Page 139 - Katherine Ryan press pack 2015-20

the things that I wanted to do because I wanted to do them. I didn’t

really have any fear of failure related to that. I think if you do have it,

it can become hypnotic. Every time a journalist will say: “Can

women be funny? Can women be pilots? Can women be

scientists?” It’s less of a question and more of a statement after a

while that makes you believe that maybe we can’t. I think that’s

dangerous. I was really happy that I didn’t have those barriers, but

now I recognize the barriers of many other people. That’s again

where I feel a responsibility for advocacy.

BROWN: Growing up, did you get along with your sisters?

RYAN: I did. I make fun of my middle sister quite a bit in my latest

special. She really gets it from me, but that’s always been our

relationship—I got along really well with my baby sister and I just

completely clashed with my middle sister. It’s kind of a benevolent

hatred that we have for one another. I love her very much, but we’re

just such different people; she’s a super vanilla, lovely teacher.

She’s religious. She’s the type of personality that’s really sensitive,

and I grew up with the type of personality where I loved caustic

humor, almost insult comedy. When it happened to me I never took

it personally, I always thought that it was funny. I didn’t understand

why she was so sensitive about any type of teasing, and

unfortunately it only made me do it more. We’ve had a tumultuous

relationship, but we are very close.

BROWN: Do people in your life ever ask you not to talk about them

onstage? Is that a difficult line to navigate?