Ilana Glazer: The Ultimate Comedy Queen

When Ilana Glazer joins what she thought was a casual Zoom interview and discovers it’s on camera, her first reaction is to appreciate her cute outfit—a head-to-toe lilac ensemble perfect for spring. The comedian had just spent the afternoon in fittings for her upcoming press tour for the new film ‘Babes’, which she co-wrote with Josh Rabinowitz. 

Just days before, she had wrapped up a gruelling 52-stop stand-up tour, still buzzing with excitement from the final shows, which she filmed for her next comedy special. Despite meticulously planning for these career milestones, Glazer finds herself taken aback by the current moment. “It feels very different than what I planned for,” she reflects.

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“I’ve realised that any preconceived idea about something feels like a product of capitalism—almost imperialist. The power I thought I’d feel from the tour, special taping, and movie release isn’t the same as what I’m experiencing now,” she continued.

What Glazer is experiencing, she says, is a deep sense of human connection—both with her stand-up audiences and with her family when she returns home to Brooklyn for a brief break. Glazer and her husband, computational biologist David Rooklin, welcomed a daughter in 2021, and motherhood has profoundly influenced her onstage routines and project choices.

In ‘Babes’, Glazer portrays Eden, a single woman whose unexpected pregnancy after a one-night stand transforms her relationship with her childhood best friend, played by Michelle Buteau, a married mother of two. “Everyone tells you how hard it is having a kid, but I’ve been shocked by the joy of it,” Glazer admits. “People don’t seem to make space to wonder at the magic of it, because then we’d have to stop living in this capitalist structure. And also—pregnancy is funny.”

Reflecting on her stand-up tour, Glazer notes how her material has evolved to incorporate her experiences of motherhood and the everyday wonders it brings. Her comedy special, filmed during the tour’s final shows, captures this evolution, offering audiences a glimpse into her life offstage. This newfound perspective has also influenced her work on ‘Babes’, adding depth and authenticity to her portrayal of Eden.

-Sushmita Sarkar