Comedian Mo Welch has told a fair amount of dad jokes over the course of her career, though likely not the kind you’re thinking of.
The writer, director, and cartoonist has used her time at the mic to pick apart some painful details of her past, mining dark humor from her estranged relationship with her father for her audience’s benefit. But in her latest special, Dad Jokes, now streaming on 800 Pound Gorilla, she takes things a step further, hitting the road to track down that elusive parental figure while exploring how comedy has helped her cope with some of the more f*cked up memories of her childhood.
On paper, nothing about that really sounds funny, but Welch is able to interject enough wild anecdotes and ridiculous gas station quests — who knew finding a pair of “truck balls” would be so hard — to keep things light and the laughs coming.
Ahead of the special, UPROXX quizzed Welch on everything from her comedy inspo to her love of the WNBA.
What comedy special have you rewatched the most in your life?
If You Didn’t Want Me Then by Beth Stelling, because I directed it. I would’ve watched it 1,000 times anyway! I also love 100% Fresh by Adam Sandler. It’s so creative. I was really impressed that he seamlessly fit in multimedia elements without explaining it to the audience.
When did you know you were funny and that comedy was something you wanted to pursue?
I had my suspicions, but had to wait until college to get confirmation that I was funny. I took an improv class and immediately knew I wanted to do comedy forever, which didn’t make any sense, because I was terrible at improv.
What were you most nervous about when reuniting with your dad for the special?
Getting killed. I was hoping that I would be able to find my dad, reunite with him and have a relationship moving on. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I’m still alive.
The thing you love and the thing you hate most about being a comic?
I love driving home at night after a show. It’s when I feel my most romantic. Driving down Sunset while everyone in my house is asleep. I’m just thinking about my set and rewriting jokes as I drive. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS CRINGE, but it’s true. I also love that if I ever need to chat with someone, I just need to go to a comedy club and I’ll see a friend.
The only thing I hate about being a comic is that you’re at the mercy of your credits. Some of the funniest people working in comedy aren’t household names. I see powerful people in Hollywood only care about comics if they’re “hot” and then everyone wants the same people. For the record, I’m not talking about me! Just in general, Hollywood can lack creativity.
What are your go-to songs for a good road trip?
Obviously anything so cool and hip, because I have my finger on the pulse of what’s hot. Usually a playlist from the 1970s for a road trip during the day. Do NOT listen to ballads in the night.
What’s your favorite city to perform in on tour (and why)?
I had some of the most fun shows opening for Brett Goldstein in Minneapolis. The audience was smart and tipsy, which was a good combination. The food was surprisingly good, too. Sorry to say surprisingly, but it was! I was also lucky enough to open for Anthony Jeselnik in Berlin. The audience was chaotic in a great way.
What was your first concert – music or comedy?
First comedy show was at The Comedy Works in Denver, Colorado. I sat in the third row and was amazed by all the comics, which says a lot, because it was a New Talent night. I’m sure I was laughing at some hack jokes, but I loved it. Last year I headlined The Comedy Works and it was a real full circle moment.
Do you have anything to add to the WNBA discourse?
I’m just so excited the WNBA is getting the attention it deserves. I’ve been telling jokes about the WNBA for so long and I retired most of them, but now I’m starting to dust them off. My only problem with the WNBA is that they don’t really do kiss cams at the games and that feels homophobic.
What was your favorite gas station/bar/restaurant you stopped at in Illinois (and why)?
Loved Wally’s Gas Station. It has everything and I’ve purchased many hats from them. That’s pretty much it. I think once you leave Chicago, there aren’t a lot of foodie towns in Illinois. Even though there is a Sandwich, Illinois.
