More firsts...this time on the beach!

This weekend, I worked for the first time at Gregory’s Comedy Club in Cocoa Beach, Florida. It was my first time at the club, and I had a lot of fun!

And after Michigan’s freezing spring, these were a site for sore eyes:

 Can’t beat staying on the beach! Of course I had to dip the ol’ dogs in at least once.



 I worked with my good buddy, Andy Beningo. PS Can you tell whose idea this pose was?


 After Thursday - Saturday shows, I rose early on Sunday (hello, 3 am wake-up call, how are ya?), and headed off to Japan!

Mother's Day

I was fortunate to spend Mother’s Day with my mother and daughter at SASHA Farm. If you’re not familiar with SASHA, it’s the Midwest's largest rescue for farmed animals. The sanctuary currently shelters over 300 animals. Some were dumped and discarded, some left to die. They have come from unhappy circumstances, often mistreated or neglected, but now have a safe, permanent home at SASHA Farm. The work they do is truly incredible.

I first went vegan because of how female animals are treated simply because they are female. I realized that I could no longer support standard industry practices (such as forcibly impregnating turkeys, separating cows from their calves, forcing sows into gestation crates, and confining egg-laying hens into crates so small that they cannot even flap their wings) that specifically target female animals because of their abilities to create life and create milk for their young. I remember thinking about if these practices were to happen to human women, and being horrified. I also realized that all animals have the ability to feel pain and suffer just as we do, and as a woman, I could not support this suffering any longer.

Becoming a mother reaffirmed my commitment to veganism. Since cows, like all mammals, only produce milk for their babies, they are constantly impregnated, made to have babies, and then those male babies end up being taken away from them and consumed for veal. Hearing calves bellowing for their mothers after being ripped away from them shortly after birth so humans can consume the milk that was made for the calves broke my heart. Watching cows frantically search and scream for their missing calves was gut-wrenching. 

But it wasn’t until I became a mother that I could begin to truly imagine the unfathomable pain it would be to have your child taken from you. In fact, I can think of no torture worse than being forcibly impregnated (a truly violent act in itself), only to have that child ripped from you and sent to live in shackles in a tiny, dark box (as veal cows are forced to do).

While we spend the day with our human families, I share this to expose what literally billions of non-human mothers go through. I hope that we will educate ourselves where our food comes from.



And as Natalie Portman recently said, “So now lots of people make fun of vegans, right? Lots of people make fun of anybody who cares about anything deeply, right? But I’m here to say… it’s the most beautiful thing to care, to have your heart open so much that someone else’s pain feels like your own, to care so much that you’ll spend your time making sure that change happens.”

Spending time with the animals at SASHA today reaffirmed my shared belief that it is a beautiful thing to care. And it made me hopeful that change will happen soon.

First time in Boise

I just returned from my first time in Boise, Idaho, and I had an absolute blast! I love traveling to a new city for the first time. There’s just something exciting about the possibilities of getting to explore it.

I traveled with my friend, Andy Beningo, who headlined the shows. Our early morning flight required a 3 am wake-up call, which was a bummer, but I was just pumped to be headed out west so adrenaline kept me awake.

Yes, I always travel with a pink donut around my neck.

When we arrived, we explored downtown Boise a hit. I was struck by how much it reminded me of Ann Arbor in that there were a lot of breweries and quaint restaurants with outdoor seating. We settled on a place called Fork and sat outside and enjoyed some local draft beer. I absolutely love people-watching, and Boise didn’t disappoint.

In addition to noticing how nice everyone was, we also picked up on a look a lot of folks seemed to have, which Andy seemed “mountain punk.” Like people were fit and city-ish, but also had a lot of tattoos paired with camelbacks and looked like a hike may break out at any minute. I quite enjoyed the look, actually, and wished I hadn’t only packed oversized Old Navy shirts and workout clothes. 

We were working Liquid Laughs, and it was such a fun club. I had a really good time sharing the stage with not just Andy, but so many funny local comics like EJ Sullivan, Sophie Hughes, Jynx Jenkins, and some other guest sets throughout the week.

Telling jokes and making hand claws on stage.

On Friday, we got out early and explored the area near the river. Turns out, there are really nice parks in Boise. There was a beautiful lake along the river that emptied into a lovely park, complete with bathrooms (you know my small bladder digs that!) and a ‘borrow a life jacket station’ near the lake.

We also discovered a place called Americana Pizza. It was right behind where we were staying, and it featured vegan pizza by the slice. Even better? It was cheap...and GOOD! As we were leaving, we vowed to return.

On Saturday, we watched a free concert as part of Boise Music Week before heading to the capital building to wander around it. Of course, another stop to a brewery was in order as well.

I was way more excited to nerd out about where laws are made than my face indicates.

Sunday was pretty relaxed, and my main mission was finding vegan donuts. Mission accomplished in the form of Guru Donuts. I couldn’t believe all of the selection they had! Wow! Andy and I both got the Alice and Wonderland, which was truly heavenly.

On our walk downtown, we also stumbled across this very scary slide that would take a serious amount of money and a serious amount of vodka to get me to go on.

I closed out my trip by waking at 3 am and catching a super early flight home. I watched the movie “Free Solo” on the plane, which I highly recommend. Until next time, Boise.

VegFest!

VegFest is one of my favorite days of the whole year! No, and not just because I get to eat my weight in vegan donuts (I only spent $17 on them this year). It’s because there’s literally thousands of people who come together to learn about, promote, and discuss the ethical, health, and environmental benefits of plant-based eating.

This year, I helped table for Attorneys for Animals.

Two of AFA's awesome board members.

And I also MCed one of the presentation rooms. I was inspired by all of the speakers I saw, but I was particularly struck by one of the documentaries that was shown. Allison Argo’s “The Last Pig” is truly a stunning film (and we were also treated to a Q and A all about her process of making the film). Not only was it visually really beautiful, but it was so moving without being preachy. I was just blown away it. And I had tears in my eyes nearly throughout the whole thing.

I also got to see several friends there, which was a treat.

Representing MSU Law!

And of course...the food!

These nachos and coney dog are from the Old Shillelagh in Detroit, which now has a vegan menu!

From attending my first VegFest 15 years ago, when it was hosted at a school and there were maybe 500 people there, to seeing it hosted at a with thousands of attendees is so mind-blowing! Knowing the number of people who have embraced a more compassionate diet makes me so hopeful, and I just love every second of the festival!

Easter

To those who celebrate, happy Easter!

We had a lovely spring day, and bonus that my kid didn’t even notice when I snuck into her room like “gimme all the vegan chocolate.” And thanks to the Easter Bunny for this delicious treat (and for the blue sweater, which was in my basket).

Back to my roots

Welp, for the first time in a decade, my hair now officially matches my eyebrows.

Still getting used to it, but I’ve been told it makes me look like a different person. Rest assured, the new, brunette Kate still lives for the New Kids, vegan chocolate, and ridiculously corny jokes.

Whirlwind of a week

What a whirlwind of a week! It started on Wednesday with a drive down to Indiana to perform at Goodfella’s. I always have a great time performing there, and this time was no exception. I got to work with the hilarious Rodney Lumpkins and Zach Boog.

And it was so much fun that I almost forgot about the fact that I had a four hour drive ahead of me that wouldn’t put me back home until 4 am.

Then, on Thursday, I performed at my home club, the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. This remains my favorite club to work, and it was a bonus that I got to share the stage with all women. Connie Ettinger, Nicole Majdali, and Brandi Alexander had me cracking up, and it was such a treat to share the stage and catch up with them.

Plus, several of my friends came out to the show, so it was a blast to see them! I was so appreciative of their support.

I can nostril-flare with the best of them!

On Friday, I did a fundraiser show for a sober-living support group at a church. Man, nothing will make you realize how many drinking jokes you have until you get asked to be church clean in front of a recovery group. I’m pretty sure I had about three minutes of material left. I kid, I kid. But, I was a bit nervous performing at a church. When I got there, I realized I had nothing to be nervous about because they were absolutely wonderful! They were unbelievably kind and a fun crowd, too. Plus, they gave me a goodie bag to take home with me, which was so sweet. Sadly, I didn’t get any pictures.

On Saturday, I went to a brunch, which was to die for! I have to post pictures because it was just way too beautiful not to.

And then, at night, it was back to Indiana. This time, the Fort Wayne Comedy Club. I really love that place! Michael Moses, who runs it, does a really great job, and the audiences are pretty fantastic. I shared the stage with Austin Hall and Nathan Orton (both of whom were so funny, and also really nice). Despite blending into the stage, that really is me.

On Sunday, I was honored to present about animal agriculture and the law at Western Michigan University. Since this is only the second time I’ve worn a suit in two years, I figured it needed documenting.

 And now...I sleep.