Whether it’s a politically biased news anchor, or a comic discussing how men like shopping and should shut up when women watch the sports game, finding a cultural figure whose perspective isn’t polarized can be challenging.  It’s always refreshing to come across people who deviate from the binary, and refreshed is exactly how I feel whenever anything by Phoebe Robinson grabs hold of my attention. You can get to know Phoebe by reading her Blaria blog (Blaria being a word blend of Black Daria), watching her videos for Upworthy, or listening to her standup. It’s all gold, I promise. I was able to talk with her recently about her ever expanding web of content.

A lot of what Blaria does best is delve into the logical mistakes made by the media. Do you think it has to do with their agenda or flat out ignorance on the topic?

It’s a combination of both. They could be doing so much more with their coverage, to be honest. There’s a real fight over women’s bodies, and by only paying attention to it when some wacky Republican says something dumb about abortion rights, you’re just validating the insane statement. And I’d love to see more LGBT related articles. Nobody ever talks about the transgender community and they’re always amongst the worst paid and have the highest death by murder rate. I love Laverne Cox, but it shouldn’t stop with her.

Do you ever find it difficult to make something serious that you care about funny?

It depends on the subject matter. When Ferguson happened, I posted that no jokes were going to be made be made. This isn’t funny, something is clearly wrong here. And by not having a nuanced argument, all you’re really doing is saying, “this person’s an idiot” and nothing’s getting accomplished. You’re basically just jerking off to yourself at that point.

Which is obviously a gross thing to be doing. Overall, though, your work shows that you have a strong grasp on a lot of sociopolitical issues. Did you want to be a journalist or a writer in that vein before trying comedy?

Not a journalist, but I did always have an interest in writing. Initially, I wanted to be a screenwriter and focus on film. I’d occasionally do improv, too, but then I took a standup class with my friend and fell in love with it.

You’ve been able to put on Blaria Live shows all over New York at places like UCB, Union Hall, The Bell House. None of those venues are of the traditional comedy club mold, and it seems like an ongoing trend amongst comics is to put on shows in similar places. Is there a reason for the deviation?

Well, everyone always talks about the comedy boom in the ‘90s where comics would graduate from the clubs, tour the country and then get their sitcom. That’s not happening as often now. You have to create your own shows and be more creative about where they are. The first show I ever ran was called "Case of the Mondays" at this sports bar in Midtown. I’d be telling my jokes in the corner while guys in Yankee hats are just trying to watch the game. That type of experience definitely gives you thick skin. Like, if I have a bad show now, it doesn’t feel as bad because of those experiences.

Both worlds are necessary, but an audience at a comedy club doesn’t want to see you work it out. They want a polished 5 minutes. So if you put on your own show at a laundromat that’s okay with you yelling out some jokes, you get 20 or 30 minutes to test your material and really work on it. That way, you’re ready when you have a spot at a club.

When you’re working on a joke, do your prefer writing everything out meticulously, or working the main idea out on stage?

I did [write everything out] when I first started doing comedy. I would write everything, practice everything out in the mirror, but now I prefer working it out on stage. It’s looser that way, more conversational. And sometimes I say something that tangentially reminds me of a joke I was having trouble with six months ago and helps me figure that one out.

Who are the people you enjoy working with the most?

Jessica Williams is the best. I remember asking her to co-host "Blaria Live" with me on a whim and she said yes. I opened for Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer on their Broad City tour. They’re all super smart, funny women in charge of their career.

Upworthy’s been branching out to videos and I’ve done a few for them. They do a great job of hiding the medicine while still being funny. That’s also the reason why I love writing for "White Guy Talk Show". The joke there being that the hosts are an Indian man and a Latina. There needs to be more of that in late night because what they talk about isn’t gonna be seen on Fallon.

I prefer working with people who aren’t obsessed with getting career opportunities, or care about what what others think. I remember making the saying to myself, “okay, I can either make a lot of money or like myself and the projects that I’m working on.” Everyone wants to fit in and be liked, but I chose to focus on making the people that I like like me.