Who Is Mae Martin? New Details On The Comic From 'Comedians Of The World' On Netflix
She's always had a passion for comedy.
Kylie Else Comedians of the World on Netflix features 30-minute stand-up routines from 47 comedians from 13 regions around the globe, including India, the UK, Canada, and France. The topics cover everything from racism to homophobia, and each comic gives us a unique perspective on what life is like where they live.
And one comic whose stand-up has made her stand out is Mae Martin. Hailing from Canada, Martin’s sets focus on sexuality, anxiety, and addiction, but turns the harsh reality into something we can laugh about. And in today’s world, a few laughs are the least we could ask for. But who is Mae Martin? Here are 6 things to know about the comedian and how she got her start.
1. Her father is a former child actor.
Her father, James Chatto, is most notable for appearing in Peter Brook’s film adaptation of Lord of the Flies. Even more interesting? Her uncle, Daniel Chatto, is married to Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, Queen Elizabeth’s niece. How cool is that?
2. She dropped out of school.
At the age of 15, Martin dropped out of school to pursue comedy, as it was always her passion. And she hasn’t stopped doing gigs since. She began her career after becoming involved with the comedy troupe The Young and the Useless.
3. She’s won multiple awards.
She’s a two-time winner of the Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch, for her work as part of her comedy troupe. And at just 16 years old, she was the youngest ever nominee for the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award.
4. She’s also appeared on the radio.
Her 2015 show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival was titled Mae Martin: Us and received rave reviews. But in addition to her performances, she’s presented Mae Martin’s Guide to 21st Century Sexuality on BBC Radio 4, and contributed to The Now Show. She also hosted a podcast called Grownup Land, which was aimed at millennials.
5. She's LGBT.
Though Martin is out as LGBT, she hasn’t identified if she is bisexual or lesbian. She has actually shied away from having the bisexual label and stays away from labels of any kind.
“I think it’s the way of the future that people will label their sexualities less and less. I think we are moving away from distinct categories. I don’t want to say I’m one thing in case next year I decide I’m straight. Things are changing so fast, people are experiencing a sense of vertigo,” she said.
6. She’s a former addict.
When she was 16, she entered rehab and cleaned herself up. She’s used her experiences as material for her stand-up routines.
“I dropped out of school when I was 14 and I was hanging out with comedians in their thirties. I moved out of home and had some real lows. I properly threw myself into drugs as if it was my job. It was a classic slippery slope,” she recalled. “I thought it was a brief episode of my life but now that I’ve been reading about addiction and learning about the brain chemistry behind it I can see those behaviour traits were in me.”
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.