(Photo by Robyn Von Swank)
Sarah Silverman is an Emmy Award-winning comedian, actress, writer and producer. Her unique brand has entertained the masses on stage and screen for decades, paving the way for her to become a fan favorite podcaster and even a Disney princess.
She’s also a human being. That’s evident in “Postmortem,” the comic’s nationwide tour which launched in September. It was conceptualized after the loss of her father and stepmother, who both died in 2023 as her last HBO special was being released.
“It came out and I was at zero. I had zero material,” she says. “I was at square one, my parents died nine days apart, and that’s what I was consumed with. Even speaking at my dad’s funeral, which was the second one … he was so funny that the eulogy had a lot of stuff that was funny.
“I was doing stand-up very soon after that, and I went back to my notes and I was like, ‘that’s funny,’” Silverman recalls. “‘Postmortem’ happened very, very organically. I’ve never built a new hour this fast.”
The comedian calls touring “an odd comfort,” particularly after the 2024 presidential election. She says the show doesn’t address U.S. politics but that coming together as a community will be an important way to counter them in the days ahead.
Silverman’s “Postmortem” tour stops at Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel Casino for two shows Jan. 9 before heading to Hard Rock Live Orlando Jan. 10. Watermark spoke with the comedian about her work, the new tour and finding the funny in 2025 ahead of time.
WATERMARK: Why do you think comedy is so important right now?
Sarah Silverman: Being in a big room with a lot of people and belly laughing together is incredibly connecting. I think we need human connection, and I think comedy does that in a way that other things don’t. Well, art does — anything where you’re moved, where you’re laughing, where you’re crying in a group — is cathartic.
I’ve been on the road and I was in Ohio for Election Day, and the next day I was going to South Carolina, North Carolina. I was kind of wishing I was not on tour, and instead in a ball in my room, but it’s really been this odd comfort to be on the road and to be in rooms with people that want to laugh and connect. It’s been a really positive experience. Who knows what fresh hell awaits us, but here we are together in this room and my job is to entertain you, and I’m gonna.
I think for anyone whose rights are at stake, that’s what is going to be our salvation. It’s going to be coming together as a community, and I already see it. I see people getting ready and that’s what I think we’re here for, to take care of each other. People are going to have to step up in places where our government abandons us, and I see it happening.
How so?
Any woman of means is stockpiling birth control, meds and Plan B to be able to send out to people in need. There’s going to be a chain of helpers— Mr. Rogers, after 9/11, came back on the air and said, “look for the helpers.” For any tragedy or anything that’s going wrong, there are people running towards us to help. That’s how we keep going and stay hopeful. … Laughter gives us strength. Resolve. I think it’s one thing we can count on. In any time of stress and hardship for any oppressed peoples, laughter always finds a way.
How has your brand of comedy evolved over the years?
As I grow and learn new things it always affects the comedy I do. I think if you learn something new, it changes your entire outlook. If your perspective changes just 1%, the whole world looks different. So I’m always coming at comedy from that place, and that place changes.
You’ve never seemed afraid to apologize when looking back at old material. Why is that important to you?
I realize that I’m lucky — but to me, it seems so simple. If I’m sorry, I apologize and if I’m not sorry, I don’t apologize. But I think if you are at all sorry, then it feels so good to apologize. Everybody feels better … it’s not always easy, but it’s simple. I talked to a friend for whom it is absolutely very hard to apologize, and she said that it’s hard for her to admit that she’s flawed. And I was like, “but everybody’s flawed.”
I know a lot of people must feel that way and struggle with it, but I wish it was as much as a relief to them as it is to me, when I realize I’m wrong. I don’t mind being wrong because that’s the only way you can be right, realizing you’re wrong. I like change, and I like seeing people who have changed. It’s such an absolute relief and joy to be wrong and apologize. … It’s fascinating, and it changes you and feels good, it makes life better. I’m sorry — I’m not being funny at all. (Laughs.)
You’re being insightful! “Postmortem” deals with the loss of your parents, has touring been a part of your healing process?
Yeah. When I started on the road, I had 35 minutes, so it was stressful. Every night was work where I needed to figure out where something went and what I needed to flesh out. Now I’m over an hour and I need to start chipping away at it. So in the beginning I did feel a sense of dread, more than usual. (Laughs.) I love being on stage and I love stand-up, but I still have that dread of like, “oh, can this be snowed out? I can’t imagine being funny.”
It’s all the same things that comics go through that have become much less as I’ve grown but is still there, especially when I really didn’t have it figured out. I had some guilt around it. I had some moments where I was just not ready for the catharsis of it all, not ready to deal. But now I’m much more looking forward to each night and excited to tell the audience about these people while making sure there’s hard laughs, because that’s what I love. I come from a family that also loved that, and I do feel very good that they would love this.
What comes most naturally for you, being on stage, being on screen or voice work like your podcast?
I don’t know, maybe stand-up because I always assume the audience is lovely. It feels like they’re my friends and I like talking to people. But the podcast — I never thought I would do a podcast, and then the pandemic hit and I really have been loving it. I love connecting with all these people, even in other countries and stuff. It didn’t occur to me that people could hear it anywhere, like there’s a gay man from Iran, just pretty real shit. It’s so interesting to me. I also love acting. I don’t know, I can’t really pick, but certainly stand-up is more a part of my identity. Even as a kid that felt like who I was.
How do you prepare for each of them?
For everything, I do best when I’m really prepared. I’ve learned that’s my best friend, doing the homework. I want to know all my lines so well that I don’t have to be thinking of them, like muscle memory. Because I’m not good at learning lines and I have to really work hard at it.
I like to audition for things, because I think people go “well, people, they’ll just look at you and they’ll see Sarah Silverman, you’re not gonna disappear in a role.” And I can understand thinking that, but that’s why I like to audition. So that if I get the role, it’s because they saw, “oh, this is what we want.” I also like to show I can be directed. I’m pretty good at pretending stuff.
That extends to the “Wreck-It Ralph” films, where you played Vanellope von Schweetz. Did working with Disney change your perspective?
It hit me afterwards that, “oh, I’m like a Disney princess.” (Laughs.) Because when we were doing it, we were just in a little room. It was very, very cool; I felt so connected to my character, Vanellope, and when we started, they had pictures of the characters hanging on the wall, rough sketches. And at first she was a redhead with freckles, and they have little cameras as you record in the recesses of the room that you’re not even aware of, and it’s for the animators to watch how you talk and how your face moves. And slowly she got these thick, black eyebrows and a black ponytail and a hoodie.
It wasn’t until we went to watch the first movie that I saw these little motions — these little things that I wouldn’t be able to articulate that I do — and it was like, oh. Whoa. It’s so interesting. And we got to record together, John C. Reilly [the voice of Ralph], and I was surprised at how loose they let us be. It was really cool.
Why are you excited to bring “Postmortem” to Florida?
Because first of all, I like people. I like people that are different than me. It’s been really cool touring — we go, oh, it’s America, it’s the United States, but it’s like we’re 50 countries. We’re huge. And going to very red states, those are some of my best shows, because everywhere you go, there are people that want to laugh, that want change, or that aren’t the state [they live in.] I don’t think everyone in Florida is Ron DeSantis or whatever, so I really love going to these places … also, it will be warm and sunny and gorgeous.
What message do you have for LGBTQ+ and ally fans looking for a laugh?
I would go back to the importance of community. Come on down, because you’re not alone. [Republicans] may have won the popular vote, but there’s more of us than them … and I don’t like being “us and them,” but when there are people that want to take human rights away, civil rights away, you can’t just say “well, we have different opinions.”
If you’re threatening the livelihood of other people, it’s not okay, and I think that we’re a force more than we know. Right now, for me, if you need to opt out and not care, just stay home and watch Disney movies for the next several weeks, do it and take care of yourself. Don’t give them your health. But gather your strength. Rest up, because there’s a fight ahead — and as soon as we know what we can do, people start organizing, people start getting stuff going, then we’re gonna do stuff. But honestly, rest up, make love, laugh, go towards joy. It’s actually really important for your health. Then we’re going to fight — and that’s going to be fun too, because we’ll be together.
What else do you want readers to know about your show?
In closing, wear comfortable clothes. No, look good. No. I don’t know, just come! I can’t wait to see you, the crowd is the whole thing. I know I’m the one talking but the energy, the reaction and the laughs and everything — you can’t do stand-up in front of your bathroom mirror. Come on down and if I see you after, I’ll give you a nice hug, heart to heart. It’s supposed to be good for you.
Sarah Silverman’s “Postmortem” comes to Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Jan. 9 at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. and Hard Rock Live in Orlando Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit SarahSilverman.com.
