Maria Blasucci [Interview]

We have an absolutely incredible interview to share with you fine folks today here at Trainwreck’d Society! Today we have some wonderful words from the hilarious and crazy talented woman by the name of Maria Blasucci! She was so kind to share a few words with us here today.

I first learned about Maria’s brilliance by watching one of the greatest history based TV shows of all time known as Drunk History. I quickly learned that I had been admiring her other work this whole time, and didn’t even know it! Maria also happens to be a member of the amazing recreational basketball team, The Pistol Shrimps, that was featured in a documentary of the same name on STARZ. It is available now, and so damn great. Also, our dear friend Stephanie Allyne is on the team! How cool is that! Also, every other member of the team happens to be truly hilarious people who we haven’t had the honor of interviewing on the site (yet?) but still find amazing, including Aubrey Plaza, Angel Trimbur, Molly Hawkey, and more!

Other credits of Maria’s that I found awesome was her role in Christopher Guest’s Netflix Original Movie, Mascots, which also featured our old friend Jim Piddock. As well as an appearance this year on one of my favorite TV series out now, Another Period!

She’s so wonderful, and we are so honored that she is here on the site today! So let’s get into it!

When did you first realize that you are a hilarious human being, and that you should join the world of comedy? Was it something you always dreamed of doing, or did you just find yourself in this world one day?

First of all, thank you, that’s very nice of you to say. I always enjoyed making people laugh. I’ve always felt very comfortable onstage whether it’s doing improv for theater. I’ve wanted to be an actor since as far back as I can remember which is a gross thing to say but I’m not going to lie to you so there it is. I just kind of started on this trajectory of wanting to be a performer at a very young age and never stopped. 

I absolutely love the series Drunk History, which you have been appearing in various roles for the last 5 years. The format of the show is very specific and very different. I am very curious to know how what it is like to work on such an incredibly innovative show like this? Is it as fun to work on as it is for us to watch?

Drunk History is such a blast to work on. Every day on set is a new era, a new character, a new story, a new location. It really does feel like that stereotypical version of a Hollywood set where you’re on a backlot and a camel walks by next to an astronaut. It’s just a fun show all around and the people that work on it are some of my favorite people in the world. Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner have created such a unique environment where people are allowed to just be creative. From costumes, to make up to hair to props to set design, I think everyone feels like they are doing the most awesome school project with a bunch of their best friends. As a performer you obviously have to stick to the line you are lip synching to, but it’s fun to use the narrator’s inflection and attitude to inform your character. There is something really satisfying about being forced to color inside the lines, but with the ability to pick any color and medium you want.

 What has been your favorite historical story that you have worked on during your tenure at Drunk History?

Hmmm. This is a tough one. It usually has to do with how fun the guest star is.  I have the best time when Jack McBrayer comes by to do a story. I’d have to say anything that takes place around the 1950’s is fun because of the clothes and hairstyles. But the Rasputin story with Jerry O’Connell from this season was one of my favorites because I had a pretty great monologue to play around with.

Can you tell us a bit about your podcast The Big Ones? What inspired you to create this incredible original bit of ear pleasure?

The Big Ones is a podcast I do with Amanda Lund where we invite a guest on to talk about life’s big questions! Like, would you kill your baby to save a village? Or, what would you do if you woke up as Beyonce on the morning of her Superbowl performance? The podcast is really just an excuse for Amanda and me to talk for an hour like we know everything without really saying anything. I guess we were inspired by the fact that Amanda has a podcast studio in her house so we thought… let’s use it for something! And that’s how we became two of the world’s most recognizable names in morality and ethics.

I absolutely love what you have done with recreational basketball on the world wide phenomenon of a team known as The Pistol Shrimps, which also includes our past guest and brilliant soul, Stephanie Allynne. For those who may be unaware of the Pistol Shrimps can you tell them a bit about the team? And how can new fans support the cause?

Thank you! The Pistol Shrimps is the founding team of the LA City Municipal Women’s Basketball League. A few years back I got the sudden urge to play team sports again. I’d only ever played basketball so I looked around online and found that there was an all women’s league.  put out a facebook post and got a team together but when I went to sign up, the LA City Parks department told me that the league had been defunct for years because women didn’t sign up to play. So we spread the word and now the league has 26 teams! You can learn all about it in the documentary that is now available on STARZ called The Pistol Shrimps.

New fans can support the cause by following us on Instagram and twitter! We post our seasonal schedule on our social media so if you are in the LA area you should come check out a game!

“Pistol Shrimps” at the 2016 TriBeca Film Festival

And for the question that I hate that I ever have to ask, but I feel like if we don’t keep talking about it, nothing will change: As a woman working in the world of comedy, both on screen and behind, has the climate of the industry seen any actual changes over the last couple of years? Has there been any progress of note? 

See below!

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Amanda and I are launching an all female podcast network called Earios with our good friend Priyanka Mattoo. Check it out on Kickstarter! 

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My dog, Ms. Piggles. She walks around our apartment like it isn’t a big deal that she’s a tiny monster. She’s an angel.