A few years ago, Ester Steinberg was living in Tampa, and her friends and family could see the Plant High School graduate (class of 2008) at open mics throughout the area.
Now they get to see her on television every week.
Steinberg was one of the comedians featured on Funny Girls, a reality series that wrapped up its season on Oxygen last month (reruns are still aired regularly, and it's available for streaming at the network's site). The show followed the lives and careers of six female stand-ups, as well as their interactions with each other.
Steinberg got air time as both a comedian and a booker. Her monthly Kibitz Room show was a focal point of the first few episodes, and when she wasn't working on her material, she was seen trying to coax famous names to perform on her stage.
Steinberg is back in the bay area for a few days, and we asked her via email Q&A how "real" reality television is, what her family thought of the show and where she'll be performing locally.
CL: You only moved to Los Angeles a few years ago. Before that you lived in Tampa. What was the adjustment like for you? And besides LA being bigger, what are some of the differences in the comedy scenes in both cities?
Steinberg: I went from Tampa to New York to L.A. The transition from Tampa to N.Y. was insane — from N.Y. to L.A. was much more relaxing.
Los Angeles has around fifty or so open mics a week and countless shows. Still, stage time is extremely limited because you are up against the funniest people in the world.
How does one go from being one of many comedians grinding it out on various stages to being a focal point in a reality television series? Walk us through how it happened.
I was scouted. In L.A., you never know who is watching in the audience. It started with an interview and it turned into many more meetings — and finally we were shooting. It went by fast!
What was it like the first time you saw your face on a billboard or other advertisement for the show?
I was so excited! There is a huge billboard of the cast directly in front of my college in New York. That one is my favorite.
Reality television likes to create "heroes" and "villains." How do you feel about the way you were portrayed on the show? How accurate is what we saw relative to what really happened?
The editing seemed dramatic but everything on the show was real, and if you were to zoom into anyone's life you can see that the little things really do matter. The daily grind is full of open mics, booking shows, and strange arguments with co-workers. The show just added dramatic music, I think.
I hope this question was not meant to call me out as a villain. I swear I'm really nice!
What did your family think of the show? Have you watched any of it with them?
My parents always find something to criticize. Mostly, they told me it was raunchy. And I responded: Well, good! The show is not supposed to make 50-something's happy. It's geared toward people who find sex, drugs and comedy to be hilarious. Sorry (not sorry), mom!
A good amount of air time was spent on the Kibitz Room, the monthly show you run with your sister. How is booking and managing a show different than just getting booked, showing up and telling jokes? What are the positives and negatives?
It is a lot of responsibility. Booking the show is tough, because I get asked for spots constantly and I only book five comics a month. Right now I'm focused on splitting up the line up: Half comedy stars, like Bill Burr, Eric Andre and Natasha Leggero, and half up-and-comers who I think are trying really hard and have a lot of potential.
We have Oxygen, FX, and Comedy Central execs showing up to the Kibitz Room now and watching the show. The stakes are higher, and I feel a lot more pressure to have a kick ass show.
Also, the BBQ brisket and pickles are a plus!
Being on television usually means good things for comedians. How have things changed for you so far? Is it easier to get booked for shows now? Do people treat you differently in LA?
I'm still working toward becoming a paid regular at the Comedy Store, and still hustling for spots. But everything has gotten easier as far as having to prove myself. Also, I'm touring more and my goal is to do a Funny Girls tour with all the comics! We all have grown very close and want a Funny Girls tour so bad!
Not counting yourself, which of the Funny Girls do you think has the best shot at becoming a big name in comedy?
Yamaneika Saunders is a shining star — she's already a regular panelist on The Meredith Vieira Show, and was a finalist on Last Comic Standing — but she is effing hilarious and I love watching her go up. She is going to do big things. No question.
You're in town for a few days, and like any good comedian you're jumping on a few stages while you're here. Where can people see you perform this week?
Wicked 'Wiches (223 S. Howard Ave.) on Thursday, and Coconuts Comedy Club in St. Petersburg (5501 Gulf Blvd.) on Saturday.
This article appears in Jun 4-10, 2015.