Sara Benincasa

Sara Benincasa is an American comedian, author, actress, and television writer whose work spans stand-up comedy, fiction, memoir, and screenwriting. Benincasa holds a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from Warren Wilson College and a Master of Arts in secondary school education from Teachers College at Columbia University, an academic background that informs her storytelling and advocacy for mental health awareness.

Early in her career, Benincasa served as a citizen journalist for MTV, covering the United States presidential election as part of MTV's Emmy Award-winning Think campaign. She gained online attention by producing a vlog parodying Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, which led to a partnership with Huffington Post's humor site 23/6.

Benincasa is the author of "Real Artists Have Day Jobs," "D.C. Trip," "Great," and "Agorafabulous!: Dispatches From My Bedroom." Her memoir, "Agorafabulous!," chronicles her experiences with panic disorder and agoraphobia, beginning with a panic attack during a high school trip to Italy and detailing her progression into severe isolation by age 21. The narrative offers a candid account of recovery, incorporating anecdotes about therapy, medication, and gradual exposure to the outside world, emphasizing personal growth amid mental health challenges. Her novel "Great," a queer young adult novel inspired by "The Great Gatsby," has been optioned for television multiple times.

Benincasa's work extends beyond writing. As a comedian, actor, and college speaker on mental health awareness, she wrote for the 13th season of the comedy series "Mystery Science Theater 3000" and adapted her memoir "Agorafabulous!" as a TV pilot with Academy Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody and executive producer Ben Stiller. She has appeared on screen, including a role as a criminal defense attorney on an episode of "Law & Order: SVU." A former Sirius XM host and producer, Benincasa has also been heard on BBC Radio and NPR. Her writing has been published by Glamour, CNN, and Women's Health, and she has hosted and guested on podcasts including "WTF with Marc Maron," "Meditative Story," and "Bad with Money."

Her essay for New York Times Magazine, "An Agoraphobe Goes to the Grocery Store," won the American Society of Magazine Editors Award for Best Illustrated Story. Benincasa was featured in a YouTube documentary created by SoulPancake in collaboration with Funny or Die, in which comedians discuss mental health, titled "Laughing Matters." She has spoken to colleges, universities, comedy festivals, writers' conferences, and nonprofit groups about creative writing, storytelling, comedy, and mental health awareness, providing insight for audiences interested in comedy, literature, and mental health advocacy.