Heather Shaw Takes On the College Scene

On September 17, Heather Shaw took the stage at the Pepsi Forum at JWU, greeted with a full house of spirited college students. Initially, she approached with some skepticism, but with Shaw’s quick wit and sharp timing, she engaged the audience, weaving in relatable anecdotes that had the room bursting with laughter throughout her performance. After her 45-minute set, we got the opportunity to ask Shaw some questions about her career so far. 

Shaw has become a familiar face in the comedy scene with appearances on The Today Show and The Tamron Hall Show, where she showcased her talent. Over the years, she has also collaborated with prominent comics, such as Mark Normand, Eric Andre, and Fortune Feimster. With a decade of experience between stand-up and TikTok, Shaw’s comedic skill continues to shine. When asked who some of her greatest comedic inspirations were, she shared, “Maria Bamford, Margaret Cho, Zach Galifianakis, Patton Oswalt—all the old school ones.”

In 2020, Shaw took her talent to social media, specifically TikTok, where she quickly gained viral traction for her uncanny resemblance to Jim Carry and spot-on impressions of the actor. Now with over 2.5 million followers on TikTok, she is touring the country with her stand-up act. We asked Shaw about her frequent comparisons to Carrey and it was difficult to create her own identity in comedy because of them. She assured us the truth, “No, not really because I've been a comedian for around 10 years. I’ve always heard it my whole life.” While the comparisons did not hold her back, she admitted that they took some getting used to. “But, at first it’s weird. People are like ‘you have your own jokes?’ and they are totally not Jim Carrey jokes.” Nonetheless, she has been able to embrace the similarities and incorporate them into her own work, she explained, “It hasn’t been too hard, I've been able to integrate it in with my stuff, it’s not too bad.” In blending her own comedic style with the Carrey connection, Shaw has made her own space in the comedy world. 

With Shaw’s growing fanbase on social media we were also curious about navigating boundaries and knowing where the line is for certain jokes, especially with the added pressure of cancel culture. She offered her perspective, “There’s a lot of jokes I do live onstage that I would never do online. Never,” She explained, “Because when you’re in a comedy show you know it’s jokes, when you’re online anybody could be in any headspace.” Shaw emphasized the distinct difference between performing live on stage, where there is clear context, and the broader audience found on social media spaces. This awareness shapes her approach to maneuver seamlessly through the modern comedy scene while also staying true to her voice. 

Shaw has also expanded her comedic reach with her comedy podcast, Heather Shaw is Kidding, where she speaks on popular issues with her own humorous spin. She enjoys making fun of pop culture topics, politics, and other hot-button issues every week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and other streaming services. We asked Shaw about her podcast and how it is different from other comedy-based podcasts in the space currently. She pointed to her unique approach, “I think it’s my voice and I’m definitely roasting celebrities a little bit harder. A lot of people want to be with celebrities and be buddy-buddy with them, and I don’t care about that at all.” Shaw continued, “I’ll talk about Channing Tatum. I’ll take him down, I don’t give a [expletive].” With her unapologetic humor, Shaw’s podcast offers a fresh perspective in the scene, giving her unfiltered take on the latest cultural moments. We also asked Shaw if she wanted to expand to more comedic platforms or if there were any major career goals she was looking to accomplish. She shared her ambitions with us, “I want to keep touring, doing some good comedy podcasts, and maybe acting.” As she looks to the future with plans to keep touring, expand her reach, and possibly dive into acting, it’s clear her career is still evolving. With her bold approach to comedy, Shaw is assured to keep audiences laughing for years to come.