Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Rarely Asked Questions – Dylan Adler

Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Rarely Asked Questions – Dylan Adler

Introducing Japanese and Jewish comedian Dylan Adler, who makes his Edinburgh Fringe debut at the Pleasance Courtyard with ‘Haus of Dy-lan’, an hour of high energy musical comedy, stand up, and storytelling. 

Dylan is a classically trained pianist, turned unhinged gay musical comic. His hour is injected with songs, personal anecdotes, and even acrobatics.  He talks about growing up an identical gay twin, his racial identity, getting bullied in school in San Francisco, and screaming at his therapist. All woven together by jaunty musical themes. By the end of the show, he will be drenched in sweat and if you’re lucky, so will you. 

A young Dylan was a bright eyed, optimistic kid who believed he’s a star. When other kids laughed at him, he was sure they just thought he was funny.

As a half Japanese and Jewish person, he talks about his identity as a double ‘JAP’ and how his parents meet at UC Berkeley – ‘the breeding ground for all Jewpanese’ children. It’s no surprise Dylan is in therapy and describes himself as “sober, except for Poppers, Ketamine and Molly”.

Dylan gets into all of the above as well as the woes of adult life including stealing your therapist’s toilet paper, sexual politics, and being described as a ‘theatre kid who escaped Alcatraz’.

He was recently a writer and performer on the Late Late Show with James Corden where he performed Stand Up and was a Sports Correspondent. He appeared in Chelsea Peretti’s movie First Time Female Director and voiced a super villain character on the Disney show Hamster and Gretel.  

He was recently named a Comic You Should and Will Know by Vulture Magazine and last year performed ‘Haus of Dy-lan’ at the Netflix is a Joke Festival. He also recently performed stand up on Comedy Central. His show with Kelly Bachman Rape Victims are Horny Too ranked #2 in Paste Magazine’s 12 Best Comedy albums of 2022.  

Adler is the co-composer of the musical Good Morning New York that played Off-Broadway. He is also the recipient of the “Alan Menken Scholarship” awarded to up-and-coming musical theatre composers by Alan Menken. 

Dylan Adler’s debut comedy show ‘Haus Of Dylan’ will be at the Pleasance Courtyard Beside from July 30 - August 24. Buy tickets here

 

What is the last thing you do before you go onstage (apart from check your flies and/or check your knickers aren't sticking out of your skirt and check for spinach between your teeth)

Before I go onstage I usually take a sip of water and let out any remaining farts. Then I do a quick vocal warm up. Then I close my eyes and manifest that my future boyfriend / husband is in the audience! I’m hoping this will happen at Edinburgh Fringe. I’m single and Scottish guys are sexy!

 

What irritates you?  

I’m irritated by gays who think that me and gay twin are open to having a three way with them. It’s not on the table Jacob! Ohana means family which means no three way! 

 

What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?

I once performed my gay musical comedy in a town called Hazard, Kentucky in front of coal miners who just got off of their shift. It was truly an enlightening experience. 

 

What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?

I once did a backflip to impress my high school crush and landed on my head and was taken to the nurse. Also at every Bar / Bat Mitzvah my brother and I would gather everyone around to watch us do a flip. We were insufferable.  

 

What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?

All of the steady income! Just kidding. Honestly what keeps surprising me is the fact that breaks are necessary. It's necessary to take time to refill your cup whether it be emotionally or creatively. Sometimes your best material will come from an experience you had while doing something completely unrelated to your work or career. One of my favourite songs came from an experience I had while on a trip to Mexico. 

 

What do your parents think of your job?      

Not to subvert the Asian parent stereotype but sometimes my parents are too supportive of my comedy. My Japanese mom will pitch me jokes and then want me to put more stories about her in my act. One time she tried pitching me a joke saying "The punchline should “Win in Cum”. Not “Swim in Cum". She's a fag hag. Anyways. 

 

What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?

When the Customs Officer asks you to tell a joke.  Also the career ups and downs can be very hard to navigate. I try to stay as grounded as I can. Talking to my brother and my friends always helps me. 

 

I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?

My opinion fluctuates every second. But the best comedy advice I ever got was to write comedy that makes me personally laugh. It's simple advice but it's been incredibly valuable to me. I try to write comedy that makes me personally crack the fuck up. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don't. And if I don't, then I try to work on the material as much as I can. 

 

How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?

At the moment I am currently unemployed so that would be zero dollars. I am kept alive by occasional brand deals, drink tickets, and opening for Atsuko Okatsuka as she tours. I hope in the future to earn enough money where I can stop flying Basic Economy and instead fly Economy so I can start earning more Delta miles. 

 

How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?

I think luck definitely does play a factor into career success. My first big comedy job I landed was writing for James Corden at The Late Late Show where I also got to perform stand up. I feel incredibly fortunate that they had an opening for a new writer because if I'd gotten a job writing for any other late night show I wouldn't have had as good a time. My big wheelhouse is musical theatre writing and musical comedy which James excels at. I had so much fun getting to write musical sketches and performances for him to knock out of the park. That felt very lucky and serendipitous. I also think along with luck, perseverance is crucial for a career in comedy. There is a lot of rejection and difficult terrain to navigate. I think career success comes to people who are able to accept rejection and continue moving through it. 

 

Alan Davies has said that comedians fall into two categories - golfers and self-harmers. The former just get on with life, the latter are tortured artists. Which are you – or do you think you fit into a third category?

I'm Biracial in that I'm a touch of both. I used to think that the more you suffer the better your art will be. But then I realized "Life is short. Go outside and touch the grass. Get a Season Pass to Disneyland. The world is ending anyways". I'm still working on striking a healthy balance, but I'm much better than where I used to be.  

 

Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?

I love Oprah Winfrey. Her podcast "SuperSoul Sunday" helped me through a lot of difficult times. I also love Lin Manuel Miranda. His compositions are incredibly inspirational to me. I also love Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken as musical theatre composers! Also I love Mariah Carey because I'm gay! 

 

Do you keep your drawers tidy and if not why not? (please think long and hard about this question, it's to settle an argument with my girlfriend. The future of our relationship could depend on your response).

I did not have to think long and hard about this at all. I do not keep my drawers tidy. I am a very scatterbrained and disorganized person. Just yesterday I lost my Debit Card. I need Adderal and am currently in the process of getting diagnosed with ADHD. 

Dylan Adler’s debut comedy show ‘Haus Of Dylan’ will be at the Pleasance Courtyard Beside from July 30 - August 24. Buy tickets here

PICTURE CREDIT – KIM NEWMONEY

 

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