Michelle Buteau Is ‘Too Cute to Be Mad’
The comedian discusses her memoir, ‘Survival of The Thickest’
Talking to Michelle Buteau is like talking to a longtime friend. Watching her onscreen, Buteau radiates a warmth that hums alongside her comedic performances. And offscreen, she exudes the same energy. Buteau and I connected via Zoom just two days after the U.S. election, and Buteau, with her signature grin, tells me she celebrated by buying a bottle of prosecco from a nearby gas station.
These days, Buteau has much to celebrate. Her stand-up special, Welcome to Buteaupia is streaming on Netflix and she’s recently starred in BET’s First Wives Club, and Netflix’s Always Be My Maybe. She also hosted season one of the reality competition show, The Circle.
Now Buteau is stepping into new territory with her literary debut, Survival of the Thickest (Simon and Schuster) out December 8. The memoir delves into the comedian’s childhood and her start in stand-up comedy. Buteau also writes about dating in New York, landing her first television role, and often being the only Black woman in the room. She also gets honest about her journey to motherhood and the chaotic joy of raising twins. For now, Buteau not only seems to be doing it all, but she’s having a damn good time doing it.
