Stand-up comedian Kirsten Michelle Cills joins us for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had about where comedy really comes from. From growing up memorizing stand-up albums in the back seat of her mom’s car to finding her voice on stage, she talks about how she developed a dark, self-aware style that pulls directly from real life. We dive into her early experiences in theater school, what it felt like realizing she wanted to pursue stand-up full time, and how her family reacted when she told them she was becoming a comedian.

The conversation takes a deeper turn as Kirsten shares how living with cystic fibrosis shaped her perspective, her writing, and ultimately her comedy itself. She explains why some of her earliest material came from confronting mortality head-on, how humor became a way to process fear, and what it’s like navigating the grind of the comedy world while carrying very real stakes. Along the way, we also bond over a shared love of horror movies, swapping thoughts on what makes the genre work, why it resonates so deeply, and how dark storytelling connects back to comedy in unexpected ways. It’s a raw, funny, and surprisingly thoughtful look at how life’s darkest realities can fuel some of the most powerful comedy.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kircomedy

Website: https://www.kirstenmichelle.com

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Dying For Laughs ~ Comedian Kirsten Michelle Cills | Ep. 262