Shazia Mirza on boobs, boys and body hair

Regarded as one of the UK’s most successful Muslim women in any field, Shazia Mirza breaks the mould of women’s comedy with her dry and often controversial humour.

Hi Shazia. How’s it going?

It is going great. They normally fall to the side, but today they are really pert and on top.

Is humour a way of life for you, and has it always been?

It said on my school report that I was the class clown and caused disturbance, but I’ve never had any complaints since. Teachers don’t know what they’re on about. Comedy is a way of life for me – I do it five times a day facing The Comedy Store.

Do you ever miss teaching?

NEVER. And I bet they don’t miss me either!

A lot of your material draws on the idiosyncracies of your parents. Is it true? Do they mind?

It’s all true, and they don’t know I do it, which makes it funnier. My parents are eccentric nutcases, but they think they are normal which makes them even more crazy. They have arguments about the size of the washing line.

‘My parents are eccentric nutcases, but they think they are normal which makes them even more crazy.’

You stopped modifying your body hair for six months for the BBC Three documentary Fuck off I’m a hairy woman. Do you think it had an impact?

The documentary was great, it certainly had an impact – there are hairy women everywhere, and I am glad I did it. Every woman should be hairy for one year in her life.

Is the comedy industry still sexist?

Men still rule the world, no matter what industry you’re in. The only industry they don’t own is the waxing industry, but it’s only a matter of time. Women are still fighting.

What’s the best heckle you’ve ever had?

Someone shouted, ‘I’m your dad.’

This interview appeared in Filament magazine Issue 1, June 2009. Follow Shazia Mirza’s gigs and writing at www.shazia-mirza.com. Photography by Martin Twomey.