“True Cult Leader Vibes”: Mae Martin on Shame, Strap-Ons, and Sincerity

These days, a lot of people have podcasts, but that doesn’t mean we actually care what any of them have to say. The comedian, musician, and screenwriter Mae Martin, however, is a notable exception. As the host of Handsome, Martin has found their niche by inviting fans to listen in on their whip-smart repartee with co-hosts Tig Notaro and Fortune Feimster. Now, the 38-year-old is trying on a different hat. This week marks the release of their new Netflix miniseries Wayward, in which Martin, starring opposite Toni Collette, plays Alex Dempsey, a police officer who begins investigating a series of unusual incidents involving several local teens. This isn’t their first time dabbling in the world of acting and producing; the semi-autobiographical comedy series Feel Good established Martin as one of our smartest (and funniest) chroniclers of gender, sexuality, and addiction. But for this week’s Rorschach Test, we wanted to pick their brain about a few unrelated topics, including furries, shame, Adderall, and escape rooms.

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ADDERALL

“I’m currently reading Scattered Minds, the Gabor Maté book on ADD and ADHD, which I have been diagnosed with. As a kind of geriatric millennial, I grew up thinking that it was a made-up thing. I’m not on Adderall, but I am medicated for it, and it’s been kind of life-changing.”

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FURRIES

“I think I get it. I’m pro-furries. They’re not hurting anyone. But I don’t really understand it. Do they cut a little hole out around the…?”

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SINCERITY

“It’s hard not to internalize what other people say about your comedic style or content, because people often describe me as earnest or sincere. I don’t see myself that way at all, but I don’t have an aversion to it. I gravitate towards people who don’t think it’s uncool to care about stuff, I guess.”

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STRAP-ONS

“A crucial part of my life since the age of 20 or so. They were kind of a revelation to me at the time. I’d like to design one. I have some thoughts on how to improve their functionality.”

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JUSTIN TRUDEAU

“When I met him in Toronto, I wanted to challenge him on some of his environmental policies and campaign promises he’d gone back on. But his charisma is like Tom Cruise—true cult leader vibes. And when he looked in my eyes, I just became like a giggling teenage girl. I ended up saying to him, ‘Your legacy will be great.’ That came out of my mouth, and I don’t even know where that sentence came from. It was really weird.”

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DIET COKE

“I’m really glad you brought it up. And I’m going to put aside any kind of moral culpability for endorsing a huge brand that I’m sure is terrible for the world. But anyway, I have been a lifelong Diet Coke drinker, and then somebody told me that I would prefer Coke Zero. So I did a blind taste test and I found that I actually preferred Coke Zero’s taste. I was shocked. I’ll keep you posted if it evolves further.”

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ESCAPE ROOMS

“I wish that life was just a series of small rooms that I had to escape from. I never feel more present or more alive than I do when I’m trying to escape a themed room by doing a series of puzzles. I don’t do drugs anymore, so I think that it’s the adrenaline.”

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TAYLOR and TRAVIS

“I don’t want to incite any ire from their massive and powerful fan base. I think they seem nice, but I couldn’t possibly say unless I’d spent a night with them or done an escape room with them. If I saw them in an escape room, I’d see how their relationship functions and what the power dynamic is and whether or not they’re really compatible. Then I could really give you a fair assessment.”

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SHAME

“I think guilt can be helpful. If you do something bad, guilt and empathy can motivate you to change. But I don’t think shame motivates you to change. I think it motivates you to self-destruct, so I think we’ve got to get rid of it.”

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CONSPIRACY THEORIES

“Last night I was thinking about why I’m drawn to them. It’s like escapism for me in a way, because I feel totally helpless in the world.”

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DRIVING

“This is a source of humiliation for me. I’ve had nine driving lessons but I cannot park. And I really need to get my license, especially with the impending apocalypse.”

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PSYCHIATRY

“I always get confused between psychiatrists and psychologists and psychotherapists. But yeah, they’re doing the lord’s work, I’m sure.”

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CROWD WORK

“Every comedy audience is a little microcosm of society, so you get all kinds of interactions and people. Luckily, I don’t get many hecklers, maybe because I seem too fragile.”

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MEET and GREETS

“Oh, I love them. I think because of the nature of what I talk about [on the podcast], people tend to go right for the big, deep topics, and I really like that. They also give me really specific gifts that are inspired by the podcast. They’ll whittle a bear out of a twig or give me a crystal. I’ve had people come out to their parents in front of me, using me as a mediator.”

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