Meet Erica Benefield | Comedian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erica Benefield and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erica, how do you think about risk?
Risk has played a huge part in my life and my career. Going from a stable, safe corporate career to comedy is a risk. I have a family. Other people that I love more than life rely on my ability to earn money. There isn’t a clear path with comedy. There’s no guarantee. It’s scary but I’ve learned that the bigger the risk, the greater the reward when it pays off. When I was younger, I was super risk-adverse. I played everything safe because I was terrified of failure. But I’ve learned to love the journey that risk offers. It’s new, kind of scary, it’s carving a new path. And being a female in comedy is such a rare thing; that’s a risk in and of itself. That makes me proud.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’d say being a married woman with kids in the stand up comedy world sets me apart. It gives my comedy a different angle than most but it also carries with it intrinsic challenges. I won’t drop everything and go to multiple mics a night to work out a new idea or a new joke if my family needs me. They will always come first. I have to be (or at least I feel like I have to be) very selective of the gigs I take because I’m juggling multiple schedules and priorities. But at the same time, it’s a really powerful feeling to know that my kids see me grinding to build my own career and to find my own place in comedy. That makes me proud.

But I’m most proud of every laugh I get. Fourteen years ago I was a single mom with a newborn baby after my ex-husband left. Laughter was something that I lost for a really long time. Then, one day a childhood friend told me that she loved that I could always make her laugh. It sparked something in me that I thought I’d lost forever. And I don’t want to ever lose it. Laughter is something that I’ve always treasured. When something or someone makes me laugh, like REALLY laugh, it’s such a gift. To be able to give that to others is indescribable. It’s a really special feeling.

I want the world to know that I represent more than what they see on stage. I represent someone who almost lost herself in sadness. I represent someone who overcame years of feeling like I wasn’t good enough. And I thank God for every moment of those struggles because they are a part of my story that only I can draw on. I’ve always heard “Comedy = tragedy + time”. I had the tragedy. The time just took a little while.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So many great places to choose from. One of my favorite things to do is to get all dolled up, so I remember what I look like when I’m not wearing yoga pants, and pretend like I don’t have 1,000 things to think about. We’d definitely hit up a tapas restaurant followed by a chic roof top bar for day one. I love Cru because you get both places in one! I love a fun scavenger hunt of the city (haunted if available) after a delicious brunch at Maple Street Biscuit Co. Their iced vanilla latte & squawking goat biscuit will make you wanna slap your momma! So good. After a scavenger hunt, a margarita is definitely a great way to cool down. The BEST Mexican food in Atlanta is at Nuevo Laredo Cantina. Their Cadillac Margarita is where it’s at! A show at the Fox or a Falcons game or a Braves game are all exciting ways to cap off an already full day. The next day is a shopping day! So many great places to shop around the city. If you don’t mind driving a little ways outside the city (and I don’t!), Avalon is a great place to shop. Not only that, they have great wine bars and restaurants. Avalon is fun and unique because you can order a glass of wine & walk around with it while you shop from store to store. There is also a movie theater we can pop into if there’s a movie we want to see. And there is always something fun going on like a concert or a comedy show. One of my FAVORITE things to do is to visit the many North Georgia wineries. VIP Southern Tours offers a really fun tour of several wineries! I feel like I’m leaving out so much… essentially, anything haunted, Mexican food, wine, biscuits… I’m down.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family deserves all the credit. My husband, Rick, and my kids, Bella & Roman have been so supportive of my comedy career.

Website: ericabenefield.com

Instagram: @atleasturpretty

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Atleastimpretty

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC66B9l_92nh7rX9oSCYQ3kA

Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-news-to-me/id1542292348

Image Credits
Kristen Pender Haggard, Roman Campomanes