They think I can be a dang SUPERHERO?… Hollie Harper’s Life@GWN

Charlie Chaplin said “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Hollie Harper’s days are never wasted.

For the last year, Hollie has lent her funny bone and her network of professional comedians to the Girls Write Now community as a Teaching Artist for Girls Write Now’s Power of Punchlines: Stand-Up Comedy for Change and, this summer, she will be leading a new Journey all about how to find your superpower through comedy. Fresh Mouth: Confidence through Comedy will run from July to September, bringing comedy to a younger group of mentees—tweens 10-13—to explore the inner strength cultivated through a good sense of humor. It’s more than having a ‘thick skin,’ comedy is its own suit of armor.

Watch Hollie Harper and Inica Kosthante Introduce Honoree Rachel Bloom at our 2025 Awards

Hollie joined us to tell her origin story. Growing up wanting to be an actor, writer, and comedian, Hollie knew she had a knack for making people laugh. Luckily she had a support system to encourage, push her, and watch her shine. As she grew into her funny bone, her confidence grew too! 

Tell us about your life@GWN.  

I connected with GWN with the idea of teaching and it just took off. I’ve taught three cycles of Power of Punchlines so far and it’s been an incredible experience.

What about doing that/those things gets you up in the morning?

Honestly, Crossfit. I know after that I’m gonna feel good. Also my son’s smile makes me smile.

What is it about the Girls Write Now work environment that you find so special?

It’s smart and inclusive.

What’s your superpower? How does that inform the work you do at Girls Write Now?

I’m a good communicator. It enables me to speak with students on any kind of journey.

The theme for our upcoming anthology is Metamorphosis. How has your creative practice changed over the years?

I work a lot smarter. I know what I want now so it’s a controlled chaos, LOL.

How would you describe your sense of humor using only three words?

Grounded, raw, silly.

What’s a joke that always makes you laugh?

Any Dad joke, because it’s a dad trying to connect with a youngin’ and that makes me smile

Who is the funniest person in your life?

My daughter. I’m trying to convince her how funny she actually is. She’s an actress and I want her to take her funny bone seriously.

What did comedy teach you about yourself?

I’m strong, hella smart and think about dark subjects a LOT.

This summer you’re teaching a new Girls Write Now Journey Fresh Mouth: Confidence through Comedy. How did doing comedy improve your confidence?

When I started doing stand up it was because people told me to. Random people and family telling me to try it made me think, “They think I can be a dang SUPERHERO?” LOL. It’s one of the biggest compliments I think one can receive because comics are some of the smartest people on Earth.

How do you approach taking time off from work?

I lay on the floor for about three hours and then think “maybe you should make this a thing.”

When did you first feel like an adult?

Wait, I’m an adult? Who told you that? No seriously, the day I took my nine year old daughter shopping at H&M and made the poor Millennial employee turn the music down, I KNEW!

Are you an organ donor, and how did you come to that decision?

I am not an organ donor because I went to theatre school and my “Too Much Fun in College” phase would haunt any nervous system.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer, actress, and comedian…well look at that!

What is your favorite tool for creating by pencil, pen, keyboard, app, or other medium?

Music. Playlists from the past give me a lot of inspiration. The songs INSTANTLY remind me of jokes and stories I wanted to write when I used to listen to them 10, 15 years ago. Right now, it’s “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” sung by Deborah Cox. It feels like an inadvertent horror film, like, “seriously, how did you get here?”