The Amazing World of Jen Kober
Judging by her acting roles, Jen Kober could be a one-woman Village People ensemble. She’s played a nurse, judge, rabbi, police officer, science teacher, hospital administrator, 911 operator, hooker, arsonist, poet, and—what Jen says was a real stretch—“loud lesbian.” But her energies coalesce like a fine wine when she hits the stage for live performances, and with sets like “Stand Up in Stilettos,” “Smoking Out with My Girlfriends,” and “Eat Me Raw,” you know you’re not going to be watching Masterpiece Theater.
“You should expect to laugh so hard your face hurts,” replies Jen, when asked what we should anticipate of her performance at Women’s FEST. She says she has a brand-new power hour of stories to tell. “It is something I’ve been honing for about three months now; it’s really strong—I’m super excited.”
Originally from Lake Charles, Louisiana, Jen once sold insurance door to door. “It certainly gave me plenty of stories,” she says. “I had one man sign a policy on a horse’s ass.… It taught me how to talk to anyone.” Fortunately for us, she turned to comedy, bounding onto the national stage and bringing crowds to their feet with her original blend of stand up, storytelling, and improvised rock-‘n-roll comedy.
For someone who says she enjoys relaxing and “free-boobin’” (going braless) around the house, Jen’s been pretty busy. She has appeared in two original shows produced by Netflix and shows on an alphabet soup of other media outlets, from Apple TV to USA Network.
Jen’s comedy timing is spot on, and she modulates her voice from a bare whisper to a shake-the-rafters bellow. “When I was younger, I thought, man you gotta come out swinging,” she explains, but she learned it was more effective to start off slow and vary the tone of her voice. “It’s about pulling them in,” she says. “I was always the loudest person in the room…my mother kept getting my hearing tested when I was a kid…but now I realize you don’t have to scream at people to get their attention and that being quiet and the not speaking almost brings them in closer than yelling at them.”
Jen recently had a milestone birthday but isn’t concerned with her age. “What’s the alternative?” she asks. “I am very lucky to look very young. Fat is nature’s Botox…. I’ve done a lot. I’ve been traveling a lot, I’ve been really doing the work…and doing lots and lots of shows, and that’s matured me more as a performer much more than any chronological timeline.”
In her stand-up appearances, Jen talks about everything from Girl Scout cookies to substances she doesn’t always use medicinally. She clarifies that she sticks to things “God put here for us to partake of,” but admits, “I have always been a person who lives in excess. I enjoy indulging.” Her performances are certainly an indulgence in humor for her audiences. And as we all know, laughter is medicinal—so there you go.
But back to what the Women’s FEST audience can look forward to. “They can expect to see themselves in it,” says Jen. “They can expect to have to repeat to their neighbor what I just said because they were laughing so hard. It’s going to really be a fun night.” If you have any doubts, visit jenkober.com and check out some of the video clips. (Warning: May cause uncontrollable laughter.)
Jen says she is planning to travel to Rehoboth with a “gaggle of lesbians” to—like many of us—make a weekend of Women’s FEST. And she’s looking forward to the Women’s FEST audience. “We are going to have a great time. If you’re not there, you’re going to hear about it. It’s going to be fun.”
And speaking of hearing about it, Jen Kober may have just hit the jackpot. She’s been signed to do a super-secret project that will be announced in time for her to talk about it at FEST. She wouldn’t spill much, but suffice to say the word “Marvel” is in it. How’s that for amazing? ▼
CAMP Rehoboth Women’s FEST strives to create and maintain an inclusive and accessible environment that empowers all persons, including persons with disabilities, to participate in our event. If you or your companion have any needs related to accessibility, please contact Hope at Hope@phoenixaccessibilityteam.com.