It’s likely you’ve seen Chloe Hilliard in print or on TV – once a journalist, she’s written for The Village Voice, Essence and Vibe, appeared on many talk shows and, due to her hip-hop culture expertise, she’s been on CNN, ABC News and C-SPAN. She’s also written an LOL-but-poignant book titled “F*ck Your Diet.” We were fortunate to get time to pick Chloe’s brain for this week’s Take 5.
You’re a former journalist. Why decide to break into comedy?
I actually fell into standup comedy by accident. I was a print journalist and wanted to transition to broadcast, specifically talking head commentary. VH1’s Best Week Ever was big at the time. I thought taking a standup class would help prepare me. At the end of the class we had a graduation show and I caught the standup bug. That was 15 years ago.
You’ve done comedy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Drew Barrymore Show, among others. How much pressure is there to perform in those situations? And how do you handle the pressure?
Doing late night is a huge marker in a standup's career. For The Tonight Show, you practice your set for months to get it just right. The show gives notes, legal looks at it, you lock in your jokes and are expected to deliver exactly what was approved. There’s a LOT of pressure not to mess up or bomb. I was definitely nervous but thankfully they put your jokes on a cue card in case you blank. That was very helpful! Daytime appearances like The Drew Barrymore Show is about being conversationally funny and you can get to your jokes casually. Like two friends chatting over coffee.
Tell us about “F*ck Your Diet.” What was your inspiration for writing this book?
I was a fat kid and a larger size woman for the majority of my life. Having tried every diet under the sun and not being happy with the results, I decided to take my power back and uncover how the food and diet industry gaslights us into thinking we are the problem. FYD is a collection of essays that chronicle my experience with body image and weight mixed with the fascinating history of America’s food and diet industries.
They say comedy is a craft, so what are things you do to hone your craft?
The best way to hone my craft is to get on stage. When I want to work on material, I'll go back to my hometown of NYC and cram a bunch of shows in a week. By the end, I’ve workshopped and polished new material. No matter how clever of a writer you are, or how many followers you hve on social media, nothing replaces standing on stage and getting live reactions and learning how to read a room.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to transition from their career into comedy?
Don’t do it! It’s a tough road and you really have to love it and put in the time to get better. Social media makes people think standup is about going on stage and riffing for an hour but there are layers to this. Study the greats, find your voice, trust your gut, be fearless and never stop sharpening your sword.
You’re fortunate, you know? You have the opportunity to see Chloe in person this weekend at Comedy Plex, with 8PM shows Friday and Saturday night. You can learn more about Chloe at their website and on all the socials that matter, including Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
Take 5: CHLOE HILLIARD