After nearly two decades in comedy, Iliza Shlesinger says motherhood has brought a fresh perspective to both her life and her work.
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Now, the comedian opened up about how raising two children has influenced her stand-up material, her upcoming “Free Nights and Weekends Tour” and the inspiration behind her critically acclaimed film “Chasing Summer.”
Iliza Shlesinger Opens Up About Motherhood, ‘Free Nights & Weekends Tour,’ & ‘Chasing Summer’
While motherhood has become an important part of Shlesinger’s life, the 43-year-old comedian said her latest material focuses less on her children themselves and more on the experiences women share at different stages of life.
“My new hour is less about… it’s never going to be like, ‘Kids say the darndest things,'” Shlesinger explained.
Instead, she draws inspiration from navigating motherhood in her 40s, as well as the everyday challenges women face.
“It’s become my job, like a sociologist, to document my experiences as a woman going through these phases of life and sharing them,” she said, adding that her goal is not only to make audiences laugh but also to help them “feel a little less alone.”
Shlesinger hopes to bring that sense of community and connection to audiences on her upcoming “Free Nights and Weekends Tour,” which kicks off in Arizona in January 2027.
“There’s a depth to it,” she said of her current material. “The words that I’m saying now are really in an effort to share the way I’m feeling, hoping that I will be seen and that other women will feel seen.”
That focus on personal experiences also inspired “Chasing Summer,” the 2026 film Shlesinger wrote and stars in, which was inspired in large part by her upbringing in suburban Texas.
The story centers on a woman returning to her hometown, where she confronts old insecurities and reflects on the experiences that shaped her life.
The comedian described the film as a “love letter” to millennial nostalgia, recalling how meaningful its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival was for her career.
“Getting into Sundance … that was surreal because I was like, oh, I didn’t realize that that was an option available to someone like me,” she said.
Despite her success, Shlesinger said she has yet to experience a definitive “I made it” moment and remains determined to pursue new creative opportunities.
“I have three scripts sitting open on my desktop,” she revealed. “Everybody says they want to make a comedy with women,” she added. “It’s very hard to get people to do it, and I don’t stop.”
Iliza Shlesinger Talks Pampers Partnership & Realities of Parenting
Shlesinger’s ability to find humor in the everyday frustrations of parenting is also at the center of her latest partnership with Pampers.
The comedian teamed up with the popular baby care brand for a new campaign highlighting an improved wipes dispensing experience designed to address the “multi-wipe pull,” a common frustration among parents who reach for a single wipe only to pull out several at once.
“I thought they were supposed to come out like a bunch at once,” she recalled. “Like, I thought that was just a problem that they did that and like people just lived with it.”
As a mother and longtime Pampers user, Shlesinger said she was impressed to learn the company had addressed the issue after receiving feedback from parents.
“As an outspoken woman and as a frustrated consumer and as a mom, I was like, that’s incredible that this company listened,” she said.
Beyond the multi-wipe pull, Shlesinger admitted that parenting comes with plenty of other unexpected challenges, including assembling children’s furniture with your partner.
“Nothing will test your marriage more than putting together like a German baby stroller,” she joked.
The comedian also shared one parenting strategy she has found particularly useful: giving young children what she described as the “illusion of choice.”
“Giving them the option of A or B, but they both lead to the same thing, is incredibly helpful,” she explained.
While parenting has brought its share of surprises, Shlesinger said those experiences have also given her a fresh perspective both onstage and off.
And with more stand-up dates and creative projects on the horizon, she said she’s excited for what’s next.
“I’ve got movies, we’ve got shows, and we’re gonna make them happen,” she said.
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Iliza Shlesinger Gets Candid About Motherhood in Her 40s, New Film ‘Chasing Summer’ & Upcoming Comedy Tour (Exclusive)