Samantha Irby

Samantha Irby is a comedian, essayist, blogger, and television writer known for her candid humor and distinctive voice in contemporary literature and media. Irby first gained recognition with her blog Bitches Gotta Eat, where she shared personal experiences related to Crohn's disease, dating, and modern life. The blog established her as a prominent figure in the literary world and led to a successful writing career.

Irby is the author of five books: "We Are Never Meeting in Real Life," "Meaty," "New Year, Same Trash," "Wow, No Thank You," and "Quietly Hostile." Her debut book, "Meaty," blends humor with reflections on body image and identity. "We Are Never Meeting in Real Life" appeared on The New York Times best-seller list for paperback nonfiction. "Wow, No Thank You" also debuted at number one on the New York Times best-seller list for Paperback Nonfiction. Irby received the Lambda Literary Award for bisexual nonfiction.

Irby wrote the fat-positive "Pool" episode of "Shrill" and contributed to the writers' room for HBO Max's Sex and the City reboot, "And Just Like That..." She has served as a writer and co-producer for television shows including "Work in Progress," "Shrill," and "Tuca & Bertie." Her memoir "Meaty" is in development for adaptation as a television show on FX called Guts and Glory, with Abbi Jacobson and Jessi Klein attached. Irby is recognized for her ability to translate personal experiences into storytelling for both print and screen, contributing to the fields of comedy, television writing, and LGBTQ+ literature.

"Quietly Hostile" is a collection of essays covering lifestyle and health topics, exploring Irby's relationship with her own flaws and the complexities of human behavior. Irby has been featured in The New Yorker's Shouts & Murmurs column and has appeared on NPR's Fresh Air, expanding her reach as a public voice.

Irby also performs live readings and has opened for Baratunde Thurston during his How to Be Black tour. She co-hosts Guts & Glory, a reading series featuring essayists in Chicago. Her work is noted for blending humor with topics such as depression and queer identity, establishing her as a significant figure in both literature and media.