Leila Cohan-Miccio (left) and Caitlin Tegart.
Venus Girls of the Month: Caitlin Tegart and Leila Cohan-Miccio
Creators of the web series Vag Magazine make fun of us—and make us laugh.
By Siera Cerny
Published: November 22nd, 2010 | 3:45pm
New York-based comedy writers Caitlin Tegart and Leila Cohan-Miccio have a knack for the short and sweet. Their recently debuted comedic web series Vag Magazine is based around a fictional "hipster third-wave feminist magazine" that, for some (ahem), hits pretty close to home. The dialogue is punchy—and because the actors know how to deliver it, and the writers know how to write, it's hilarious. Not to mention smart. We spoke to the two creators of the show to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the series came to be, their early Upright Citizens Brigade days, and what sketch comedy means to them.
VZ: How did the two of you meet?
L: Caitlin and I actually met in an improv class at the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York in early 2008 (fun fact: Nicole Drespel, who plays Fennel, was also in the class). We spent the next year and a half as sort of internet friends. We reblogged each others' stuff on Tumblr and left Facebook wall posts, but we never hung out.
In August 2009, I wrote a show called This Is About Smith (I went to college at Smith and the show is literally what it sounds like) and, since I had just seen How Rude!, a very funny show that Caitlin wrote, I asked her to direct it.
VZ: How did you make Vag Magazine happen?
LCM: Caitlin approached me with the idea for Vag Magazine and I was on board immediately. I'm a long time reader of feminist magazines and I knew there were a ton of fun specifics to play with in that subculture. Once we decided to do the project, Caitlin and I spent a month or so writing the episodes before taking it to our director, Zach Neumeyer, and the cast members.
The more excited we got about the project, the more we wanted to do right by it: get it shot professionally, have a killer location, give it the time it deserved. That's when we decided to bring on Nicole Shabtai, our producer. She took charge of the logistics and helped bring some amazing people on board, like our director of photography, Steve Levine, and our hair and makeup artist, Emilia Adamkiewicz.
CT: Yes, logistics were more difficult than any creative aspect. We owe so much to the crew! They really made it happen. Like, literally.
VZ: What kind of process did you go through while creating the series? Does it change from episode to episode or does it stay pretty consistent?
LCM: Before we started writing dialogue, Caitlin and I sat down and talked about the series: ideas for the characters, situations we'd like to cover, the general vibe.
CT: We were able to shape the characters and relationships within each episode which is important to both of us. We love these fictional weirdos and the real weirdos who play them.
LCM: After that, we made a super loose outline for the arc of the season, literally said, "Okay, in episode two, Bethany meets with the Keeper, who says they need a celebrity on the cover, so in episode three, they interview one." From there, we added stuff we thought was fun and, eventually, took away bits that were too long or weren't working.
VZ: What were you looking for in a cast? Did you have certain women in mind when you started writing the show?
LCM: We wrote all the parts for the actors, which meant we could incorporate aspects of their personalities.
We wanted to use the cast from This Is About Smith (Jocelyn Guest, Nicole Drespel, Kate McKinnon, Sarah Claspell, and Veronica Osorio). These ladies are not only hilarious, but we all get along incredibly well. For Reba, we wanted someone fun and sort of brassy, and thought of Leslie Meisel immediately. Morgan Jarrett was such an obvious choice for Kit: she really is this ball of energy and positivity. Also, she can realistically play a college student.
CT: This is just fraction of the amazing female talent at UCB, but we felt they fit season 1 best. I'm glad we were the first to cast Morgan as an enthusiastic intern, because I suspect it will become a trend.
VZ: What are some of your favorite moments from Vag Magazine?
L: In Episode 4, during the confrontation with Jaybird, when Fennel, completely overwhelmed, decides that the best thing to do would be to stand and recite her poem "Men Had Rome, Women Have Vag." Nicole Drespel is such a brilliant, intuitive performer, and her delivery there just KILLS me.
C: My favorite part is whenever the founders and staff gang up on Meghan, the former fashion magazine writer, and the way they are all on the same page instantly. And Sarah Claspell as Meghan plays it off brilliantly.
VZ: What are the benefits to working on the web compared to TV or stage productions?
LCM: On the web, everything is totally within your control; you can just do it, post it, and people can see it. With TV or stage productions, you have to wait for someone to give you permission to make something.
Caitlin and I have both had successful stage shows, but the combined audience for all our shows is less than people who've seen one episode of Vag.
CT: Most of our fan base doesn't wait for the Fox TV line-up to tell them what to watch. They're looking for content they relate to.
...Or waiting for someone in their sewing circle to send it to them.
VZ: Why sketch comedy?
LCM: I love writing longer form scripts as well, but there's something tremendously satisfying about writing tightly crafted sketches. Because they're so short, every line needs to be in service to what's funny about the scene.
CT: The basic principles of sketch: get the funny out early, keep getting funnier, then get out. This applies to almost all comedy. For me, sketch comedy is a great microcosm to experiment with before moving on to longer projects.
LCM: I also love that the comedy world in general—and UCB in particular—is filled with people who are smart, and kind, and, obviously, funny. I've been lucky enough to meet some of my closest friends through doing what I love.
CT: Writing and teaching sketch is like constantly being at the water cooler with your friends at a normal job: it’s all about cracking jokes and connecting with people.
VZ: Who are your favorite sketch artists of all time? Favorite sketches?
LCM: Between The Ben Stiller Show, SNL, and Mr. Show, Bob Odenkirk has written an astonishing number of the most classic, tightly-written, and funniest sketches in history. If you haven't read his interview in And Here's The Kicker, seriously, do it now. So good.
CT: I was kicked out of Sunday school for impersonating Dana Carvey's "Church Lady" so it always holds a special place in my heart.
But really, I am obsessed with Adam McKay! I think he's brilliant. His sketches are broad and goofy, with a streak of subversion and dark genius. Watch Pinata Full of Bees, if you can find it.
LCM: As far as favorite sketches, to be perfectly honest, a lot are sketches I've seen on stage at UCB. As far as televised ones go, here are a few:
Mr. Show, "The Audition": A man performs an audition monologue that sounds like normal things you'd say at an audition. It's perfectly written: every beat heightens, there are no wasted lines, and it's totally grounded in reality.
CT: It might be perfect. I've seen this at least 20 times and it never gets old.
LCM: The Ben Stiller Show, "Manson": I’m a sucker for any Charles Manson joke. I also think that show was totally underrated. They did some of the best genre parodies since SCTV.
CT: I love "Woody Allen's Bride of Frankenstein” from The Ben Stiller Show. It's a startlingly good parody.
LCM: SNL, "Dr. Beaman": This sketch breaks every rule we give our students: it's all over the place and it's about a crazy person who has no particular point of view. But oh my god, does it make me laugh. I think it's because everything he says is totally unexpected (the basis of comedy) and so specific.
VZ: Who do you follow on Twitter?
LCM: My favorite person I follow is Feminist Hulk. I was obsessed with it for months and then found out that the writer is a friend of mine, which was incredibly exciting. I have a weakness for celebrity tweeters too. I need to know what the cast of Full House is up to, and 140 characters is just the right dose of that.
CT: I'd be lying if I said my Twitter feed wasn't mostly promoting Vag and retweeting Snooki. That woman inspires me in 140 characters or less. I also follow some great female writers like Jane Espenson, Susan Miller, and Ellen Sandler.
VZ: What kinds of goals have you set for yourself in the past? Do you have dreams that you're still aiming to reach?
LCM: My goal for the past few years has really just been to become a better writer. In the space of less than three years, I've gone from taking my first sketch class at UCB to teaching sketch and spending the vast majority of my time writing or meeting about projects or rehearsing. My ultimate goal is to create and write TV shows.
CT: I've written two shows at UCB, directed three, created dozens of videos, written pilots, written professionally for web and television, but it's never enough! I really love what I do. I find so many things funny. You're likely to find me laughing while walking down the street. And want to get all these ideas from my head to paper or to the stage or to the screen.
I would like to write and direct television and movies. And probably television movies.
VZ: What advice would you give to aspiring writers, comedy actors, or just young people looking to work and live in a creative environment?
LCM: The biggest thing I've learned in the past few years is that no one is going to give you an invitation and waiting for someone to do so is useless. You have to put yourself out there and start doing things. It can be scary, but in the end, it's so worth it.
CT: Tell everyone what you want to do and what your goals are. Let people help you, and remember those people along the way.
When you put yourself out there, you'll find you have way more friends and fans supporting you than you thought! Most people want to see you succeed. Those that don't: get 'em out your life!
Further reading:
Vag Magazine official site
Vag Magazine on Twitter
Caitlin Tegart on Twitter
Leila Cohan-Miccio on Twitter
Vag Magazine Episode 6: "Revelling/Reckoning" from Vag Magazine on Vimeo.
Issue #44
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