Robin Cloud
Robin Cloud was hooked on comedy after her first open mic. “Stand-up allowed me to wrap everything into one,” she says. “You have to write, do characters, sing if needed—there are no limitations on what or who you can be as a stand-up comic.” After years perfecting her stage craft, Cloud started to write and direct her films, too, including “Out Again,” which was chosen by Refinery29 as part of their Shatterbox Anthology, receiving more than 1.2 million views. “Now, I’m honing my skills as a director and that feels like the ultimate culmination of everything I’ve ever studied,” Cloud says. “I’ve gone full circle.” Up next: taking “Out Again” to film festivals around the world, a docu-series called “Passing While Black,” and a new podcast, “Dear Queer” on BRIC Radio. “[Being gay is] only one part of who I am but it is a very important part,” Cloud says. “So I embraced it, did tons of gay shows and grew a fanbase. There is still nothing like performing for your community. They get you from the jump and that’s a beautiful thing.” —TB
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