‘Mormon and the Meth Head’ comedians bring odd-couple show to Olympia

Comedians Jessa Reed and Aaron Woodall — she a former methamphetamine addict, he raised Mormon — sound on the surface like an exceedingly odd couple.

But the duo, performing Thursday in Olympia, are partners in podcasting and life, united by their experiences leaving a subculture and entering the mainstream.

“We got fascinated by the parallels,” Woodall of Salt Lake City told The Olympian.

“We were rejoining society but in a completely different way,” said Reed, who lives in Los Angeles. “The example we use is, I spent my first year getting my drivers license back and looking for my first job, and he spent his first year drinking his first beer.”

“And my first coffee,” Woodall added. “And I saw an R-rated movie.”

In their popular podcast “Mormon and the Meth-Head” (sample tagline: “He’s high on life. She’s high on everything else.”), the two talk frankly about their experiences, emotions and ideas. Subjects range from Mormon underwear to the nature of consciousness.

It’s funny but not just funny. “I call it the funniest podcast about trauma,” Reed said.

“Jessa and I are really interested in talking about things that matter,” Woodall said. “We are really interested in having those deep fundamental conversations about dark issues that people tend to shy away from. We’re trying to create a space where it is OK to talk about those things.

“We are comedians because that’s how we cope with everything in our life. When we are in the middle of a serious topic, we usually do crack some jokes.”

The two take the same raw and autobiographical approach when doing stand-up, as they will at the Octapas Cafe in downtown Olympia.

Olympia comedian Sam Miller, host and producer for the local show, also is known for his frankly authentic style — and for his willingness to talk about his past drug addiction. In fact, that’s how he first heard about Reed. (He and Woodall had previously met at a comedy show.)

“She did a Comedy Central thing, and I swear, like, 15 people sent me the link: ‘She’s talking about methamphetamines,’ ” Miller told The Olympian. “Because I do that all the time.”

That number is perhaps less surprising if you consider the size of “Mormon’s” audience — some episodes have been downloaded 60,000 times — and the duo’s resulting comedy success.

“They’re really blowing up,” Miller said. “This is the biggest show that I’ve had a part in producing.”

“This is the first time in either of our careers where we really have our own fan base,” Woodall said. “We’re the draw.

“In June, we put on a last-minute show in Salt Lake City on a Thursday night,” he said. “We weren’t expecting much, and we had like 200 people show up with just one announcement on our podcast. It was exhilarating.”

Jessa Reed and Aaron Woodall

Reed and Woodall, co-hosts of the popular podcast “Mormon and the Meth-Head,” bring their stand-up acts to Olympia. Local favorite Sam Miller hosts.

When: 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6

Where: Octapas Cafe, 414 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia

Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door

More information: 360-878-9333, eventbrite.com/e/jessa-reed-and-aaron-woodall-tickets-49054408055?aff=efbeventtix, octapascafe.com

‘Mormon and the Meth-Head’: matm.fireside.fm/

This story was originally published August 29, 2018 at 12:48 PM.