It wasn’t a good year for everyone, but 2025 certainly went well for Robby Hoffman.
The comedian and actor, best known for writing children’s shows only a few years ago, got married in January. In April, she stole scenes in a series of Tips episodes. She’s booked a few choice new roles along the way. She got an Emmy nomination. And, on December 14, she closes the calendar with her first feature-length Netflix special.
Robby Hoffman: Wake Updirected by John Mulaney, finds the incredibly affable and upbeat comic providing some much-needed ventilation. “It’s a way for me to go to the gym,” she said during a recent appearance on The Hollywood Reporter podcast I have an episode (Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple). “For me, complaining is enjoying, understanding. It’s catharsis. If I yell at you, I’m happy. I’m happy to talk to you.”
When did you know you were funny?
I was always funny, but so was everyone else.
But when did you know he? And not everyone is funny…
No, but in my family, everyone is funny. I come from a funny place even though it’s heartbreaking. My mother, in her despair and in our destitution, was very funny to me – someone we could all collectively laugh at. She, being such a good sport, couldn’t help but laugh at herself and at the situation too. So I kind of absorbed it all. Where I noticed it was different from others was when I got into a rich school on a scholarship. My mother thought it was a great opportunity for me, but I was a clown in class. I was a bit like Dennis the Menace. But as I spent time in these circles and became friends with people who came from what I thought were good families, maybe I wanted to dance for my food or something. But it came naturally. Then, at some point, I remember that it was a thankless job to be the entertainment – to be the one having fun in the group.
How did you understand this?
It took me a long time – 17 or 18 years. Then I started thinking, well, maybe we don’t have anything. We have almost nothing. But there’s a nugget of something here. And I remember thinking, well, we have nothing. We have me. That’s when I started the things that brought me a lot of my humanity, my heart and my dynamism. I can’t stop talking about being poor. And I continue to not be embarrassed that I grew up poor or that people are poor because the system allows people to be poor.
In addition to getting a scholarship to this good school, you were also spotted by DegrassiRIGHT? How did these opportunities come to you?
I haven’t been spotted. I did an audition… not even an audition! We performed a play. Everyone did a monologue, and yes, Degrassi people went to all kinds of schools and camps and looked for ordinary children. I must have been 13 or 14 years old. They were looking for a redhead and they saw my play or something, and they said, “Oh, they’re going to audition.” So I passed my audition. They really loved me. I’m living in Montreal right now, and they want me to go to Toronto and do another audition with the director and maybe some other kids. I could have met Drake. Who can say it? But my mom gets a call from a grown man saying he’s going to take some kids to Toronto. And she replies: “I don’t think so! She doesn’t want to date a man!”
If I had children, I could never…
You are exactly my mother right now. The guy also told him he wanted to take pictures of me, a headshot. And they told him the photos would cost like $200 or something. She said, “Don’t call here again!” » And it was game over until Tips.
Robbie Hoffman in Robby Hoffman: Wake Up
Marcus Russell Award
If someone came to your job totally blind and watched this special, I think they would be surprised to learn that you got your start in Hollywood writing for children’s shows.
When this story about children came along, I wanted to write. I wanted it to be good, and that’s it. Now I didn’t think about it as the kids show. The show was really good. It was PBS. It was like Law and order for children: The strange team. And, yes, there were no sexual undertones or profanity, but there was fat-free storytelling. And that was my film school. I worked there for over three years. We had 80 11-minute scripts per season. So I learned to tell stories. I really considered it an incredible education. Well that’s good.
Eighty scripts per season is wild – and interesting, because many established TV writers and showrunners simply lament the fact that new writers don’t get that kind of education working on eight episodes a year.
Oh yeah, I was there every day for years. And I’m not so much on the writer’s speech. And it’s a little inappropriate, but I feel like I’m thriving in a storm. I think it’s being born into the chaos and hell of it all. When COVID hit, I sold out my first show. It’s really hard to talk about it, because it was so good for everyone around me for so long. I feel bad about this.
I want to talk about your special one.
No spoilers. December 14, only on Netflix. Robby Hoffman. Wake up, damn it! No spoilers. But hey, keep going. I listen.
The other day we were debating the idea of political correctness in the office. Does that still mean anything? Has it been eclipsed by this misuse of the term “woke”? No one even knows what that means at this point. But I bring it up because there are elements in your hour that are not “PC.” There’s a joke about AIDS.
Two! (Laughter)
I was trying to leave you alone. As a comedian, when do you think it’s okay to make a joke about AIDS and who gets to tell it?
First of all, anyone can do anything. I hate when comedians say, “You’re not allowed to talk about anything!” » Hey, you have the right to talk about whatever you want. Everyone can too. You can talk about whatever you want, but someone might have an answer for that. I think AIDS became funny again when it became chronic. The Holocaust during the Holocaust is not funny. AIDS in the 80s is no fun. AIDS is now oopsie. You know what I mean? The education is there. It’s like smoking at this point. And besides, I still like a cigarette.
I was surprised to see a warning in your special that it contained smoking when it was just a throwaway moment where you threw away a cigarette or something.
Yeah, I think it was my vape. I can’t believe there’s a warning. But you also had trouble [cut]so I don’t know what warnings they put on it. I hope they remove all this. It’s for the kids, guys. It’s fun for the whole family.
How have the calls been since you made it? Tips?
Not to mention the name…Sarah Silverman said I was a phone star or something. I asked her what that meant and she said it was a bit like when all the agents talk about you. They answer the phone. So that’s kind of the experience. I was slow and steady to win the race. I’m delighted to be here. People ask me, “You have your Netflix special. Can you believe it?” And I kind of can. I thought there was something here.
But these agents are talking about you among themselves, how has that translated into offers for other roles? What do these offers look like?
SO Tips was the one who most resembled me. It was really great to be there Dying for sex. I was opposite Michelle Williams in a role that wasn’t written for me. It was a long audition where I had to play a BDSM character. A serious character. And then I’m on Steve Carell’s new show. Then the whole time on set, my brother Schmoly said, “Did you talk to him about The office“What could I talk to him about? The office? He knows The office. It’s him, that fucking guy. And besides, I did it in the end. I said, “Hey, my brother and I thought you did a great job on The office.” And he was grateful. He said, thank you. Very polite. My family doesn’t realize the embarrassment I go through to make their dreams come true.
Your wife Gabby Windey won the last season of The traitors…
Thank God!
If you found yourself on this show, how do you think you would fare?
Oh, I’ll go out first. If my glasses fall off during a challenge, I’m out. I can’t see. Good morning! There should be a red emergency button [on that show]. I’m not good at playing it cool. If I were a traitor, you would know it immediately. I would be so nervous. Both facing challenges and mental exhaustion, I can’t cope with it. Danielle [Reyes]! I can’t stand it when these people lie.
My palms are sweating just thinking about it.
And the screams! I’m also the type of person who knows how to prepare it. But I can’t stand it. This is what you need to know about me. At first [in my career]they said a good way to get into The Comedy Store would be to participate in the roast battles. No, sir, Bob! They said, “You’d be so good at the roast!” » Of course, I would be fantastic at the roast! But if someone says something about me, I will remember it. I would wish them dead. I will hold a grudge forever. I’ll take it personally.
