15. Isabella Jean Taylor on Being Selfish with Stand-Up, Having an Existential Crisis, and Surrendering

Isabella Jean Taylor (Stand-Up Comedian, Actress, Fit Model) opens up how she’s learning how to be “selfish” in stand-up and own the stage, how you never “clock out” as an actor and the power of producing your own shows.

Isabella discusses how treacherous the world of college theater can be, and the realities of managing the expectations of who you thought you were going to be when you were 14, and the current reality of who you are. (Cue existential crisis). We question if she got “stuck” in LA, if men can be people pleasers, and are stand-up topics like her grandmother’s dementia or her sister's death are too much.

— The masochism of stand-up

— Relationships going south make for great comedy

— Being real on if you still align with your “past dreams”

— Her asshole dog getting them booked on Cesar Milan’s show

— Does success come from luck, skill, timing, or connections

— How “I Got This” energy can lead to success

— Surrendering to things not being the way “you want them to be” so you can make room for what’s meant for you

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Pretty Funny Women

Groundling’s UCB

Amy McNabb - Actor’s Encouraged (Website) + Actor’s Encouraged (Instagram)

Podcast Production Company - Fast Forward Productions

Sam Valentine - One Broke Actress

Connect with Isabella

Isabella’s IG

Isabella’s IMDB

Isabella’s Bio

I am a dishwater European from Iowa with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Drake University.

I have trained at Groundlings, Second City and study at Lesly Kahn. I did stand up with Pretty Funny Women and made a lot of great connections. I have a background in improv which I performed for over 10 years and was on a house sketch team for a year. I play drums, piano, ride horses and I sing. I've been working with an Instagram agency and created content for Prose, JustFab, Lively, Maely's, Parade, SNOW, and Cerebral. Commercially, I've recently worked with Ora Organics, GoodCook, Harvest Church, Sonic, Amazon, Bobbie Baby Formula and Mojo. Theatrically I finished a short film this summer, Amnity and then proceeded to be a part of a 24 hour film festival in a short I Can’t Tell You. That’s the name

More importantly, I just got out of a relationship and ya girl's got a lot to prove. I'm talking face plastered all over everywhere. Let's haunt dreams baby.

Hang out with Maddie

Maddie’s IG

Maddie’s Coaching IG

Maddie’s Coaching Website

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