Megan Stalter is coming to Edinburgh folks, so it’s time to get booking trains (Picture: Corey Nickols/Getty Images for IMDb)
Megan Stalter is probably the funniest person on the internet and almost certainly the comic to see at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
The Ohio-born comedian, 32, rocketed to social media stardom in the pandemic when her hilarious ‘Hi gay’ video – mocking corporations for pinkwashing – went viral.
Now she’s shone with dazzling light on TV series Hacks, her comedy has crossed the Atlantic, and she’s even chilled at Madonna’s house. No biggy.
But this success came after years of graft, in which Megan ‘begged’ people to come to her shows on the Chicago comedy circuit. Of course, all that has changed now as she’s taking her desperate, oh-so relatable – but totally nuts – character to Scottish capital for the UK’s biggest celebration of comedy. And she’s excited.
‘People in the UK are very quick, funny, smart and sassy,’ she said of her reception when performing in London two years ago in an exclusive chat with Metro.co.uk
While most of the time it genuinely takes crowds a few minutes to be in on her character’s joke, Megan said the UK audience knew what she was getting at ‘pretty quickly’.
The star last performed her iconic character to London two years ago (Picture: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Netflix)
Megan is making her Edinburgh debut and flying over the Atlantic especially (Picture: Chelsea Guglielmino/FilmMagic)
You see, Megan doesn’t go on stage and talk about the time she missed the bus, her hot political take, or – I don’t know – shagging. Once under the lights she transforms into this totally delusional woman with zero self-awareness, who thinks she’s a one-in-a-million talent but really, really isn’t.
‘I have this persona I’ve done for a while,’ Megan explained. ‘It’s this woman who thinks she’s very talented but she’s not. It’s basically me being like, “Oh also I’m a writer so here’s my book, and then also I sing, and then here’s my song.”‘
But while Megan’s on-stage characters are all tarred with a brush of insanity, they are grounded very much in reality as she has created them from people she knows, and this particular one comes from within.
‘I like to do characters that feel real even if they’re crazy. It’s like that person is insane but I know that person,’ she explained.
Contrary to her character, Megan really is very, very nice, and occasionally breaks the conversation with a cheek-raising grin and a comforting giggle.
‘The characters have come from people I know. I try at least to do them with love. I try not to just make fun of anyone, and I don’t want anyone’s feelings to get hurt,’ she said, confirming suspicions.
And so why does her cringe wannabe character resonate so far and wide? That could have something to do with TikTok, influencer culture, and generational desperation to be something special.
The star is known for her role on Hacks, as well as her many viral moments and hilarious stand-up persona (Picture: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
Megan isn’t one to take herself too seriously, and we love her for it (Picture: Megan Stalter/Instagram)
‘I think with this persona that I do on stage resonates with so many people because so many people in our generation want to be famous,’ Megan said thoughtfully, hitting the nail on the perfectly blow-dried head.
‘So there’s something about playing someone on stage that’s like, “I’m going to be famous but I’m not really good at any of this stuff but I want it,” that’s interesting.’
But while Megan loves people appreciating her work – and insists actually, she’s not famous, or not Reese Witherspoon-in-Starbucks famous anyway – fame to her sounds ‘scary and bad.’
‘I care so much about the privacy of people I love, it does sound really scary to me,’ she said, suddenly earnest.
Fame aside, if Megan was too famous for an incognito Starbucks trip like our gal Reese (who follows Megan on Instagram, by the way) she might have more of a problem, as the comic will happily perform sold out shows, but sometimes gets social anxiety while ordering a coffee.
‘I get nervous to order a coffee sometimes, but I’d do anything on stage,’ she admitted.
‘I feel really powerful on stage performing because I am in control and I can do a character, but if I’m just ordering a coffee I’m myself and anything can happen,’ Megan explained, with a smidgen of bewilderment at her own contradiction.
But while sometimes Megan feels nervous speaking in class or ordering food, she can also be a social butterfly, and could be quite in her element starting party games with a big group of people she doesn’t know.
‘When I’m on stage I know I’m going to be the life of the party, whereas I don’t know in real life if I’m going to be it that day,’ she said.
‘I feel like it’s because I am a nervous, confident woman, and I’m both people. Because you can be two things.’
Interestingly, Megan has embraced different shades of herself to capture her frantic, delusional character.
‘The first couple of years I did stand up, I wasn’t good but I thought that I was,’ Megan candidly admitted.
‘And I think that’s where the character comes from. It’s part of me being like really wildly confident but also nervous too.’
But while Megan wakes up unsure if she will be the star or the wallflower that day (much like many extroverts with a dash of social anxiety) – she always knew it was going to work out for her.
‘When I was little I always thought it would happen for me,’ she said.
‘A little bit of delusion can get you really far.’ That, it can.
Megan Stalter will be at the Gilded Balloon Teviot Debating Hall from 20.30 from August 12 to 23, and 25 – 27. Get tickets here.
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‘A little bit of delusion can get you really far.’
