As part of a series called My Big Break, All Things Considered is collecting stories of triumph, big and small. These are the moments when everything seems to click, and people leap forward into their careers.
Like all great comedians, Tig Notaro started out small: at open mic nights in coffee shops and one-nighters in Holiday Inn lounges.
"I remember this saloon in Montana," Notaro says. "I was standing in a corner with a dusty disco ball above my head. And I think there was a man with a look of Santa Claus on his day off sitting at the bar and staring at me while I told him what I thought was funny. And, based on his response, I don't think he agreed."
Her comedy took her out of saloons and onto larger stages in front of devoted fans. Now, she's the subject of a new Netflix documentary, titled Tig, out this week.
The film captures Notaro's search for a sense of humor amid devastating news.
"In 2012, I had pneumonia and then I contracted this potentially deadly disease called C. diff [C. difficile infection] and was hospitalized," Notaro says. "When I finally got out of the hospital, my mother tripped and hit her head in a freak accident and died. And then I went through a breakup after her funeral, and then I was diagnosed with cancer."
Days after her diagnosis of breast cancer, Notaro was scheduled to perform her weekly stand-up set at the Largo nightclub in Los Angeles. She wanted to cancel, but she ended up going on stage anyway.
That show became legendary.
"I kept the performance on the books and had invited my friends Ed Helms and Louis C.K. and Mary Lynn Rajskub and Bill Burr to all perform," she says. "They didn't think it was anything other than a typical show, and I went out on stage and talked about everything I was going through."
Her opening line was shocking. As she greeted the audience, she nonchalantly told them she was diagnosed with cancer.
"I have cancer, how are you? Hi, how are you? Is everybody having a good time? I have cancer, how are you?"
At first, the crowd nervously laughed through her routine.
"When I hear it played back, I can hear the nerves in my voice and my voice is very shaky," Notaro says. "I was very fragile and vulnerable at that time. And I also was not wanting to hurt anybody's feelings. I just didn't like that moment where people didn't know yet that I had cancer."
But they catch on quickly. Notaro says the audience became her support group. As she makes light of tragedy, the crowd roars in laughter.
"I would've felt dishonest or inauthentic, I think, if I was on stage just talking about — just observing life in general, from afar. That wasn't where I was," she says. "I was very ill. My pants were falling off of me, I was so skeletal at the time. I felt so lucky for the audience there, because they really carried me through that and the people there were really tremendous."
That performance at the Largo was released in 2013 as a comedy album titled Live. It was nominated for a Grammy.
"Things changed after that. It definitely was a big break. It was a weird break. As much as it was big, it was a weird one," she says. "You don't know what's around the corner. It could be a cancer diagnosis or the unexpected, accidental death of a parent, a breakup, a Grammy nomination, falling in love. Whether it's good or bad, in my personal life, my career, I feel OK. Nothing's going to make or break me."
We want to hear about your big break. Send us an email at mybigbreak@npr.org.
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Transcript
ARUN RATH, HOST:
Like all great comedians, Tig Notaro started out small at open mics in coffee shops and one-nighters in Holiday Inn lounges.
TIG NOTARO: I remember this saloon in Montana. I was standing in a corner with a dusty disco ball above my head. And I think there was a man with a look of Santa Claus on his day off sitting at the bar while I told (laughter) - while I told him what I thought was funny. And based on his response, I don't think he agreed.
RATH: Her comedy took her out of the saloons and onto larger stages in front of devoted fans. Now she's the subject of a new Netflix documentary titled "Tig" out this week. In the film, Notaro searches for a sense of humor amid devastating news.
NOTARO: In 2012, I had had pneumonia, and then I contracted this potentially deadly disease called C. diff and was hospitalized. And when I finally got out of the hospital, my mother tripped and hit her head in a freak accident and died. And then I went through a breakup after her funeral, and then I was diagnosed with cancer.
RATH: Days after her diagnosis, Notaro was scheduled to perform a stand-up routine at the Largo theater in Los Angeles. She wanted to cancel, but she went onstage anyway. That show became legendary. It was her big break.
NOTARO: Had invited my friends Ed Helms and Louis C.K. and Mary Lynn Rajskub and Bill Burr to all perform. And they didn't think it was anything other than a typical show. And I went out on stage and talked about everything I was going through.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
NOTARO: I have cancer. How are you? Hi, how are you? Is everybody having a good time? I have cancer. How are you?
When I hear it played back, I can hear the nerves in my voice and my voice is very shaky. I was very fragile and vulnerable at that time. And I also was not wanting to hurt anybody's feelings. I just didn't like that moment where people didn't know yet that I had cancer.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
NOTARO: It's going to be OK. It might not be OK, but I'm just saying.
(LAUGHTER)
NOTARO: I guess halfway through the show, I had this feeling of I think this might be a really special moment, and I think that it's going OK.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
NOTARO: You know what it is? I'm a drama queen.
(LAUGHTER)
NOTARO: I almost died from C. diff or my mother just died or I just went through a breakup or I have cancer. I'm like God, I sound so dramatic.
(LAUGHTER)
NOTARO: Tig, relax. And I'm like oh wait, this is really happening.
I would've felt dishonest or inauthentic, I think, if I was on stage just talking about - just observing life in general from afar. That wasn't where I was. I was very ill. My pants were falling off of me. I was so skeletal at the time. And the people there were really tremendous.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
NOTARO: Anyway, thanks so much for coming. You guys are amazing.
(APPLAUSE)
NOTARO: There (laughter)...
That ended up becoming an album, which ended up becoming number one around the world and nominated for a Grammy. And it definitely was a big break. It was a weird break. As much as it was big, it was a weird one.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
NOTARO: You don't know what's around the corner, and it could be a cancer diagnosis or a breakup, a Grammy nomination, you know, falling in love. Whether it's good or bad in my personal life, my career, I feel OK. Nothing's going to make or break me.
RATH: Comedian Tig Notaro. The Netflix documentary "Tig" is out now. We want to hear about your big break. Send us an email - mybigbreak@npr.org. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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