It ain’t easy building up a DIY comedy scene from your living room, but Mary Jane French is going to clear out the couches to make sure it happens. A tireless performer and event organizer, she has been doing stand-up routines since she was 18, only pausing temporarily after accepting her need to transition from male to female. Her quick-witted, irreverent humor draws heavily from her experiences as a trans woman, offering audiences permission to both laugh at and reflect on sometimes difficult subjects like bottom surgery, gendered self-loathing, and other absurdities of life.

Mary Jane French: Bearded Woman

• Name? Mary Jane French
• Age? 23
• Theme song? “Restless Year” by Ezra Furman.
• Signature drink? Chocolate milk.
• Great book? I hate admitting I'm not much of a reader because there's a pretentious part of my brain that is super self-critical. I mostly just read comedy memoirs and biographies. I'm Just A Person By Tig Notaro is pretty damn great.
• Favorite movie? Joel Schumacher's Batman and Robin.
• Dream job? I once dreamt that I was a professional farter and it was the most fulfilled I ever felt.
• Comedy mentor? Is this someone I know, or someone I've learned from? I've obsessed over interviews with Patton Oswalt discussing comedy, ethics, and DIY mentality. I pore over every clip I can find of Andy Kaufman. Cameron Esposito is a lot of my inspiration of me becoming the representation I've been looking for in my queerness.
• Total crush? The best ones are the ones that are just for me and I have no intention to act on.
• Archenemy? Toxic masculinity.
• Hidden talent? I can fit your whole fist in my mouth.
• Super power? Anyone who dates me is gay regardless of gender.
• Personal record? Nine days without skin.
• Personal hero? My dermatologist.
• Love advice? Queer up to cheer up.

Stay up to date on all of Mary Jane French’s gigs, podcasts, and recordings at maryjanefrench.com.

Photography by Tristan Wright