“New Yorker” Cartoonist and Former “Late Night” Writer Featured At July 24th’s “Hitch*Cocktails”
By Wes Hessel
Between drawing for “The New Yorker” magazine and recording his comedy podcast “But Also” with fellow former writer for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, Michael Cruz Kayne, while preparing for his upcoming appearance Friday, July 24th, at the fully improvised Hitchcock-inspired thriller known as “Hitch*Cocktails”, Asher Perlman spent some time talking with the People & Places about his experiences:
P&P: We enjoy the New Yorker cartoons a great deal. We understand yours started with your Instagram postings and ramped up during COVID, then your submissions got the New Yorker’s attention. What inspired you to start drawing the cartoons, what would you say is your motivation for them, and do you have a favorite?
Mr. Perlman: I always wanted to give cartooning a shot, but never had the time because I was too busy writing and performing. When the pandemic hit and all the live comedy venues shut down, I finally found myself with enough free time to pick it up in earnest and I’ve been obsessed ever since. As for a favorite, I of course love all my children equally.
P&P: Please tell us about your background – any significant details you feel relate to your Hitch*Cocktails appearance, and how did that come about?
Mr. Perlman: I’ll probably always think of myself as an improviser first. I came up in the Chicago comedy scene at places like iO, The Annoyance, and The Second City. I haven’t played Hitch*Cocktails before, but I love narrative improv in general. The one group I still play with from my Chicago days is another long-form, genre show: The Improvised Shakespeare Company. Hitch*Cocktails has been on my radar forever, though, because I used to play with a lot of the cast in various shows back in the day, and they’re all so funny. It’s really a stacked ensemble and I’m psyched to get to be a part of it.
P&P: Six Emmy nominations is sensational – writing for Steven Colbert’s “Late Show”, what were your biggest challenges, if any, in keeping your writing fresh? How do you continue to get ideas for your writing?
Mr. Perlman: Well, one nice thing about writing topical comedy is that the news is always changing, so there’s never a shortage of inspiration.
P&P: We have reviewed often for Second City, and always enjoy it. Please tell us a little about your experiences there.
Mr. Perlman: I loved my time at Second City so much. I started out on their touring company and then graduated to one of the resident stages before eventually moving to NYC. It really was a dream job, and I met so many lifelong friends while I was doing it. I can think of no better way to have spent my twenties than driving around in a sweaty van with six pals, eating cheap pizza and doing sketch comedy.
With his extensive comedic background in hand, especially his improv experience, as well as that of the rest of the company of actors, we expect Friday night’s “Hitch*Cocktails” to be nothing short of taut, brilliant, and hilarious. So don’t spend your Friday night just looking out your “Rear Window”, but go “North by Northwest” to Annoyance Theatre in Chicago and raise a glass to the best in improvisational thrillers – hurry to www.theannoyance.com for tickets or more information…
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