Legion of Skanks: Meet Nikki Glaser

Nikki Glaser is a comedy powerhouse. Her one-hour specials and podcasts regularly sell out theaters nationwide; she hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is featured regularly on SiriusXM Radio, tours internationally and constantly writes new material in order to meet demand for her brand of irreverent humor. She’s amassed a loyal fan base over 15 years by combining an almost autistic precision with an unflinching willingness to tackle dating and sex in her standup act. But joke-telling is only one compulsion in her life; Glaser is also recovering from years of heroin use, and may suffer from anxiety, depression and self-doubt when she’s not performing. When performing, however, she appears confident and charismatic to audiences eagerly waiting to watch her perform, while offstage she can become consumed by insecurities about weight, body image and relationships that cause great discomfort for her.

Glaser acknowledges her addiction to comedy has had negative repercussions in the past, but now believes she’s finally clean enough to break free of its grip. To do this she has made changes like cutting out alcohol and smoking as vices; keeping a daily journal to work through issues; using an app to limit social media scrolling; becoming vegan gradually while weaning herself off pornographic material as well; as well as dabbling in transcendental meditation but has not seen significant progress yet.

Glaser may be known for her provocative comedy routines, yet offstage she remains rather restrained and reserved. She only sleeps with one guy at a time; refuses to twerk onstage (despite fans’ requests); admits being intimidated by trying new sex acts and points out that her act is simply an exaggeration of who she really is;

On this episode of Legion of Skanks, Glaser talks with Brian and Anya about her therapist’s recommendation that she put away her shame – an action which she finds challenging when loved ones become critical of your absence from events in your life. Additionally, she recounts making a guy blush in a cafe setting as well as explaining why white trash has earned its bad rep. Finally, they explore topics including addiction recovery, adolescence, and the risks involved with getting married too early.