The Gist: Funny You Should Mention – Steph Tolev

Date: October 10, 2025
Host: Mike Pesca
Guest: Steph Tolev ("Filth Queen")
Podcast Feed: Funny You Should Mention – Series Three Premiere

Overview

In this episode, Mike Pesca kicks off the third season of his “Funny You Should Mention” comedy interview series, welcoming comedian Steph Tolev, self-styled "Filth Queen." The conversation explores the ideas behind Tolev's visceral, dirty, and personal comedy, as showcased in her new Netflix special Filth Queen. They dissect the boundary between "sex filth" and "body filth," the impact of Tolev's unique comedic voice, her Canadian roots, and how her act was shaped by a mix of upbringing, family, and years of hard work. The interplay dives into her process, her relationship with family and audience, and the realities of being a female comic in today’s climate.

Main Discussion Points

1. Filth Queen: The Branding and Its Roots

• Steph Tolev owns her "Filth Queen" brand, but says it’s just her being herself:

  “I think dirty all the time, so I think I’m just being myself… not trying to be filthy.” (08:39)

• Her comedy is built on real-life stories:

  “Everything I say, all the stories on there are real.” (08:48)

• The difference between 'sex filth' and 'body filth' is blurry:

  “I don’t think all filth has to be sexual.” (09:35)

2. The Most Disgusting Stories—From Her Podcast “Steph Infection”

• Body-related shame and absurdity connect all people:
  • Tolev’s hit question for guests: the “most disgusting thing ever to happen to you.”
  • Story highlight: A nurse reported a woman had hidden a raw chicken inside herself, trying to convince her husband she was pregnant.

    “She put a raw chicken into her to… I don’t know what… just a raw chicken.” (10:56) “I can’t believe we’re dragging Kenny Rogers into this after all this time.” (12:19)

• Women tend to produce the grosser stories:

  “Probably the women. Women have definitely more because… we’ve heard more horror stories. Our parents always scared us with weird things.” (12:42)

• Healthcare workers have the wildest tales, e.g. Dr. Pimple Popper/Sandra Lee.

3. Real-life Ailments, Fan Diagnoses, and Eczema/Eczema/Noxzema

• Tolev’s medical misadventures form a key part of her persona, and sometimes audience members have helped diagnose her conditions:

  “I always have something wrong with me… that’s why it’s called Steph Infection.” (13:10)

  • Audience correctly diagnosed her sun-triggered eczema:

    “Some girl sent me a link — it’s very specific eczema from the sun.” (17:17)

4. The Canadian Comedian Experience

• Lack of industry support in Canada:

  “I’m the fourth Canadian ever to have an hour special… one podcast in Canada has spoken to me. They don’t give a fuck about their comedians.” (25:55-26:14)

• List of previous Canadian hour specials: Mae Martin, Sabrina Jalees, Norm Macdonald.
• Contrast with American audiences and industry opportunities.
• Influence of British comedy growing up: watched a lot of UK sitcoms, Kids in the Hall, SCTV.

5. Family as Comedy Material

• Tolev discusses the way her family stories round out her stage persona:

  “The family stories ground you as an actual person rather than this idea.” (18:29)

• Parents' reactions:
  • Dad angry about boob jokes, proud about “big dick” jokes.
  • Mom annoyed when not featured.
  • "My dad sent me as kids... he’s got the biggest dick I’ve ever seen... He came to the show in Toronto, I put it up on the big screen, and he was walking around real smug." (19:26)

6. The Bill Burr Effect and Career Breakthrough

• Bill Burr’s endorsement changed everything:

  “That completely changed my career… went from barely getting booked in LA to... completely changed everything.” (24:11-24:13)

• Her act didn’t change, but the exposure brought new opportunities.

7. Jokes, Sketches, and Dummies: Slapstick & Physicality

• Tolev’s penchant for slapstick (influence of Naked Gun, British humor).
• The use of a ragged dummy in her Filth Queen special’s Boston intro (27:37–29:10).

  “We looked into realistic looking dummies and they were very expensive… This one was like 60 bucks from the Halloween thing. If we need a second one…” (28:23)

• Philosophy:

  “I wanted to open on something so stupid and not dirty to try to get people to come in.” (29:02)

  • Start broad before getting to "filth".

8. Standup, Crowdwork, and Audience Dynamics

• Crowd work is both a brand and a formula necessity:
  • Viral crowd work/crazy audience stories (like the mother taking OnlyFans photos for her son: 34:47)
  • “I bring something out of people… they just willingly”—audiences overshare wild stories. (35:23)
  • Sometimes this leads to dangerous or threatening situations (e.g., armed landlord, stalkers). Necessity of security. (37:36)
• Audience reactions and the gender divide:

  “Men DMing me saying, ‘I wasn’t going to watch you, I hate female comedians, but I watched you and fucking loved it.’” (31:16)

• Viral crowd work can mislead about her act:

  “Someone did DM me recently being like, I watched your special hesitantly because… it looks like all you do is yell at men.” (41:29)

9. LadyStache and the Sketch Roots

• Duo with Allison Hogg, creative limitations in Canada.
• Performed for years as LadyStache, winning festival awards but couldn’t even get into the Toronto Sketch Fest (45:22).

10. Performance Physicality and Background

• Often squats and uses physicality to heighten stories. (55:33–55:36)
• Scottish dancing background: “helped with performing in front of large groups.” (56:34)
• Family’s Bulgarian heritage is only a minor influence; mainly appropriated Scottish culture for dance.

11. Dealing with Critics, Hate & Internet Trolls

• Online hate, especially targeting her appearance:

  “I have sparked something with men. They hate me so badly. I don’t think other female comics get hate this bad. I don’t know what it is.” (68:58)

• Copes with humor and the unwavering support of her family (“my dad finds me funnier than anybody else”).

12. Non-Stage Life & Golden Retriever Love

• Would run a golden retriever rescue if not for comedy.
• Stories about adopting and naming her dog Susan, and how that played in bits.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On body-related comedy:

  “I'm impulse by it. The only reason I started this podcast is because I always have something wrong with me.” — Tolev (13:10)

• On women’s gross-out stories vs. men’s:

  “Women have definitely more because… our parents always scared us with weird things…” — Tolev (12:42)

• On using real life for comedy:

  “I wish I was the kind of comedian who could make up punchlines. Everything just really happened.” — Tolev (20:35)

• About Canadian comedy’s lack of support:

  “They don’t give a fuck about their comedians.” — Tolev (26:14)

• On her “overnight” success:

  “That completely changed my career… That went from me doing, like, C clubs… to completely changed everything.” — Tolev (24:11–24:13)

• Discussing male audience reaction:

  “Men DMing me saying, ‘I wasn’t going to watch you, I hate female comedians. But I watched you and I fucking loved it.’” — Tolev (31:16)

• On why she still opens with a broad, non-filthy joke:

  “I wanted to open on something so stupid and not dirty, to try to get people to come in.” — Tolev (29:02)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [08:31] – Introduction of Steph Tolev as “Filth Queen”
• [10:02] – Disgusting stories from her podcast (raw chicken anecdote)
• [12:42] – Why women have grosser stories
• [13:21] – The origins and impact of “Steph Infection”
• [18:29] – Family stories and grounding her act
• [24:11] – The Bill Burr breakthrough
• [27:37] – The dummy-in-Boston special segment
• [31:16] – Male audiences and DMs about “female comedians”
• [34:47] – Mother takes photos for son’s OnlyFans—wild audience stories
• [37:36] – When crowd work gets dangerous (armed landlord, security)
• [45:22] – Struggles of Canadian sketch comedy with LadyStache
• [55:33] – The signature squat and performance physicality
• [56:34] – Scottish/Bulgarian cultural influence
• [68:58] – Dealing with online critics and hate
• [69:29] – Naming her dog Susan, its comedic effect

Tone and Approach

• Candid, self-deprecating, and unapologetic: Both host and guest are quick-witted, with Tolev not shying away from vulnerability or taboo.
• Insightful about comedy, with meta-commentary on craft, industry, and audience: Pauses to examine philosophical questions about realness, collaboration, and audience projections.
• Darkly playful: The discussions of “filth” blend gross-out humor, serious reflection, and open-hearted storytelling.

Further Highlights

• Physical Comedy:
  Tolev loves prop and slapstick humor (motivated her over-the-top special’s opening).
• Crowdwork’s Double-Edged Sword:
  Clips go viral, but can misrepresent her as just roasting men.
• Family Influence:
  Her parents’ wild sense of humor set the tone for her act—the “blow-up doll at the party” childhood anecdote exemplifies this.
• Canadian Comedy's Discontent:
  Frustration with Canadian gatekeeping, juxtaposed with pride in being part of a small group who broke through.

Conclusion

Funny You Should Mention: Steph Tolev is a deep-dive into the mind of a comic who refuses boundaries on stage or off. Listeners will enjoy the mix of raunch, heart, and sharp observation, with plenty of laughs—and a surprising reminder of both the dangers and the joys of total candor on stage.

Specials and Podcasts:
Filth Queen (Netflix)
Steph Infection (podcast)