All Photos: Alan Mercer
She made her national TV debut a little over a week ago when she appeared on the NBC Today Show. She left hosts Matt Lauer, Al Roker and all the others laughing out loud at her ‘inappropriate material.’ In the past month, ten year old Saffron Herndon has gained quite a following with the viral videos of her stand-up act. Yes you read that right; Saffron already has two years of experience on stage and she writes her own material. Some say she is well beyond her age.
Saffron has several comedy festivals under her belt including Gilda’s Laughfest in Grand Rapids, Dallas Comedy Festival and Austin’s Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. Saffron has also competed as a semifinalist in the 2014 Funniest Comic in Texas as well placing runner up in the 2014 East Texas Comedy Festival. She is on her way to make her Los Angeles debut this week.
Saffron has grown up in comedy clubs thanks to her stand-up comedian father Steve. After years of begging him to let her give it a try, he relented and Saffy (named after a character on the British comedy, Absolutely Fabulous) began making the open mic circuit. Her father is on hand of course to make sure the clubs are clean and covers her ears if any of the other comedians’ jokes are too unsavory for a 10-year-old.
She is being courted by TV stations like NBC, Fox, and TBS who have all reached out to try and land deals with her. An increasing number of comedy fans have been exposed to Saffron's routine. Outlets like BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post have featured her story and several memes created by her father have become popular on Reddit.com. Her comedy heroes include Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Phyllis Diller.
I met with Saffron, her father, Steve Herndon and Amanda Austin, the manager of the Dallas Comedy House in Deep Ellum for our photo session and conversation.
AM: Saffron! I’m so excited you just returned from doing the Today Show! How did you get invited on there?
SH: What happened was my Dad put me on Reddit and I got “reddit famous” so people started asking me for interviews. Then I did some Buzzfeed which is pretty cool. I guess the producers saw everything that was going on so they asked me if I wanted to be on the show. It’s New York and the Today Show so I said, “Of course!” Is that what you think Dad?
Steve H: Yes, it’s pretty much what she said. Reddit really started it all. From there she started getting personal interview requests. Then boom! All of a sudden we start hearing from all these television shows.
AM: Saffron, do you feel any kind of a pressure to stay funny?
SH: I don’t feel pressure to because I know I will.
AM: Where did you get all your self-confidence? Was it encouraging parents?
SH: My parents are encouraging. Lots of people are encouraging. I think I was just born with my confidence. I have been helped with my confidence by these two very nice people (her father Steve and Amanda Austin). People are so nice.
AM: Amanda do you feel like you’ve played a part in developing Saffy’s talent?
Amanda A: Oh no, I just let her perform here at the Dallas Comedy House.
Steve H: Amanda is a very big supporter of Saffy.
AM: Well letting her perform here is a big support!
Amanda A: She’s been doing stand-up here since she started two years ago and it’s crazy to see how much she has improved in two years. It’s tremendous as we are actually watching her grow up.
AM: You are obviously very intelligent Saffron. Do you get good grades in school?
SH: Yes, I try.
AM: Do you see getting an education as important?
SH: I do believe education is pretty important. If you don’t know how to divide and you have to divide in order to get past a monster or if you could save the world by doing division, what would you do? Say, "Sorry I can't save you because I didn’t go to school."
AM: You make a good point there.
SH: I think it’s important and I keep up, but school has always been easy for me. At school you do... the... same... thing... every... single... day.
AM: You make a good point there.
SH: I think it’s important and I keep up, but school has always been easy for me. At school you do... the... same... thing... every... single... day.
AM: What do you say to the naysayers who think you do not write all your material?
SH: Well if my dad wrote my jokes, I’d be on stage talking about how my marriage is a sham! (laughter)
AM: Do you sit and try to come up with topics?
SH: If you just sit down and try to come up with ideas there’s not usually something you can write about. You can’t really write like that. It usually comes spontaneously. Then you look for different ways that you can turn it into a joke.
AM: What is your goal with stand-up?
SH: I want to be on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ That’s what I want to do! Also I have an autobiography that I haven’t come up with a name yet, but it will have something to do with a unicorn.
AM: Do people ever concern themselves with the fact that you are a child in an adult world?
SH: People do think that and some people say it. I just ignore them because I am OK with all of it. I am used to coming in and sitting at the bar. Nothing really bothers me.
AM: Wow! That's a real blessing!
SH: It doesn’t bother me when people say anything like that because I am the one making my dreams come true. They are the ones heckling a ten year old!
AM: Wow! That's a real blessing!
SH: It doesn’t bother me when people say anything like that because I am the one making my dreams come true. They are the ones heckling a ten year old!
Saffron and Steve Herndon