Cat Cohen is in her thriving era. The comedian—known for her musical-comedy style featured in her 2022 Netflix special The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous, and as one-half of the podcast Seek Treatment with bestie Pat Regan—is having a banner season. First, she released a brand-new hour-long special, “Come For Me,” which is chock-full of cabaret-style songs and bits (and features a perfectly cut sequined and feathered jumpsuit that works in sparkly contrast to her deadpan humor). Then, there’s the release of her debut holiday album, Overdressed, which, in ten original songs, sardonically celebrates the chaotic social anxieties of our most treasured communal activities (“I Just Bought a Journal,” for instance, pokes fun at New Year’s resolutions culture). And lastly, she had a five-episode arc on the most recent season of the Emmy-winning Only Murders in the Building, in which she played director Trina Brothers—a “pretty dreamy experience,” she says.
Below, Cohen chats with W ahead of her album release on her projects, switching up her material now that she’s in a relationship, and why she wants to chat with Hailey Bieber:
When did you realize musical comedy was your niche?
I was doing stand-up in bars in Brooklyn, and I didn’t really know what my voice was. I just wasn’t sure who I was or what I was doing. And then my friends, who made The Three Busy Debras, did this big show at Carnegie Hall. They asked me to sing this little bit. I hadn’t sung in years, and at that rehearsal, I was like, “Oh my God, I really miss this.” It just felt so right and fun.
Your special features a live band. How did that come to be?
During quarantine, I A) had all this extra time and B) didn’t have my pianist friends around, so I ended up writing more songs on guitar or figuring things out by myself. That’s why I wanted to play the guitar and have the band on stage—to make it feel representative of that.
Why was now the right time to release an album?
I met Caterina Nasr, who works at Elektra Records, and she was like, “You should have an album.” She gave me the support to make it happen. It takes a village to make anything. “I Just Bought a Journal” and “I Like Men,” are probably my favorites.
Your dating life has been a fixture of your stand-up, but as you discuss in the special, you’re in a serious relationship now [with actor Brian Muller]. Has that changed your approach to the material at all?
It definitely changes things. You don’t have all these insane dating stories that make such easy jokes, but trying to make a relationship work is so relatable that there is so much material to mine from that. Also, he had seen me perform before we got together, so I think he knew what he was in for.
Your jumpsuit in the special is almost like its own character. Who made it?
My dear friend Kelsey Randall made that custom. She designs for a ton of rock stars and pop stars, and not only does she know what looks good on the body, but she knows what looks good on camera, under the lights. She’s such a visionary. And it was so funny. During the taping, she would come backstage and be like, “Move your arms more. Show the sleeves. Use the belt!” She was so invested in making sure it looked cool on camera.
You just had a role in season four of Only Murders in the Building. What was that experience like?
My favorite thing was getting to talk to Molly Shannon when we were hanging out in between takes, because I’ve been a massive fan of her since I saw Superstar when I was a little girl. I would watch it every weekend.
Did that spark the TV bug for you?
Who doesn’t want to be on TV? I mean, get me in there. It’s a shame because it such a hard thing to do, but it’s also just as fun as I always dreamed it would be. So now I’m addicted and want to do more.
What else is up next for you?
I want to write a new show about this crazy health scare I had last summer. I had a stroke—I had what Hailey Bieber had. I didn’t know I had it. It was emotionally scary, and I needed a full year from that before I could process it. Now, I’d like to write about that a little and see what comes, because it was definitely a very life-changing experience. And I really want [Hailey] to reach out, because I feel connected to her [laughs].
