Andrea Popova and Val Parker Bodurtha are the co-creators of Ask a F*ck Boy, the viral live comedy show where comedians present their most unhinged dating stories to a panel of self-described f*ck boys. The two met in Off Off Campus, UChicago's improv and sketch comedy troupe, became best friends and roommates, and turned a question about a guy who ghosted Andie, into a show that has sold out every performance since day one. In this conversation, Andie and Val trace their creative childhoods, Andie's detours through a bubble tea cocktail pop-up, CPGD, and Meta, and Val's path from a teen stand-up showcase at Gotham Comedy Club to comedy full-time. They also discuss the economics of live comedy, the mental toll of running social media, and how they protect their friendship as co-founders.
Referenced:
Timestamps:
2:12 Living apart after years as roommates
4:19 Lessons from scrappy parents
9:11 Starting stand-up at 13
11:55 Joining Off Off Campus
15:56 Val's path to stand-up
22:19 Andie's college years
24:13 The bubble tea cocktail business
26:32 Choosing tech over a startup
28:30 Dating in New York
31:45 How Ask a F*ck Boy started
34:19 Pitching comics on the panel
38:36 The economics of live comedy
40:17 The mental cost of social media
43:20 Andie's Meta journey
47:12 Starting a company with your best friend
54:06 Breaking comedy show conventions
55:35 Who's to blame for f*ck boy behavior?
56:55 How dating apps changed dating
59:56 The future of Ask a F*ck Boy
