Living the tour life. Fresh off her sold out set at Netflix Is a Joke: The Festival in Los Angeles, Iliza Shlesinger took Us Weekly on the road with her to see a day in her life.
The New York City native, 39, has been making Us laugh for years on TV. She won NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2009 before her first Netflix special, War Paint, was released in 2013. She followed that up with streaming specials Freezing Hot (2015), Confirmed Kills (2016), Elder Millennial (2018) and Unveiled (2019). Shlesinger will tape her sixth Netflix special in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 23.
The comic has made the jump to the big screen too with roles opposite Mark Wahlberg in 2018’s Instant Family and 2020’s Spenser Confidential. She also wrote, produced and starred in the 2021 Netflix film Good on Paper with leading man Ryan Hansen.
The host of the “Ask Iliza Anything” podcast is also mom to daughter Sierra Mae, who she gave birth to in January 2021, as well as Tian Fu, a rescue dog she adopted in late 2019. Fans get a glimpse of Shlesinger’s pup throughout the tour when he makes cameos during her sets. However, they won’t catch a glimpse of her and husband Noah Galuten‘s daughter.
“She is gorgeous but her face is hers to share, not mine,” Shlesinger explained via Instagram when sharing photos from her daughter’s birth in January 2022. “So while I won’t show her, I will share us. I will be processing this comedically, artistically and spiritually for the rest of my life and I can’t wait. Thank you all for your support.”
As she finishes her second book, the comedian has assured fans that having a newborn doesn’t change her comedy. “People wonder how having a baby affects my comedy,” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in March. “The truth is a newborn is a lump of oatmeal. It’s not like she’s a teenager. What I talk about is more my commentary on society’s commentary on motherhood and the endless stupid advice and horrible comments I get. I’m protective of my daughter. I don’t even show her on social media.”
In fact, motherhood has only helped her realize that mamas are the ones who need a laugh the most. “Trust me, there is a lot I didn’t know about becoming a mom, and everyone thinks they have the perfect advice!” Shlesinger exclusively tells Us Weekly. “I teamed up with Willow pump to give a glimpse of the world from mom’s perspective and the well-intentioned advice that comes from your mother-law, the best friend and others that just isn’t helpful. Moms don’t need the unsolicited advice; they need empathy and a little humor.”
She added that pumping has helped her be able to tour while still breastfeeding her baby girl. “Nothing could have prepared me for what comes along with having a baby,” the new mom explained. “During this wild journey, breastfeeding and pumping is a (second!) full-time job. Being able to move freely and pump with Willow has been so huge for me. With Willow, I don’t have to stop working or playing with my daughter to shut myself off from the world to pump. I can continue to live my life.”
To catch Shlesinger’s Back in Action Tour, visit iliza.com for schedules and tickets. Scroll down to follow her through a day in the life:
