In 1985, Wendy Liebman took a class called “How to Be a Stand-Up Comedian” at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. She had been planning on becoming a therapist, but decided she’d rather make a hundred people laugh than make one person cry. She has appeared on late-night television with Carson, Leno, Letterman, Fallon, and Kimmel, won the American Comedy Award, and recorded specials for HBO, Comedy Central, and Showtime. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two rescued Jindo dogs, who are as trainable as a carrot. Her special Wendy Liebman: Taller on TV is available on Amazon.

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Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?

A. I was addicted to pot. I quit March 3, 2023. The first day was the hardest. I cannot believe I made it through that day.

Q. Is there anything special in your sobriety toolkit that helps keep you sober?

A. I used to be able to sing. I think about being able to sing again.

Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?

A. For me, addiction is my brain focused on relief, not the future. I know better, but in those moments knowing doesn’t help—only the need to feel okay right now feels real. And honestly, I blame hormones for almost everything.

Q. Where are you from and where do you reside now?

A. I’m from East Hills, New York. 
I live in West Hills, California.

Q. What is one word you would use to describe yourself?

A. Both.

Q. If you ever retire, would you prefer to live by the ocean, lake, river, mountaintop, desert, or penthouse?

A. I don’t think I’ll ever retire, and I love where I live now.  But I wouldn’t mind having a chef who made healthy, delicious food.

Q. How do you measure success?

A. Being respected by my peers. Writing a joke that works. When my dogs listen to me.

Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?

A. You know how in movies and on TV when there’s a lemonade stand and the letters are backwards or upside down — and it’s obvious that an adult painted it, not a kid?  That drives me crazy.  Also, when the perforation for a bill is not on the fold.  And shitty people.

Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?

A. I’d divide it among charities that help children and animals.

Q. Who has been the biggest influence throughout your life?

A. I took a class in stand-up comedy at The Cambridge Center for Adult Education in 1985.  The teacher, Ron Lynch, was so kind, and funny, and he took me under his wing.  He’s been the biggest influence on my life.

Q. If you could give advice to your younger self what would it be?

A. Be wary of adults who misuse their authority—especially those two English teachers at Roslyn High School.

Q. Who made you feel seen growing up?

A. Unfortunately it was those two English teachers at Roslyn High school. But it turned out they were just grooming me. You just have to see yourself.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?

A. My husband.  He’s hilarious, and gorgeous and I can always count on him.

Q. What do you love most about living sober?

A. It’s easier to breathe.

Q. Which part of your treatment and recovery do you feel was the most interesting or unexpected?

A. I did a Twelve-Step program in the 2000s. I loved holding hands at the end of each meeting, and feeling the strength that comes from being part of a group.

Q. What’s your concept of a Higher Power?

A. That everything is perfect as is.

Q. What is your Astrological sign?

A. Pisces.  But I was born early, so I should have been an Aries.

Q. What book(s) have you read more than once?

A. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.  I learned the practice of Tonglen from her.  I use it all the time.  Extracting negativity and breathing positivity into the world.

Q. What books are you reading now?

A. Stephen King’s On Writing. I’ve read it before, but I recently listened to him reading it. He inspires me.

Q. If you were giving a dinner party for your 3 favorite authors, living or dead, who would they be?

A. Anne Lamott, Brian Kiley, Jason Pargrin. I think they’re all brilliant.

Q. Which film have you watched the most?

A. Annie Hall.

Q. Who is your favorite film director?

A. I can’t decide. But I just went down a rabbit hole and now I have to watch a thousand movies.

Q. What book would you most like to see turned into a movie or TV show that hasn’t already been adapted?

A. The novel that I’m writing 🙂

Q. Are you binge watching any TV series?

A. I’ve been obsessed with Korean TV—Beyond the Bar, Queen of Tears, Daily Dose of Sunshine, Hospital Playlist, etc.!  I’ll even watch shows twice — once dubbed, and then again with subtitles.

Q. What is your favorite App?

A. The Ring App. I can watch my dogs in the backyard from anywhere.

Q. Who is your favorite performer, living or dead?

A. I love performers. Not to be vague, but I’m fascinated by people who put themselves on stage.But the best singer I’ve ever seen live is Fantasia. I didn’t go to specifically to see her — she was part of a tribute concert — but now I am a fan. She had the crowd cheering and in tears.

Q. What are some of the most memorable songs in your life?

A. Anything Lyle Mays, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan.

Q. What is your favorite city?

A. Big Sur, CA. Asheville, NC. Martha’s Vineyard, MA.

Q. What is your favorite cuisine?

A. Anything I didn’t cook.

Q. What is the best concert/performance/play you’ve ever attended?

A. In 1978 I went to Tanglewood and heard Beethoven’s 3rd and the next day saw Twyla Tharp at Jacob’s Pillow.  It was a sublime weekend.

Q. What are five things you always carry with you (not including cell phone, keys, wallet, or lipstick)?

A. A pen. Lavender hand sanitizer. Packets of Whole Earth plant-based sweetener. An eyeglass cloth. A song list from one of my stepson’s shows.

Q. What is the best and or worse piece of advice someone has given you?

A. The worst advice came from a guy after a show who suggested I hand out little hamburgers—like Wendy’s hamburgers—so people would remember me. I did not take that advice.

The best advice came from my late mother-in-law, who said, “If you want something done, do it yourself.” And from my mother, who said, “Don’t force anything.”

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve given someone else?

A. Some fifth graders asked me for advice for a school project and I said, “Think of rejection as Sense of Direction. If a door closes, walk to another one.”  After that I had the opportunity to use it myself.

Q. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

A. Officiating my niece’s wedding. I was so honored and spent three months writing the ceremony. It was held at a vineyard, and I said, “I think it’s so fitting that you’re getting married in a vineyard, because a vine, by definition, is a plant whose stem requires support in order to grow and climb.”

Q. What is your favorite compliment to receive, and why?

A. After a show in Reno, an older woman from the audience came up to me and said, “I felt like you were just talking to me.” That has stayed with me for years—it made me so happy.

And beyond being told I’m funny, I also love being told that I’m thoughtful.

Q. What is your biggest fear?

A. All the big ones. But also not being able to get antibiotics for a UTI when I’m on the road.

Q. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

A. I wish I could wake up tomorrow having gained the ability to wake up early.

Q. What is something you’ve learned about yourself in the last six months?

A. I asked AI to help me with a minor medical condition that even top doctors hadn’t diagnosed. In the process, I learned about my condition—and that I love using AI. I now use it for everything from “How do you cook farro?” to “Where can I watch the movie Sleeper?” to “What is the life cycle of an orchid?” (For the record, I’ll never let it write a joke for me.)

Q. What is something you are currently curious about?

A. I’m curious why the tag on my raincoat says “Dry Clean Only.”

Q. What do you love most about yourself?

A. I love the way I’ve changed. I’m calmer, less competitive, cooler, and prettier. I used to want to be rich and famous.  Now I’m happy having coffee with a friend.

Q. When did you realize you were a grown-up?

A. My parents are 90 and 91, so I still feel like the baby of the family. But I realized I was a grown-up when I became a stepmom at 42 and started driving carpool—something I never imagined myself doing. My step-kids teach me everything I need to know, except how to do my taxes.

Q. How important are your pets to you?

A. I never had a dog until I met my husband (that may not have come out right!)  I grew up with cats but when I met my husband he had a dog, and since then we’ve adopted five others.  Our current dogs, Jemma and Jackson, are Jindos rescued from a Korean meat market.  I can’t imagine my life without them.