hi queen

Hi Gay! Here’s how Meg Stalter got us gagging & became the queen of cringe comedy

Meg Stalter on the red carpet
LOS ANGELES – JUN 05: Megan Stalter arrives for MTV Movie TV Awards on June 05, 2022 in Santa Monica, CA

Meg Stalter is one of the hottest comedians in the U.S, starring in Emmy-winning Hacks on HBO Max and churning out viral comedy sketches (Hi, Gay!) at an astonishing pace.

The self-proclaimed “silly little freako,” who has been described as experimental, endearing, hilariously funny, and midwestern-nice, is poised to take over the big screen. She was also a 2023 Queerties nominee for best Comic.

So, how did the reigning queen of cringe comedy earn her crown? Here’s all the tea on our girl, Meg Stalter.

Meg Stalter at a glance

Megan Stalter is all over social media and kind of an open book, but it’s hard to pin down the facts about this deadpan comedian. You just never know when she’s joking. However, here are some confirmed details about this rising star.

  • Birthday: September 15, 1990
  • Height: 5’7”, per her Twitter bio
  • Nationality: American
  • Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
  • Current City: Los Angeles

How did Meg Stalter get her start?

Stalter says she’s loved performing for as long as she can remember, but she went into serious pursuit of a comedy career when she moved to Chicago in 2014. For seven years, Stalter made rent and paid for improv classes with nanny work, performing in comedy shows in her free time. She moved to New York City in 2019 and did shows every night in the alt-comedy standup scene.

Stalter was living the NYC dream when COVID hit, shuttering clubs and leaving Stalter alone in her Brooklyn apartment after her roommates left town. Out of loneliness, a need for connection and a creative outlet, she turned her full focus to social media, streaming tons of short comedic character sketches. Stalter grew into a well-known internet fave, racking up millions of views and dubbed by some “The Queen of the Quarantine.”

The crescendo of her online work was her June 2021 video series, “Hi Gay,” which went viral for its funny-cuz-it’s-true sendup of cringy commercials trying to woo the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month.

Hacks is one of Meg’s biggest hits

Stalter is probably best known for her role on “Hacks” as nepo-baby Kayla, the worst executive assistant ever. Paul W. Downs, co-creator of Hacks who plays Kayla’s boss on the show, saw Stalter’s performance at a club in L.A. and felt her comedic style would be perfect for the Kayla character.

Salter got the call to audition, which she did via a video recorded in her brother’s NYC apartment. As we know, she won the role on the show, which debuted in May 2021. It was her first ever professional acting job — according to Statler, it was literally her first time on set.

What else is she in?

Meg Stalter is the cohost of Snack vs. Chef on Netflix, and she’s the voice of fictional Hot Take host Bonnie Davis of Tooning Out the News from Paramount+.

She also appeared in the reboot of Queer as Folk, and as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Meg is literally the main character in Cora Bora

Cora Bora is an indie film by Hannah Pearl Utt that debuted on March 12 at SXSW in Austin, Texas. The movie centers around a vivacious queer musician name Cora (played by the fabulous Meg Stalter), whose romantic woes have caused her to hit the road back home. Though, as she quickly learns, it’s not just her love life that needs a makeover.

Initial reviews of the movie are glowing and prove that Meg is destined for a future of fame. Dare we say, she’s the next-gen Jennifer Coolidge?

In addition to Cora Bora, Statler’s slated to star in Church Girls, a TV series that is currently in production, and the comedy film Problemista with Julio Torres and Tilda Swinton.

Meg Stalter is bisexual

Meg Stalter is open about her bisexual identity. The comedian says she first became aware she was bisexual when she lived in Chicago and got close with a woman who also happened to have dated the same awful ex-boyfriend. What started as bonding over dismal shared experiences blossomed into a brief romance.

In November 2022, Stalter went Insta-official with girlfriend Maddie (Statler did not reveal her last name). The two are pictured canoodling and kissing over drinks with the caption “Hard Launch.” Fan reactions ranged from thrilled and supportive to heartbroken, with dashed hopes.

Closing thoughts

Meg Stalter is a shining example of social media sensation turned mainstream star, but she is so much more than that. The comedian understands the importance of representation, normalizing, and celebrating queer joy.

She says one of the things she loves most about Hacks is all the queer characters, but there still needs to be more representation in Hollywood. Stalter’s career is set to skyrocket.

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