Alex Borstein
She treats standup like a filthy, confrontational cabaret act.
1 special · 2023
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Alex Borstein treats the stage like a burlesque club. She does not deal in tidy setups and punchlines. Instead, she builds a loud, highly physical hybrid of cabaret and storytelling, backed by musicians and relying on pure theatrical muscle. She might belt out an explicit parody of a pop song, strip off a corset mid-sentence, or pause to ask her ASL interpreter how to sign the dirtiest phrase she can think of. She keeps the volume high, refusing to let the room settle into a familiar rhythm.
Specials
On stage
For decades, she worked as a foundational character actor, disappearing into sketch television and animation. When she performs live, she largely bypasses the standard comedy club circuit, bringing her act to jazz venues and theaters. She attracts crowds who recognize her from her television roles, then feeds them a show that is much stranger and more abrasive than a traditional standup hour.
When she talks about dating after a long marriage, she skips polite observation entirely. She will detail her physical insecurities while marching across the stage in a sequined clown skirt, daring the crowd to look away. She rarely stops to deliver a standard joke, leaning instead on her ability to hold attention with constant movement and physical commitment.
That massive stage presence makes sense for someone who spent a career playing aggressively brash characters. Borstein brings that same loud, unshrinking energy to her own life story, building an act around the absolute refusal to make herself small.
Turning points
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Breakthrough Role on MADtv
Borstein was discovered at an improv festival with the ACME Comedy Theater troupe and cast on MADtv, where she created her signature character Ms. Swan.
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Casting as Lois Griffin on Family Guy
Seth MacFarlane recruited Borstein while working with her at MADtv to voice Lois Griffin and join the writing staff, resulting in an Emmy Award.
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2017–2023
Back-to-Back Emmy Wins for Mrs. Maisel
She earned critical acclaim and two Primetime Emmy Awards playing the fierce talent manager Susie Myerson on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
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Premiere of Corsets & Clown Suits
Borstein staged her musical comedy special on the burlesque club set of Mrs. Maisel, exploring divorce and female perception with musicians Eric Mills and Salva Rey.
At a glance
- Born
- , Highland Park, Illinois
- On stage
- since 1993
- Style
- musical comedy, storytelling, sketch, satire
- Breakout
- Corsets & Clown Suits
- Topics
- Elsewhere
- Wikipedia
Fans also like
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Hannah GadsbyBoth performers blend stand-up comedy with theatrical storytelling and performance art to explore vulnerability, identity, and personal trauma.
Also on screen
- 1997–2002
- MADtv
- 1999–present
- Family Guy
- 2000–present
- Gilmore Girls
- 2013–2015
- Getting On
- 2017–2023
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
A clip to start with
Vagina Soap