Janine Harouni is a Lebanese American comedian whose comedy show ‘Man’oushe’ amazed audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she performed nine months pregnant. She began her career as a theatre actress after attending drama school in the UK. Having always dreamed of being a comedian, she decided to pursue a career in comedy before her 30th birthday and signed up for an open mic. Now, she is a BBC New Comedy Award winner and a two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee. She is also a successful film actress, having starred in The Batman. Her newest project is a UK tour, where she will perform her hit show ‘Man’oushe’ in cities such as Brighton, London, and Manchester from January to February 2024. I spoke with the award-winning comedian about what people can expect from her tour.
What made you want to get into comedy, and how did you start?
“I always wanted to do comedy, but I was always too scared, especially with stand-up comedy, because to me, it’s the most exposing type of comedy you could do. You’re not playing a character; you’ve written everything yourself; it’s your own thoughts and feelings that you are expressing on stage. When I was eighteen, I told my mom I was going to become a comedian, but she made me very aware of how difficult it would be and how I would have no money; I’d have no health insurance, so I went to university instead.”
Tell me about your comedy show ‘Man’oushe’, what can the audience expect?
“This show is about the journey I took to become pregnant, and all the ups and downs, and the funny stuff that happens along the way. I also talk about a pregnancy loss that we suffered, and I touch a bit on grief. Mostly, it’s just me complaining about my husband and railing against the injustice of our gender being the ones who have to carry the child. I like to try and write comedy that connects with people even in the darker moments in life. I hope that the show is cathartic for people.”
Your press release says: ‘Janine thought she knew her family, then she took a DNA test, and things got messy’. Could you tell me more about that?
“My family did an Ancestry.com test, and we had surprising results about my grandmother. My grandma was a classical Arabic singer who emigrated from Lebanon to Brooklyn in the 50s. The show reflects on my decision to become a mom and reflects my grandmother’s decision to become a mom because we have a lot of similarities in our lives. She was a performer, and she was an immigrant. The show talks about the tough road that you face when you become a mom.”
What made you want to bring your show to Brighton?
“It’s a super fun town to gig in. I don’t know if this is good or bad for comedy, but there are always tons of birthdays, hen dos, and stag dos on, which sometimes makes for a super fun show and sometimes the worst night of your life! But it’s a super fun city.”
Do you think comedy is different in the UK compared to the US?
“I think it’s funnier in the UK. I think sometimes US comedians can get by on personality, but in the UK, you guys take such pride in your comedy. If you are a comedian performing in the UK, you have to really make sure that you’ve got some ace jokes.”
Janine Harouni: Man’oushe will be performed on the 17th of February 2024 at the Corn Exchange in Brighton.
