Hot on the heels of the release of her first book, How To Giggle — co-written with podcast partner-in-crime and fellow comedian Paige DeSorbo — Wonderland catches up with Hannah Berner to uncover the secret to a good laugh.

Hannah Berner knows how to crack a joke. From going live on Instagram during the pandemic to launching one of America’s most successful podcasts — the aptly named Giggly Squad — with fellow funnywoman and best friend Paige DeSorbo, the Brooklyn, New York native has swiftly risen through the comedy ranks to become one of the most sought-after comedians of her generation. Red carpet hosting, stand-up tours across America and Europe, a flourishing social media career… Berner and DeSorbo have done it all. And now, they’re taking their craft — and their beloved “Giggler” fanbase — to a new medium with the release of their debut book, How To Giggle.

Sitting down with Wonderland, Hannah reflects on her creative upbringing, the stellar year that was 2024, which saw the release of her solo Netflix comedy special, and her new foray into literary territory. Keep reading…

Hannah, thanks for catching up with us! How are you today? What’s been keeping you busy lately?

Good! I’m currently in a hotel room in Albany, New York. It’s my home for the weekend because I’m doing five shows and working on my new hour of material. During the day, if I’m feeling frisky, I may go to a local thrift store, but otherwise I’ll take some solid naps.

2024 was a huge year for you. Walk us through some of the highlights — what stood out the most, and what did those moments mean for you and your career?

Putting out my first special on Netflix was so cool. To see something that you made up in your head become a full one woman show that makes people laugh is surreal.

And now, you’re gearing up for your book launch! Massive congrats. What inspired you and Paige to write How to Giggle? Was there a specific moment where you thought, ‘We need to turn this into a book’?

We never once thought we should turn anything into a book. The idea was proposed to us, and we thought they were joking, but then we thought it was a challenge worth taking on. We didn’t have a ghost writer and just tried to make each other laugh with each chapter. That’s kind of my comedy ethos. If you can make your best friend laugh, you’re golden.

Your comedy is all about embracing life’s chaos — how does this project bring that philosophy to the page?

We really loved the overall theme of how life is better when you don’t take it so seriously. Every chapter talks about good and bad things that have happened to us and how we found the humor in it. Smarter people than us have said you can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it. I think that is really powerful, and the only thing I’ve ever been able to control in my life or have consistency with is a sense of humor. It makes everything lighter.

Comedy is such a personal art form. How do you decide what to share with the world and what to keep just for yourself?

When coming up with material, if I feel shame or embarrassment around anything that has happened to me, I tend to lean in and want to share it with my audience. I learn that I’m not alone when I get laughs and then I also feel like I’m destigmatizing something (whether it be queefs, depression, annoyance at your partner for calling an ambulance, etc.)

How did writing a book compare to your other creative outlets, like stand-up and podcasting? Did it feel like a natural shift, or was it a whole new challenge?

Writing the book was a natural extension of everything else I’m doing. I really just love to create, and it doesn’t matter the medium. Writing the book helped me come up with new bits for my stand up and the podcast helped us come up with directions for the book. It’s all intertwined. I do love that the book is this beautiful physical specimen (we really wanted the cover to be pretty and hired an amazing collage artist in Australia @labyrinthofcollages) and you can pick it up and read any chapter at any time and get a laugh. It was fun to organize our stories into chapters, infographics, photos, and silly interludes.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone trying to take life less seriously, what would it be?

The voice in your head that is being mean to you is not you and you don’t have to listen to it. Once I replaced the voice in my head with a lighter, funnier, happier narrator, life got way better.

You’ve got a gift for making people laugh, but what’s something that always makes you laugh, no matter what?

I surround myself with really funny people. Getting the giggles over something small is my favorite hobby. I also recently rewatched Detroiters. Chelsea Lately old interviews really crack me up. Also, anything with animals.

Did you and Paige have any creative clashes while writing, or was it just as effortless working on the podcast together?

I don’t want to jinx it, but we never have creative clashes. I feel like our process is pretty streamlined where I propose a bunch of ideas and Paige says which ones she likes. We trust each other and always have the same goal which is to make the gigglers laugh.

You’ve built such a strong connection with your audience through digital platforms. What do you hope readers take away from experiencing your voice in book form?

I think it’s so fun! We were able to be a little more vulnerable in the book than we are during a comedy show and delve into way more details so I think it will add a new side to us that our listeners will love. 

You’ve ticked off so many achievements already, but what’s one goal or dream you’re still chasing?

I think my next foray (just wanted to say that word) will be acting! I also have some fun show ideas so stay tuned.

Words — Sofia Ferreira