Comedian Alice Brine went viral earlier this year for a Facebook post about consent. Photo/Supplied
Comedian Alice Brine went viral earlier this year for a Facebook post about consent. Photo/Supplied
Alice Brine says she's already written her best joke. How's she going to top it? And how's she coping with all the death threats? Ethan Sills finds out.
What do you do as a young, rising comedian when you have a story so funny you can't possibly top it?
That's the question bothering Alice Brine as she begins writing her next comedy show.
"I'm never going to get rid of that [story] because I can't beat it. It sucks when you peak with your ultimate funniest joke of all time in your first show. It's like, 'F**k, I can't top it, I can't!'"
The outrageous story comes at the tail end of Brine's 2016 show Brinestorm.
Revealing it would spoil the surprise, but just know that it's not for the faint hearted - there's a lot of blood involved, and not the kind you're thinking about.
But trying to top two graphically hilarious stories are not the only pressures Brine has to deal with.
Being one of this year's Billy T award nominees and opening for top British comic Alan Carr would be a year highlight for any local comedian, but Brine, 27, has also achieved what is the modern dream for any up and comer looking to make a name for themselves: going viral.
"You don't like to expect it. I just throw s*** at a wall and see what sticks in social media. I never ever put anything out because I expect it to go viral."
Except that was exactly what Brine did. Back in July, she posted an analogy about consent on Facebook, in which she took some of the arguments used to defend rape culture and applied them to personal property.
I'm gunna start going home with random very drunk guys and stealing all of their shit. Everything they own. It won't be...
It was an instant hit, the post appearing on The Huffington Post and The Independent and saw Brine interviewed by Buzzfeed amongst others.
She isn't exactly proud of what she wrote.
"I am pissed off about it as it's hugely flawed as an analogy. It's very frustrating to have to compare women's consent and women's behaviour literally to expensive property for everyone to get the point.
"Are we seriously still at that level where if I compare women to a car you'll get it, but if I just say that a woman has her own way of thinking for yourself, you just can't get your head around it?"
She was inundated with praise from people from all over the world, but getting that sort of attention was never going to happen without haters sharing their views.
Even the vilest of comments are part of the fun for Brine.
"It's very frustrating to have to compare women's consent and women's behaviour literally to expensive property for everyone to get the point." Photo/Supplied
"When I was taking screenshots of these hilarious comments of people saying, 'I'm going to rape and murder you in your sleep', I'm just like 'that's so f**king funny'. He's in Delaware, how you gonna do that?
"People would comment saying they couldn't believe people were saying those things, and I can totally believe it, I'm on the internet ... it's not okay, but it's to be expected, and you just have to laugh at how stupid they are."
While she does refer to her style as "social commentary comedy", Brine hopes people don't come to her shows hoping for an hour of politically-tinged stand-up.
"My focus is just on what's funny. I don't get a say on what's in my hour because it's whatever the f*** happened in the past to make me think a certain way or tell a story.
"If something political happens and it pisses me off, it's going in the show, but if something really funny happens when I'm buying toothpaste - it'll be very funny, I promise, but I'm sorry for not being political."
"I don't get a say on what's in my hour because it's whatever the f**k happened in the past to make me think a certain way or tell a story." Photo/Supplied
Brine is in the midst of writing her second full show for next year's comedy festival. It will be her first after moving to Auckland. She's finally made the move after living in Wellington her entire life, tiring of flying between cities and sleeping in youth hostels and on people's couches to make ends meet.
"It's about moving the chess pieces at the right time. It sucks, but this is where the industry is. So if you want to go further in the industry, this is the next chess piece."
Now that she's cracking Auckland and has a full time job at Xero, Brine is already setting her sights on her next adventure.
"I'm really cushy in Auckland, I'm sorted here, I can't get too comfortable. I need to struggle somewhere else. I want to just keep clocking cities until I reach the Big Apple.
"The minute you get really good and comfy is the minute you need to go and find a country that has no idea who you are and run yourself dry trying to crack that scene, and just be in hell again."
* Alice Brine: Brinestorm performs at the Basement Theatre on Thursday and Friday from 8pm. Tickets available here
