Or Mash is a comedian, musician and writer. Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel. Almost overnight, she moved to Los Angeles, CA and started performing stand up comedy. As a current cast member on the hit VH1 sketch comedy and music improv-based show “Wild ’N Out” for Paramount Plus, Mash offers a hilarious outsider’s take on modern American culture from the perspective of a fearless Israeli Her raw, honest, and unapologetic look at her own life, makes her comedic style relatable and appealing to the masses.
Hello Or Mash and welcome to OLC! How are you? How have you been? So tell us what got you interested in comedy, I’d assume you were just naturally funny?
Thank you so much for having me. Since I was a little girl I remember getting all the kids together and putting up shows and plays for the grown-ups. I remember sometimes hiding in the bathroom and writing scenes in my head, my imagination and passion to tell stories in a creative way was always there. I was born to artists. My mom was a music teacher, she introduced music to kids and created musical comedy shows with all the kids. She taught me originally from a very young age and to be honest she is the funniest person I know. All through my life, I would make people laugh, sometimes we take ourselves so seriously and I like to show people how silly life is.
What do you love most about comedy?
I get to be myself and make people laugh in the process. From a very young age, the teachers told my mom I was “different” Like it’s a bad thing, well now I’m getting paid for it. Now I’m in a profession where your uniqueness is being celebrated.
I say if you are different, embrace it – that’s what makes you shine. I also like how comedy brings people together. I think it’s so important to the human experience, especially in the crazy world we live in today. I had people come up to me after the show and tell me they had a rough week and they needed a laugh. Laughter releases the tension and anxiety in about any situation and shows people we all are dealing with something. We’re all human. Things are not always great and that’s ok, so at least let’s joke about it. In the age of Instagram where it seems like everyone’s life is perfect, we need these funny truths.
Where do you find the inspiration for your material?
I find inspiration in everyday things, like how I feel about society and myself. It is usually rooted with something that bugs me, If it bothers me most likely it bothers more people. Sometimes I observe myself, my behaviors, my thoughts, and my relationships and ask myself what is the truth behind it, the answers are comedy gold.
You currently star in the very popular show “Wild ’N Out”, how did you get the opportunity to be a part of that show?
I was approached by MTV casting after working as a stand-up comedian in LA for a few years. I knew it was one of the biggest shows in American culture but I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I said to myself ‘just do your best and let it go”. My sister Ophir came to help me tape the audition, I started to rap on camera but wasn’t feeling it for some reason. She said, “Let’s just go eat some Falafel at the Israeli spot”. The moment we came to the spot I felt like myself, I told her when the lady gave me my Falafel to start recording! I did a whole rap holding my Pita. I sent that tape and two weeks later got a call from the producers of MTV Wild N Out saying they are going to fly me out to audition live. I battled rap twenty rappers in Atlanta for four days and made it to the final cut of the show.
You’ve performed on stages with some incredible comedians like Sarah Silverman, Jim Jeffries, Bill Burr, Marlon Wayans, to name a few. Was there anyone you met that you idolized?
I’ve always looked up to Sarah Silverman, I love how she was and still is always true to herself, what she thinks is funny and just does it. I love the Sarah Silverman show and how she featured comedy and songs. It was something I never saw before or will ever see again because it was unique- It was Sarah. That is something I take with me on my journey, I want to give people a look into my unique world, the Or Mash world.
You did a stint I read in the Israeli Defense Force? What was that experience like and what made you want to join the IDF?
In Israel, It’s mandatory to join the army at 18 years old right after you finish high school. It really teaches you responsibility, teamwork, and persistence. At 18 these are good values to absorb. It wasn’t a smooth transition though, Let’s just say that on a scale of 1-10 on being an excellent soldier I was 420.
Talk to me about the show you produced with your sister I believe called ‘Mashed’?
I studied scriptwriting at the UCLA Writers’ program. One day after submitting the script and doing a table read, the professor gave me my script back and it said “I want to direct this”. I was blown away, Matthew Harrison directed Sex and The City amongst many huge productions, and he loved my script so much that he was willing to direct it for free. I didn’t know where I was going to come up with the money to pay for the camera and sound crew but I knew I was going to make it work. Since Mashed we shot a few more projects that have won awards for best Comedy in the US and overseas. I love telling my stories through movies and TV shows and it’s a great feeling when you see an Idea you had in your head on the big screen.
Who’s someone you’d love to work with and why?
I’d love to do a comedic interview with Elon Musk. He is one of the coolest people. Him and Snoop Dogg. I love to continue working with my idols, the best in the game. I love working with comedians and musicians – they are rock stars.
What’s been the most memorable place you’ve performed and what made it special to you?
Two places come to mind: the first is the first time I performed at the Original Room at the Comedy Store which is called the O.R. which is also my name. I remember being on that stage and felt some kind of magic flowing from the stage to my body to the audience. It felt like time stopped. It was the best feeling in the world. The second was doing comedy in an outdoor gym during the pandemic because at the time comedy shows and gyms were banned. Now it sounds so crazy, but it was our reality for a few months. People were struggling to stay sane and were thirsty for laughs. I remember the look in people’s eyes when finally got some release, the room was electrified with laughter, we all needed it.
What’s next for you in 2023?
Seasons 19 and 20 are going to air on Vh1 and very excited for all of them to come out. I’m doing stand-up comedy in LA and going on tour soon. I’m working on Two movies that I am very excited about! I am updating my friends and fans on what I’m up to daily – Follow me on IG or_mash for comedy shows and tour dates and on youtube @ormash for funny clips.
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
