Talia Reese is an American comedian known for combining her Orthodox Jewish lifestyle with her career in standup.
Reese grew up in Great Neck, New York and aspired to be a Broadway star. Reese acted in school plays and performed comedy in high school. She noted that other girls wanted to be pretty, while she would "throw on a wig and be the wackiest character". She attended the same high school as Sarah Sherman. At the University of Pennsylvania, Reese performed with the all-female comedy group the Bloomers. She grew up Reform and became Orthodox during college. She attended Cardozo Law School.
Reese worked as a bankruptcy attorney at Paul Weiss before switching to standup. When she performs at Stand Up NY, Comic Strip Live, and other clubs, her material covers 'usual' topics like sex and family life. At Caroline's, she joked that her first husband would "come home, walk up [to the bedroom] and say... âÂÂscooch downâÂÂ" as if for a pap smear. When she performs for Orthodox Jewish audiences, she adds jokes about her monthly visits to the mikveh, declaring âÂÂAfter all that, I should be able to go home with any man I want!â She does not perform on Friday nights because she observes the Jewish Sabbath, noting "Basically I'm available 24/6." Consequently, she has declined opportunities including an assistant position on SNL. Her Jewish dietary restrictions have required bringing her own food on the road, even going to sound check with a "pot of kosher meatballs".
Reese's comedic influences include Joan Rivers, Sarah Silverman, Rita Rudner, Dave Attell and Sebastian Maniscalco. She incorporated Caroline Rhea's advice to "speak urgently, like sheâÂÂs talking to a friend on stage". Reese has opened for Rhea, Nick DiPaolo, and Ashley Blaker.
Reese has touched on gender-based expectations, joking that her parents âÂÂdid not want a daughter doing stand-up. I mean, they did not want a daughterâ¦,â trailing off to indicate their disappointment. Reese has been described as a 'momedian' and has joked âÂÂBabies are like beer. ThereâÂÂs a lot of pressure to have another from people who should have stopped a long time ago.âÂÂ
After the October 7 attacks and subsequent war, Reese said she "didnâÂÂt think anything was really going to be funny again,â but noted that Jewish communities sought her comedy to cope with the stress and sadness, increasing her bookings.
Top Female Comedian of the Year, International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), 2024
Reese's husband is also a Jewish lawyer. She is descended from Bukharan Jews. After maternity leave, she wrote romance novels.