Sarah Haskins (comedienne)
Encyclopedia
Sarah Haskins is an American comedian known for her satire about gender stereotypes in the media.
in Chicago's Lincoln Park
. A 2001 graduate of Harvard College
, she was also a member of the improv comedy troupe, The Immediate Gratification Players
.
In October 2007, she relocated to Los Angeles, where she currently resides. She worked as a full-time writer for Current TV
and a regular contributor to the weekly series InfoMania
on Current, a network co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore
. Haskins wrote and starred in the InfoMania segment "Target Women" in which she commented on products, advertising, and media aimed at women. Segment topics have included: wedding shows, jewelry, cleaning supplies, Sarah Palin
and the "lady vote", Twilight, cars and The View. The show’s first episode, "Target Women: Yogurt", was an online hit. Prior to working for Current, she was an improvisational and sketch comedy performer at I.O. (ImprovOlympic
) Chicago as well as with the Second City
National Touring Company for six years before moving to California. She lists her influences and heroes as "Chicago, Katharine Graham
, Tina Fey
, improvisation, Francis Parker
".
A self-described liberal and feminist, she has spoken in interviews about the myriad of both traditional and new roles that women of the modern world are expected to fulfill: taking on new roles as career women and as financially independent individuals while still adhering to antiquated stereotypes about an ideal woman and her role in a traditional society.
." This inspired her interest in comedy.
"Freshman year of college I saw a show at Second City called The Psychopath Not Taken. I loved it—I was doing improv at the time at school with a great group called IGP—and Psychopath expanded my sense of what comedy could do. It was funny, smart, and important.”
When asked if she is a feminist: "Yes, I’m a feminist. It is an extension of my lifelong war against pantyhose. To me it means that as women we are individuals before we are gendered people and that we’re not defined by our gender except in the ways we chose to appropriate that definition. We’re in a weird generation, right? Our moms were forced to grapple with that definition more immediately, and I think it’s changed as we’ve grown up. The core issue 'how do I fight bias against me because of my gender' is still there but has gotten more complicated and wrapped into all kinds of identity issues about how you present yourself as a woman and I pretty much think it's your choice. And fuck pantyhose."
In January 2010, Haskins parted ways with Current TV, leaving her central role in the Target Women segment behind.
Background
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Haskins attended Francis W. Parker SchoolFrancis W. Parker School (Chicago)
Francis W. Parker School is an independent day school serving students from junior kindergarten through grade twelve of high school. Located in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, the school is based on the progressive educational philosophies of John Dewey and Colonel Francis Wayland Parker,...
in Chicago's Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park, Chicago
Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University...
. A 2001 graduate of Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, she was also a member of the improv comedy troupe, The Immediate Gratification Players
The Immediate Gratification Players
The Immediate Gratification Players are a collegiate improvisational comedy troupe based out of Harvard College. They specialize in long form, free-form improvisation.-History:...
.
In October 2007, she relocated to Los Angeles, where she currently resides. She worked as a full-time writer for Current TV
Current TV
Current TV, or Current, is a media company led by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and businessman Joel Hyatt. Comcast owns a ten percent stake of Current's parent company, Current Media LLC....
and a regular contributor to the weekly series InfoMania
Infomania (TV Series)
infoMania was an American half-hour weekly satirical news-show on the Current TV television network. The program was initially hosted by Conor Knighton and later Brett Erlich, with features by Ben Hoffman, Sergio Cilli, Bryan Safi, Erin Gibson, and Ellen Fox.-History:The program's executive...
on Current, a network co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
. Haskins wrote and starred in the InfoMania segment "Target Women" in which she commented on products, advertising, and media aimed at women. Segment topics have included: wedding shows, jewelry, cleaning supplies, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
and the "lady vote", Twilight, cars and The View. The show’s first episode, "Target Women: Yogurt", was an online hit. Prior to working for Current, she was an improvisational and sketch comedy performer at I.O. (ImprovOlympic
I.O.
iO, or iO Chicago, is a theater located at 3541 N. Clark St., in Chicago, Illinois, one-half block south of Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. The theater both has performances of, and teaches improvisational comedy. It was founded in the 1980s by Del Close and Charna Halpern...
) Chicago as well as with the Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
National Touring Company for six years before moving to California. She lists her influences and heroes as "Chicago, Katharine Graham
Katharine Graham
Katharine Meyer Graham was an American publisher. She led her family's newspaper, The Washington Post, for more than two decades, overseeing its most famous period, the Watergate coverage that eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon...
, Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
, improvisation, Francis Parker
Francis Wayland Parker
Francis Wayland Parker was a pioneer of the progressive school movement in the United States. He believed that education should include the complete development of an individual — mental, physical, and moral...
".
A self-described liberal and feminist, she has spoken in interviews about the myriad of both traditional and new roles that women of the modern world are expected to fulfill: taking on new roles as career women and as financially independent individuals while still adhering to antiquated stereotypes about an ideal woman and her role in a traditional society.
Once, when I was about eleven and my sister was eight, we were going on a camping trip. The day of the trip, in the car, on the way, I got scared and started trying to back out of the trip saying I don't want to go. And my Mom, turned around in her seat and yelled "YOU'RE GOING! YOU COME FROM A LINE OF STRONG WOMEN!" And I think that attitude's infected me. There are also strong women in the industry, and a lot of them have been very helpful to me – so, I have a positive attitude right now. I want to do stuff, and I don't want anyone to stop me.
Career
Haskins majored in American History and Literature at Harvard University. While at Harvard she began improvising with a group called IGP or "the Immediate Gratification PlayersThe Immediate Gratification Players
The Immediate Gratification Players are a collegiate improvisational comedy troupe based out of Harvard College. They specialize in long form, free-form improvisation.-History:...
." This inspired her interest in comedy.
"Freshman year of college I saw a show at Second City called The Psychopath Not Taken. I loved it—I was doing improv at the time at school with a great group called IGP—and Psychopath expanded my sense of what comedy could do. It was funny, smart, and important.”
When asked if she is a feminist: "Yes, I’m a feminist. It is an extension of my lifelong war against pantyhose. To me it means that as women we are individuals before we are gendered people and that we’re not defined by our gender except in the ways we chose to appropriate that definition. We’re in a weird generation, right? Our moms were forced to grapple with that definition more immediately, and I think it’s changed as we’ve grown up. The core issue 'how do I fight bias against me because of my gender' is still there but has gotten more complicated and wrapped into all kinds of identity issues about how you present yourself as a woman and I pretty much think it's your choice. And fuck pantyhose."
In January 2010, Haskins parted ways with Current TV, leaving her central role in the Target Women segment behind.