Episode 109: Chanel Ali - Courage, Comedy, Calling

Episode 109: Chanel Ali - Courage, Comedy, Calling

From Artists of New York by Dan Riley

June 5, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

Chanel Ali discusses her journey as a standup comedian in New York City, touching on her early experiences, challenges, and the growth she has achieved in her career.

Chanel Ali is a standup comedian based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moving To New York With One Suitcase (01:24) Hitting A Ceiling In Philadelphia Comedy (03:05) Knowing She Was A Comedian At Seven (05:01) Weed, Truth, And Choosing Comedy (08:12) Foster Care, Purpose, And Fearlessness (10:22) Being One Of Two Women Comics (12:35) Terrifying First Time On Stage (15:18) Discovering Home Under The Spotlight (17:36) Building Buzz Through Relentless Open Mics (20:14) New York Arrival And Starting Over (22:11) Michael Che And Caroline's Breakthrough (25:04) Uber, Odd Jobs, And Survival (27:46) Girl Code Opportunity Changes Everything (30:42) Faith, Confidence, And Comedy Advice (33:09) Just For Laughs And Career Momentum (35:24) Why New York Accelerates Comedian Growth (38:02) Reputation, Consistency, And Business Discipline (40:44) Viral Success, Future Projects, And Defining Success

People in this episode

Host: Dan Riley

Guest: Chanel Ali

Topics covered

  • standup comedy
  • New York City
  • personal growth
  • career challenges
  • female comedians
  • open mics
  • success in comedy

Keywords

  • Chanel Ali
  • comedy
  • New York
  • open mics
  • female comedians
  • career
  • Just For Laughs
  • Michael Che
  • Uber

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Uber, Girl Code

Places: New York City, Philadelphia

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