ALI CLAYTON
If you haven’t seen standup comedian Ali Clayton—who’s a Southerner, and proud of it—you soon will, especially if you’re in Chicago. Clayton has been performing standup for seven years and performs all around the Windy City, talking about her favorite subjects: her southern family, working with kids and adults with special needs, and her bisexual experiences. “On stage, I generally say, ‘I’m bi, but if you put it on a scale, it would go lots of ladies… whoopsie daisies, a dick. Sometimes I drink too many beers, slip and fall on a dick.” Being out as a comic hasn’t made her more or less successful, she says, “but I do think being out has made me a better writer and performer.” After receiving her bachelor’s degree in theatre performance in 2008, she left her native North Carolina to become a comedian. Her solo show, “I’m Different, Not Dumb” has been featured at the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, Chicago Sketch Comedy Fest, and Chicago Women’s Funny Fest. She has also performed at Cape Fear Comedy Fest, Chicago Comedy Expo and Laugh Your Asheville Off, to name a few. And she’s excited about her new web series, “Swiping,” about the highs and lows of post-Tinder romance. Clayton plays four different female characters swiping their way through both good and bad dating situations. You can catch all the episodes at keepswiping.com. –SLO
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