Sarah Sherman
Sherman performing in 2022
Born (1993-03-07) March 7, 1993 (age 30)
Long Island, New York, U.S.
Other namesSarah Squirm
Alma materNorthwestern University
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actress
  • screenwriter
Years active2014–present
TelevisionSaturday Night Live
Websitesarahsquirm.com

Sarah 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]

Early life

Sherman was born and raised on Long Island, New York,[11] in a Jewish family.[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.[11] 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 do some showcases for SNL producers and attempted some character-based work which, according to her, "fucking sucked."[17] She was subsequently cast as a featured player for its 47th season, alongside fellow newcomers James Austin Johnson and Aristotle Athari.[8][9] Prior to getting hired on SNL, she had trouble finding employment due to her gross-out videos turning off hiring managers.[19]

Sherman has received praise from 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."[20] 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."[21]

In 2022, Sherman was credited as a screenwriter for the reality comedy film sequel Jackass Forever.[22]

Sherman starred in the Adam Sandler comedy film for Netflix You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, with Idina Menzel, Luis Guzmán, and Ido Mosseri,[23] and is cast as a character in downloadable content for the video game High on Life.[24] She was also cast as "Coriander Cadaverish" in the animated film Nimona.[25]

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

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][11] 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."[19] When she started performing stand-up comedy, she became influenced by comedians such as Todd Barry, Maria Bamford, and Kristen Schaal.[26]

Political views

In 2020, Sherman supported Bernie Sanders as the Democratic candidate for the 2020 United States presidential election.[11] She is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.[27]

References

  1. ^ "SARAH SHERMAN: Saturday Night Live featured-player". NBC. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b Heisler, Steve (7 March 2018). "Sarah Squirm's comedy celebrates her body in all its oozing, disgusting glory". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b Paulas, Rick (3 September 2020). "From Pubes to Healthcare: The Stupid Brilliance of Sarah Squirm". Vice. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Sarah Squirm Uses Body Horror and Piss to Tackle COVID Exhaustion". PAPER. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Sarah Squirm: 'I made a necklace out of my dead grandma's glass eyeball'". The Guardian. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  6. ^ Freeman, Zach (13 February 2018). "What did I just see? Sarah Squirm tops a long, strange, funny night at Empty Bottle". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  7. ^ a b Heisler, Steve (7 March 2018). "Sarah Squirm's comedy celebrates her body in all its oozing, disgusting glory". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b Jevens, Darel (27 September 2021). "Sarah Sherman, weird comic from Chicago, joins 'SNL'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b Bucksbaum, Sydney (27 September 2021). "Meet the 3 new Saturday Night Live cast members joining season 47". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  10. ^ a b White, Peter; Grobar, Matt (4 October 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 4 October 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d "18 Things to Know About Sarah Sherman AKA Sarah Squirm". Alma. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  12. ^ Friedman, Gabe (1 October 2021). "Meet Sarah Sherman, SNL's newest Jewish cast member". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  13. ^ Fahmy, Kira (12 April 2019). "Sarah Squirm brings her raunchy, honest comedy to Northwestern". North by Northwestern. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  14. ^ Meadows, Jonah (27 September 2021). "Northwestern Alum Joins Cast Of 'SNL' As New Trier Grad Departs". Patch: Evanston IL. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  15. ^ Grunberger, Alessia (28 September 2021). "Comedian From Great Neck Cast In Upcoming SNL Season". Patch: Great Neck NY. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  16. ^ Halabian, Layla (16 May 2022). "Lights, Camera, Squirm!". Nylon. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d Frank, Jason P. (17 January 2023). "Sarah Sherman's Beautiful Mind". Vulture. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Sarah Sherman". The Kennedy Center. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  19. ^ a b "Sarah Sherman Was Sure Her Vulgar Videos Made Her Unhireable. Then 'SNL' Called". Bustle. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  20. ^ Katic, Luka (13 June 2022). "Sarah "Squirm" Sherman Is the Renegade Body-Horror Comedian 'SNL' Needs". Collider. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  21. ^ Hassenger, Jesse (2 June 2022). "The 17 Best SNL Sketches of Season 47". Vulture. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  22. ^ Price, Joe (5 February 2022). "'Jackass Forever' Video Highlights New Cast Members and Their Wild Stunts". Complex. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  23. ^ Grobar, Matt (13 July 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 14 July 2022.
  24. ^ Romano, Sal (13 June 2023). "High On Life DLC 'High On Knife' announced". Gematsu. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  25. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (25 April 2023). "Netflix Animation Reveals 'In Your Dreams,' a New SpongeBob Adventure and Additional 'Nimona' Voice Casting". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  26. ^ SARAH SHERMAN | Good For You Podcast with Whitney Cummings | EP#144, retrieved 29 July 2022
  27. ^ @Demsocialists (4 November 2020). "@sarahsquirm is live now on Socialist and Distanced and tearing it up for democratic socialism" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

External links

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