Comedian Marina Franklin Uses Funny Approach to Reclaiming Feminism in Milwaukee

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Photo: Marina Franklin - marinafranklin.com

Marina Franklin

Marina Franklin

Surviving, and thriving, in a field that is traditionally male dominated is no easy task. Actor, podcast-host and stand-up comedian Marina Franklin’s long and successful comedy career is closely intertwined with feminism, having spent around 25 years unknowingly swimming upstream in the world of comedy. The result is a highly accredited comedian with unparalleled accomplishments and fascinatingly funny stories about her life, struggles, and triumphs. Marina Franklin is the honored guest for the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee’s annual event, “The F Word: Reclaiming Feminism.” The proceeds from the event will help provide HER scholarships, fund grants, and support local nonprofits that address systemic issues, in addition to aiding the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee’s mission.

The Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee’s annual event, “The F Word: Reclaiming Feminism,” is Thursday, Nov. 17, from 3-7 p.m. For more information, visit Women’s Fund Presents…The F Word: Reclaiming Feminism | Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee (womensfundmke.org)

“I am going to take people through my own journey, exploring what that meant, and where I started in comedy, and how it felt to be a female comic in male spaces,” says Franklin. “It was not obviously uneasy. It is only when I look back at it that I realize how difficult my journey was. So I’m going to be looking back at it, and this gives me the perfect opportunity to reflect on my career and ask myself `Did I know I was in it, when I was in it?’” Franklin will be exploring her own career and struggles with feminism through humor, for the first time ever.

Her career, which spans two decades and features accomplishments such as “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” writing and working closely with Amy Schumer on projects such as the movie Trainwreck, and Schumer’s comedy specials, appearing in a multitude of film, TV, radio, and comedy content. Perhaps her most impressive work, however, is her twelve-year running podcast “Friends Like Us,” which hosts women of color speaking on hot topics. It’s probably the thing I’m most proud of because it reaches more people in a more helpful way, and it deals with the current political climate that we’re in,” says Franklin.

For Marina Franklin, laughter holds an integral role in her identity as a feminist. “The word feminism can be intimidating for those who never claimed the word. But when you are really given the opportunity to explore that world, and really think about what it is and what your experiences have been, you get to redefine it and reclaim it for yourself,” says Franklin. “For me, it’s doing it in a funny way. I hope that people laugh, and they learn, and they grow.”

Using comedy to tackle such a serious topic is crucial to Franklin’s process, and her set in Milwaukee is sure to be as funny and real as Franklin herself. “I will be funny. I will be telling jokes in a serious explanation of feminism for me,” she remarks. “I think we’re in very difficult times right now. I’m trying to be very inclusive in saying that it is important that everyone feels like they can claim that word for themselves, and make it their own, and never be left out. Through laughter, especially.  It’s a personal journey. Feminism should never make anyone feel left out. It should always feel inclusive, and it can include laughter. Laughter and comedy.”