Sarah Sherman

Last updated

Sarah Sherman
SShermanSoho220822 (3 of 8) (52315003398) (cropped).jpg
Sherman in 2022
Born
Sarah Nicole Sherman

(1993-03-07) March 7, 1993 (age 31)
Long Island, New York, U.S.
Other namesSarah Squirm
Education Northwestern University (BA)
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actress
  • screenwriter
Years active2014–present
Television Saturday Night Live
Website sarahsquirm.com

Sarah Nicole Sherman (born March 7, 1993), [1] [2] also known professionally as Sarah Squirm, is an American comedian, actress, and screenwriter. Sherman is known for using surreal and body horror comedy. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] She became a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live starting with its 47th season in October 2021, [8] [9] and was promoted to Repertory Status in October 2023. [10]

Contents

Early life

Sherman was born and raised on Long Island, New York, in a Jewish family. [11] [12]

She graduated from Great Neck South High School in 2011, and Northwestern University in 2015 [13] with a degree in theater. [7] [14] [15]

Career

Sherman developed an interest in stand-up comedy after she did not make the improv team at Northwestern. After graduating, she decided to stay in Chicago, befriending comedians like Megan Stalter, and had a monthly show called Helltrap Nightmare along with Luke Taylor, David Brown, Wyatt Fair, and Scott Egleston. [16] [17] Sherman began performing under her stage name "Sarah Squirm", which was inspired by a high school nickname. She was also getting booked as a comedian alongside noise musicians as she had friends that ran a record label. [17]

In 2018, she made her television debut in an Adult Swim infomercial titled "Flayaway." [3] [17] In 2019, Sherman opened for fellow comedian Eric André on his Legalize Everything tour. [12] She was also a writer for The Eric Andre Show , Three Busy Debras , and Magic for Humans . [18]

Sherman was asked to audition for the long-running NBC sketch-comedy show Saturday Night Live after doing a stand-up set at the Just for Laughs festival. She had previously been asked to perform some showcases for SNL producers and attempted some character-based work which, according to her, "fucking sucked." [17] She initially auditioned for Saturday Night Live in 2016, as part of a showcase at the iO Theater in Chicago that also featured Alex Moffat, who would be hired as part of the cast that year. [19] She was subsequently cast as a featured player for its 47th season, alongside fellow newcomers James Austin Johnson and Aristotle Athari. [8] [9] Before being hired by SNL, she had trouble finding employment because her gross-out videos turned hiring managers off. [20]

Sherman has been praised by critics for adapting her unusual and surreal comedy style to SNL without losing its impact. Luka Katic of Collider wrote, "Sherman certainly isn't the first unconventional comedian to be featured on SNL (i.e. Tim Robinson, Kyle Mooney, etc.). However, what makes her remarkable is her success in spite of that fact. Where actors like Robinson often felt they had to tone down their material for SNL, Sherman finds inventive alternative ways to channel her deranged sensibilities into the show." [21] Jesse Hassenger of Vulture listed Sherman's "Meatballs" sketch from the Oscar Isaac/Charli XCX episode as one of the best of the season, writing, "In a crowded season, it was especially refreshing to come upon a sketch that feels like such a clear expression of its star's sensibilities." [22]

Sherman was credited as a screenwriter for the reality comedy film sequel Jackass Forever (2022). [23] She co-starred in the Adam Sandler comedy film You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023) [24] and is cast as a character in downloadable content for the video game High on Life (2022). [25] She voice acted as "Coriander Cadaverish" in the animated film Nimona (2023). [26]

In 2023, Sherman was promoted to a repertory player on SNL. [10]

Since October 2023, Sherman has hosted the NTS Radio show Freakradio Emergency Hotline. [27] Among the artists she has played on the program are Macula Dog, Doug Lussenhop, Johnny Pemberton, Clownvis Presley, Negativland, and The Residents. [28] On September 5, 2024, Sherman began her guest starring role as dialect coach Robin Finch—for Lois Cerillo, played by Rena Sofer—n the daytime soap opera General Hospital . [29] In 2024, she debuted as a host for the Max game show Human vs Hamster . [30]

Influences

Sherman has said her comedic influences include television shows such as Seinfeld , The Nanny , The Golden Girls , Pee-wee's Playhouse , and The Ren & Stimpy Show . [2] [12] She has cited Norm Macdonald as an influence on her SNL work: "He was a little troublemaker. I relate to him because he was never not himself." [20] When she started performing stand-up comedy, she took influences from comedians such as Todd Barry, Maria Bamford, and Kristen Schaal. [31]

Political views

Sherman supported Bernie Sanders in the 2020 United States presidential election. [12] She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. [32]

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References

  1. ↑ "SARAH SHERMAN: Saturday Night Live featured-player". NBC . Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Heisler, Steve (March 7, 2018). "Sarah Squirm's comedy celebrates her body in all its oozing, disgusting glory". Chicago Reader . Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Paulas, Rick (September 3, 2020). "From Pubes to Healthcare: The Stupid Brilliance of Sarah Squirm". Vice . Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Sarah Squirm Uses Body Horror and Piss to Tackle COVID Exhaustion". PAPER . May 7, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Sarah Squirm: 'I made a necklace out of my dead grandma's glass eyeball'". The Guardian . June 12, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  6. ↑ Freeman, Zach (February 13, 2018). "What did I just see? Sarah Squirm tops a long, strange, funny night at Empty Bottle". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on February 23, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Heisler, Steve (March 7, 2018). "Sarah Squirm's comedy celebrates her body in all its oozing, disgusting glory". Chicago Reader . Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Jevens, Darel (September 27, 2021). "Sarah Sherman, weird comic from Chicago, joins 'SNL'". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Bucksbaum, Sydney (September 27, 2021). "Meet the 3 new Saturday Night Live cast members joining season 47". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  10. 1 2 White, Peter; Grobar, Matt (October 4, 2023). "'SNL': Pete Davidson & Bad Bunny Among Hosts As NBC Show Sets Returns With SAG-AFTRA Blessing, Full Cast Comes Back For Season 49 & Chloe Troast Joins". Deadline. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  11. ↑ Friedman, Gabe (October 1, 2021). "Meet Sarah Sherman, SNL's newest Jewish cast member". The Jerusalem Post . Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "18 Things to Know About Sarah Sherman AKA Sarah Squirm". Alma. October 1, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  13. ↑ Fahmy, Kira (April 12, 2019). "Sarah Squirm brings her raunchy, honest comedy to Northwestern". North by Northwestern. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  14. ↑ Meadows, Jonah (September 27, 2021). "Northwestern Alum Joins Cast Of 'SNL' As New Trier Grad Departs". Patch: Evanston IL. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  15. ↑ Grunberger, Alessia (September 28, 2021). "Comedian From Great Neck Cast In Upcoming SNL Season". Patch: Great Neck NY. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  16. ↑ Halabian, Layla (May 16, 2022). "Lights, Camera, Squirm!". Nylon . Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Frank, Jason P. (January 17, 2023). "Sarah Sherman's Beautiful Mind". Vulture . Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Sarah Sherman". The Kennedy Center. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  19. ↑ Hoglund, Andy (August 28, 2024). "Alex Moffat Still Misses SNL's Adrenaline Rush". Vulture. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Sarah Sherman Was Sure Her Vulgar Videos Made Her Unhireable. Then 'SNL' Called". Bustle. April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  21. ↑ Katic, Luka (June 13, 2022). "Sarah "Squirm" Sherman Is the Renegade Body-Horror Comedian 'SNL' Needs". Collider . Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  22. ↑ Hassenger, Jesse (June 2, 2022). "The 17 Best SNL Sketches of Season 47". Vulture . Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  23. ↑ Price, Joe (February 5, 2022). "'Jackass Forever' Video Highlights New Cast Members and Their Wild Stunts". Complex . Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  24. ↑ Grobar, Matt (July 13, 2022). "Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel & 'SNL's Sarah Sherman Among Cast Set For Netflix's YA Comedy 'You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah'; Happy Madison & Alloy Entertainment Producing". Deadline. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  25. ↑ Romano, Sal (June 13, 2023). "High On Life DLC 'High On Knife' announced". Gematsu. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  26. ↑ Giardina, Carolyn (April 25, 2023). "Netflix Animation Reveals 'In Your Dreams,' a New SpongeBob Adventure and Additional 'Nimona' Voice Casting". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  27. ↑ "'SARAH SQUIRM'S FREAKRADIO'". NTS Radio . February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  28. ↑ @sarahsquirm (February 15, 2024). "FREAKRADIO" . Retrieved February 15, 2024– via Instagram.
  29. ↑ "Sarah Sherman is Guest-Starring on a Show That's the Polar Opposite of SNL This Week". NBC . September 5, 2024.
  30. ↑ Wangu, Elah (November 15, 2024). "Human Vs Hamster Season 1: Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know". Screen Rant . Retrieved November 26, 2024– via MSN.
  31. ↑ SARAH SHERMAN | Good For You Podcast with Whitney Cummings | EP#144, June 30, 2022, retrieved July 29, 2022
  32. ↑ @Demsocialists (November 4, 2020). "@sarahsquirm is live now on Socialist and Distanced and tearing it up for democratic socialism" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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