Hannah Berner Gets Candid About Maintaining Confidence on Hard Days: “I Know That No Feeling Lasts Forever”
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As a stand-up comedian, podcast host, and content creator, Hannah Berner's whole career revolves around making people laugh — and she's damn good at it. But it's also deeper than that. "At the end of the day, I want to create content that makes one person forget about their problems," Berner tells POPSUGAR. "I know I'm not a brain surgeon or Mother Theresa, but if I can add positivity and laughter to the world, it helps me sleep at night."
The 32-year-old multihyphenate is currently on the move, traveling around the country for a theater tour that she says is equal parts chaotic, exciting, and exhausting. As if that wasn't enough, she's also simultaneously pushing out new episodes for both of her podcasts: Berner Phone and Giggly Squad, the latter of which she co-hosts with her good friend and former "Summer House" co-star Paige DeSorbo. It's a non-stop grind — there's no denying that — but Berner wouldn't have it any other way.
"Comedy is a great way to talk about taboo topics such as mental health, the wage gap, or farting without making people uncomfortable," she says, speaking to how much of an outlet comedy is for her. "Hearing people laugh at something that I'm embarrassed by or insecure about makes me feel less alone."
"Hearing people laugh at something that I'm embarrassed by or insecure about makes me feel less alone."
On TV and social media, Berner comes across extremely confident, interviewing A-list celebrities like it's nothing. But she's not immune to feeling insecure and letting life's stressors get in the way sometimes — she is human after all. Thankfully, comedic relief is real and has helped her navigate the tough times. "I think comedy has definitely helped me laugh instead of cry," she muses. "Life is not about what happens to you, it's about how you react to it . . . everyone has hard stuff happen to them and if you take everything (and yourself) too seriously, you will have a lot of migraines."
Of course, Berner also relies on her close-knit circle of family and friends for support when she's feeling low or it all gets to be too much. "My husband, Des Bishop, is also a comedian and he really is my rock," she says. "I respect his opinion and he will let me vent, whether I'm going through something exciting or something horrible." The hilarious couple met in 2020, tied the knot in 2022, and have been inseparable every step of the way. "Marriage is finding someone who you can have a conversation with for the rest of your life and I'm lucky to have someone who is not only supportive of my career, but who also makes me laugh the whole time," Berner says.
Apart from her husband, Berner also turns to her mother and brother — two people she can always count on to have her back and be real with her when she needs it most. "My younger brother is brutally honest but that's what younger brothers are for, right?" she says. "Also, shout out to my mom who is the toughest, smartest, most selfless person I know."
When it comes to friendships, Berner treasures the ones that go well beyond the surface-level stuff, which isn't always easy to find when you work in the entertainment industry. "I value people who love you for you and are there for you regardless of if you're up or down," she says. DeSorbo has been a constant in Berner's life for years now — riding all of the highs and lows with her — even when it comes to the silly things like TikTok beauty trends. "I'm scared of micro-needling, dermaplaning, snail mucin, and castor oil in your belly button, so I wait for Paige to try it, and if she survives, then I try it," Berner says. "She's way more adventurous than I am."
As far as beauty products, Berner knows what she likes: lightweight formulas that play up her natural features rather than mask them. That's why she's such a big fan of the Maybelline Super Stay Up to 24 HR Skin Tint ($18). The radiance-boosting formula feels featherlight on the skin, all while resisting sweat, humidity, and fading throughout the day. This, of course, is super important when she's performing on stage under hot lights and wants to keep her complexion looking fresh. "I love how well it stays all day because I sweat profusely all the time for no reason," Berner says. "I also love that it has vitamin C infused in it because I always forget to consistently use serums, so this tricks me into taking better care of my skin."
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Products like the Maybelline skin tint help to maintain the firecracker confidence Berner's become famous for (because who doesn't feel like their best self when their skin looks great)? But on days when her self-esteem is taking a hit — whatever the reason may be — she cuddles with her cat Butter and reminds herself that everything is temporary. "Nothing is stagnant and I know that no feeling lasts forever," she says. "Sometimes I also just call a friend to get out of my own head, which has been known to play tricks on me."