Guess where I met Chrissy? Facebook! I was in a screenwriter’s group and this gal posted a question which included a bit of her background for context and my jaw dropped. Forget the question. All I saw was that she was a comedy writer who won the Page Screenwriting Award and placed in the Nicholl Fellowship. Those two contests garner thousands and thousands of entries. Not to mention the fact that her scripts were comedies! I had to meet this gal and I was thrilled when she said she would participate in this interview series. Here’s Chrissy…
What were your life events that lead you to realize, “Hey, I’m pretty funny.”
There are a lot of things I’m not good at. No one wants my assistance designing a space shuttle. No one’s asking for my meatloaf recipe. There’s absolutely no chance that I’ll be a draft pick for literally any sport. But I’ve always loved to make people laugh. I enjoy it a whole lot more than making meatloaf, that’s for sure. There was a big turning point for me recently when a producer reached out and asked me to write a funny scene for him. What struck me was that I said “yes” right away. There was no hesitation. My usual self-doubt simply vanished. I just jumped right in and did it. It was an incredible feeling. I wouldn’t have had the same level of confidence if he’d asked me to kick a field goal. I think that was when I really started to own the “Hey, I’m pretty funny” thing.
How did you nurture your funny side?
Honestly, it seems like it’s my funny side that nurtures me. It’s been a lifeline during difficult times. When life gets tough and all hope seems lost, there’s nothing more healing than a good laugh. In fact, the more difficult it is to find the humor in a situation, the harder I look for it. I wouldn’t be surprised if I wound up giggling at my own funeral.
Do you think you may have inherited your funny bone?
All my relatives have a great sense of humor, which makes get-togethers extra fun. But one family member that stands out is Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice—a distant cousin. She was known for her sharp wit and outrageous (for the time) behavior. Among other scandalous things, she is reported to have chewed gum, played poker, and had a pet snake that she named Emily Spinach. Teddy once said, “I can either manage Alice or the country. I can’t do both.” I never met Alice, but I think we would have gotten along just fine.
If you’re in a partnership, is he or she funny? Was/Is humor a requirement?
Humor is absolutely a requirement for me. There is so much joy in laughter, I can’t imagine life without it. My husband is the funniest person I know. He makes me laugh every day—sometimes on purpose.
If you have a funny partner is there ever a joke competition or do you play well off each other?
We play well off each other because we have polar opposite personalities. We’re basically a real-life Odd Couple. In fact, several of our friends have suggested that we start a podcast or a reality show. I haven’t seriously considered ever doing that, because I don’t want our funky combination of humor to become work. I feel incredibly fortunate to still be laughing after 20 years of marriage. I should probably note here that our life together is not all rainbows and unicorn farts. It’s true that we laugh a lot. But it’s also true that he tells Dad Jokes sometimes. I’m not laughing then.
Did being a jokester ever get in the way of school or work?
In addition to comedy, I also write drama and fantasy. It can be a challenge to turn off the humor when I’m working on more serious projects. I think my most prolific joke writing occurs when I need to be dramatic. I could be in the middle of writing a tragic death scene and, without fail, my brain would chime in with, “Hey…you know what would be funny?”
Was anyone ever threatened by your humor?
No, but I accidentally traumatized myself once. One day in high school, my best friend and I strolled into the cafeteria for lunch. We each grabbed a rectangle of pizza and a pint of milk before heading to our table. We settled in and my friend (let’s call her Sally) took a sip of her milk. I commented on something. I don’t remember what I said. All I remember is Sally’s head ERUPTED. There was milk flying out of her mouth and her nose. So much milk. It looked like an exorcism of the Maola plant. For a split second, I wasn’t 100% sure she was going to make it. By the time Sally settled down, we were both crying, but for completely different reasons. She was crying because she was still laughing so hard at my dumbass comment. I was crying because I just watched my best friend explode.
Can you describe the type of humor you possess? Clever Wit, quick-with-a-joke, physical, goofball, aggressive, self-enhancing, self-deprecating, dark, observational, or one I didn’t think of?
I think I probably do a little bit of everything depending on the situation. But my favorite, by far, is self-deprecating humor. It’s a great way to manage expectations when I meet people for the first time. Plus, it comes to me easily, probably because the material practically writes itself.
Did your sense of humor change in the last 5 years? If so, how?
Life threw me a few curveballs in the last 5 years. As a result, I turned to writing more comedy to escape a difficult reality. It was during this time that I gave screenwriting a try. It turned out to be a rewarding experience. Not only did I find a fun way to channel my sense of humor, I also won several awards and now have some projects in development. Overall, it’s been a wonderfully validating experience. I feel like I’ve found my voice, and that has resulted in a boldness that I really enjoy.
What would be the title of your life right now?
It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
My “good idea” was to delay my comedy writing. Comedy is a tough genre because it’s so subjective. We can all largely agree on what constitutes drama or suspense. But we’re likely to have wildly differing opinions on what we consider funny. I found that rather intimidating. Now, I wish I had started sooner—because it just feels right, like it’s exactly what I should be doing.
Chrissy Lessey is an American author and screenwriter. She’s best known for her internationally bestselling Crystal Coast Series—a contemporary fantasy trilogy. In 2022, she won a PAGE International Screenwriting Award and has placed in a number of other prestigious competitions including the Nicholl Fellowship, the ScreenCraft Comedy Competition, and the Inroads Fellowship. Chrissy is multi-optioned, with projects in development at home and abroad. She recently completed her first humorous novel manuscript and has others in the works. She lives with her family on the coast of South Carolina, where she spends her spare time sipping sweet tea and avoiding alligators.
Links:
www.facebook.com/chrissylessey
www.instagram.com/chrissylessey
Fire away folks. I have so many questions myself for Chrissy.
Would you share your logline for you PAGE and Nicholl script(s)? And your humor manuscript?
When will your humor manuscript be released?
Can you talk about your projects in development?
Have you ever seen an alligator?
Alice Roosevelt! Just had to comment how cool that she’s a distant cousin.
This whole post was FULL on one-liners I wish I could highlight!!! She's friggin hilarious. From space shuttles to meatloaf to traumatized by milk, I was engaged all the way through this. One of my favorites in your funny AF series so far!
Really enjoyable read. And, for the record, milk spit takes are ALWAYS funny. Unless paramedics are called.