Standup Comedian, Writer, Breast Cancer Survivor, and Comedy Podcast Host

Ophira Eisenberg is a stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the award-winning comedy podcast Parenting Is A Joke. Known for her sharp wit and deep honesty, she’s a longtime host and touring performer with the Peabody Award-winning storytelling show The Moth Radio Hour, where her stories—often funny, sometimes heartbreaking, always real—have been featured in three of The Moth’s bestselling collections, including Occasional Magic and How to Tell a Story.

For nearly a decade, Ophira was the beloved host of NPR’s Ask Me Another, where she interviewed and played offbeat games with over 400 celebrity guests including Sir Patrick Stewart, Rosie Perez, Yo-Yo Ma, Roxane Gay, Nick Kroll, Chelsea Handler, and more.

Her stand-up has been featured on The Late Late Show, Comedy Central’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar, HBO’s Girls, Sherri! with Sherri Shepherd, Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, and Up Early Tonight on Hulu. She’s also appeared on The Today Show, VH-1, Fox, CNN, and was named one of New York Magazine’s “Top 10 Comics That Funny People Find Funny.”

Ophira is a regular at the Comedy Cellar and performs across the country, headlining major festivals like Just for Laughs, The New Yorker Festival, Moontower, Bumbershoot, and the Nantucket Film Festival. Her comedy album Bangs! was listed as one of The A.V. Club’s Favorite Comedy Albums of the Year, and her recent special Plant-Based Jokes—filmed live in New York—is now streaming on YouTube.

She’s the author of the darkly funny memoir Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy, which was optioned for television, and her Off-Broadway solo show Leaving A Mark: A Comedy About Scars earned rave reviews and won the Women in the Arts & Media Award for Solo Show Scripts.

Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Ophira now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and son. She is a breast cancer survivor and often speaks about resilience, identity, and parenthood through the lens of comedy.
 

Most Popular Topics

Wait, Is This Normal? Parenting, Mid-Life, and Other Things No One Warned Us About
(Stand-Up Comedy)

Ophira has spent 2 decades making audiences laugh about the universal chaos of modern life—especially parenting, by mining her own life for honest, authentic and hilarious material. Her comedy dives into raising a child while juggling a career, marriage, self-care, and the constant low-grade panic of wondering if you’re doing any of it right. Audiences regularly tell her, “I haven’t laughed that hard in years.” and “Your material is so unique and yet I felt like you were talking about my life.” Ophira delivers big laughs without punching down, leaving people lighter, energized, and connected.

Thinking on Your Feet: Curiosity and the Power of Play
(Humor, Communication & Emceeing)

For nine years, Ophira hosted NPR’s beloved comedy trivia show Ask Me Another, where she interviewed and played cleverly absurd games with hundreds of A-list celebrities: actors, musicians, authors, and cultural icons alike. The show was celebrated for its intelligence, warmth, and sense of joy, and those same qualities define Ophira’s work onstage as a keynote speaker and emcee. With lightning-fast improvisation and an inclusive, generous presence, she demonstrates how curiosity, humor, and play unlock creativity, build trust, and keep even serious conversations engaging. At its core, this work is about listening deeply, responding in real time, and creating environments where people feel seen, relaxed, and willing to participate. Ophira also works with companies and organizations as a live interviewer, skillfully drawing out authentic stories and personalities, from CEO to intern, to strengthen connection and build a more human workplace culture.

Stories That Stick: Turning Life Into Memorable Narratives
(Storytelling & Workshops)

Ophira is a longtime performer with the hit podcast, and Peabody Awarding winning radio show The Moth, where she tours nationally telling deeply personal, expertly crafted true stories. She has also taught storytelling workshops to professionals looking to communicate more clearly, lead with authenticity, and connect with their audience—whether that audience is a room, a board, or a team. Ophira believes storytelling isn’t about being flashy; it’s about being honest. Her work helps people find the story only they can tell and deliver it with confidence, humor, and heart. It is the most memorable way to connect.

Laughing Through It: Cancer, Resilience, and Finding Yourself Again
(Cancer Survivor & Inspirational Events)

Ophira is a breast cancer survivor who has written and performed powerful, deeply funny material about her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. With trademark honesty and wit, she talks about fear, body changes, motherhood during illness, and the strange, surreal moments no one prepares you for. Her comedy doesn’t minimize the experience—it validates it. Survivors often tell her, “You said the thing I couldn’t say,” or “I finally laughed about this for the first time.” Ophira’s work in this space has inspired audiences to feel seen, heard, and less alone, proving that laughter doesn’t erase pain, but it can absolutely help us carry it.

Bonus Topic: Parenting Is a Joke
(Comedy, Work-Life Balance & Mental Load)

Ophira hosts the hit podcast Parenting Is a Joke, where she talks candidly with fellow comedians about raising kids while navigating creative careers. The conversations—and the comedy—center on burnout, identity, guilt, joy, and the absurd expectations placed on modern parents. It’s funny, honest, and especially resonant for workplaces full of parents trying to do it all.