When we think back to the early, uncertain, and certainly dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy for the feelings to come rushing back. The social isolation was especially hard on our mental health and made us collectively realize the necessity of community, friendship and comedy in our lives.
For the trio behind comedy supergroup Firecracker Comedy, COVID’s dark days became the impetus for their origin story, and the start of a really cool journey in this new friendship circle. And now we all get to join in the fun with the release of their new self-titled debut comedy album, available now through Blonde Medicine.
The ‘Firecracker Comedy’ album celebrates this trio of badass women – Gabby Gutierrez-Reed, Kate Strobel and Salma Zaky – who center their comedy, and everything they do around their deep and undying friendship, love, and appreciation for each other.
“We started running ‘Firecracker Comedy’ as a standup show in a tattoo shop in Denver years ago, when we all were in a bit of a dark place and at a crossroads in our lives. The show is a celebration of finding joy, building community, and being silly with your pals when the world around you is spiraling out of control. We even have matching firecracker tattoos!” said the trio in a press release.
‘Firecracker Comedy’ consists of 20 minute sets from Gabby, Kate and Salma, following an introduction from all three to welcome the audience to the group’s delightful chemistry. Each of the three comedians have distinct styles: Kate’s heartfelt storytelling, Gabby’s hilarious impressions, and Salma’s perfectly crafted one-liners.
Salma and Kate are now based in Brooklyn where they regularly bring the Firecracker vibes to Union Hall. The album is a culmination of material from their collective time in Denver – running that sold-out indie comedy show in the tattoo studio, hauling chairs across town, hanging flyers in every Denver coffee shop, stressing about if the broken sound system would work that night – as well as Salma and Kate’s early experiences in the Big Apple. The album shows how no matter where they find themselves, the three always come back together as friends.
Gabby, Kate and Salma of course want their listeners to belly laugh for an hour straight, but they also want listeners to feel connected to them as a group, and be inspired to create silly little things with their friends too. What else is life really about besides deepening our relationships and collaborating with the ones you love?
Here’s what the Firecracker Comedy trio told us about the debut album, and what they hope audiences will react to and love the most after listening.
How did the three of you initially meet, and when did you begin talking about forming a comedy trio?
The three of us met in Denver right before the pandemic hit and became instant friends through our love of matcha lattes and giggling uncontrollably. Once live performing slowly started coming back, we decided to start up Firecracker because who knows when the world will shut down again? Our first show was in 2022 and we haven’t looked back since!
Now that your debut album is officially out, how do you all feel, and what have the initial reactions been like?
It’s been incredibly heartwarming and validating receiving everyone’s support regarding the album release. Our friends, family, and mentors really made us feel special. We definitely feel a sense of relief that it’s finally out there, but also nostalgic for our time together in Denver running Firecracker in the most DIY possible.
What was the process of putting the album together, deciding what stays in or what gets cut?
Blonde Medicine is the crux of how this album got put together into a professional, concise piece of work that we are absolutely thrilled about. We each performed 20 minutes on two different shows at Mashroom Studios and edited together what we wanted from each show. It was a very individual process on how we edited our own sets.
From the sound mixing, to the marketing, to the album art—we have Blonde Medicine, our brilliant artist Naomi Paskowitz, and amazing photographer Mindy Tucker to thank for it all. It came out exactly how we wanted.
What were your favorite sets or stories to work on for the album?
Honestly, each of our sets is the culmination of our comedy careers, condensed into 20 minutes. So I guess the answer to this is—the whole thing. It’s hard to pinpoint just one joke or story. It’s more about how we spent years honing our personal voices, figuring out what we want to share, and shaping it into something palatable for the public. That process took countless cycles of writing and bombing. That’s why this album is so special: it encapsulates who we are both as individuals and as a group in a short amount of time.
What role do you think comedy and laughter has in a world where there is so much darkness and hardship right now?
I think we speak for a lot of comics when we say, sometimes it feels wrong to read the news and then go tell jokes. However, comedy clubs have been such an escape from the horrors of the world, both for the performer and the audience. Sometimes it’s nice to laugh the pain away and be silly for a night.
Can you share a bit about the importance of good storytelling in order to make good comedy?
Storytelling definitely makes a difference in how the flow of a set goes—but not always! For example, Salma relies more on short set-up-punches that aren’t necessarily full stories; but then Kate beautifully crafts longer stories using quick wit and personality. Gabby combines everything, including acting out being a ketchup bottle (you’ll have to listen to the album for that gem). It’s incredible. So, in short, storytelling is important, but there are so many other avenues to tell your story.
How do you balance each other’s strengths and talents in a collaboration like Firecracker Comedy?
Since we have such different backgrounds and lived experiences, we each bring something completely unique to the table that is complementary to each other. There have been times when only 2 of us were able to do the show, and it just felt off. Like, something is missing.
The 3 of us just bounce off each other’s energy so well and it’s such an authentic dynamic that the audience feeds off of. From our little pep talks before the show to the silly impromptu sketches we do to kick it off, our dynamic is integral to our success as a group!
What have been some of the most eye-opening or unexpected reactions from audiences that you’ve performed in front of since forming?
I think we can agree that the fan base and community we fostered since forming Firecracker has been the most rewarding and unexpected part of our journey. We had many people come to every single show and follow along with our careers, ultimately giving us the confidence to pitch the album.
What do you hope fans will love most about Firecracker Comedy, and how do you hope it will make them feel?
The album is equal parts about telling jokes and displaying our friendship. So we want our listeners to belly laugh for one hour straight but also feel connected to us as a group and inspired to create silly little things with their friends, too!
You can get a copy of ‘Firecracker Comedy’ HERE, and follow the group on Instagram.
