Geneva Nodland
Not-Your-Grandma's-Favorite Comedian
Bethany’s Audience Member Do’s & Don’ts
Do: Laugh loudly and often.
Dont: Be that person who shouts out answers to rhetorical questions—just don’t.
Comedy can be a refuge, a stage where your authentic self and crafted persona can come together under the spotlight. For some, it’s a lifelong pursuit, but for Bethany Abeln, it’s a passion that sparked just a year ago. What began as a casual attempt has become a new chapter in her already busy life. With her background in bodybuilding, design, and running her own business, she brings a unique kind of energy to Fargo’s comedy scene, all while embracing the exhilarating unpredictability of stand-up.
Bethany is a wearer of many hats. Along with comedian, she is a retired bodybuilder, entrepreneur, and business owner. She designs, sews, and sells bodybuilding suits.
Because of this, Bethany is no stranger to being on stage. As a bodybuilder, she’s been judged under the bright lights, posing in front of large crowds—which she said has helped her with the nerves that come with live comedy.
“I can bounce back pretty quick since I was a bodybuilder, I’m pretty mentally tough from that,” she said. “For me, being on stage in front of people isn’t that intimidating, because I’ve been on stage pretty much naked in front of people.”
Although, comedy is a different kind of performance, it didn’t take long for Bethany to feel the draw of making people laugh.
“I loved comedies as a kid. I was obsessed with ‘I Love Lucy.’ I would watch whatever stand-up was on HBO, Comedy Central, or whatever I could get away with watching at the time. In college, I watched him stand up, I liked podcasts, and then about five years ago, when I watched ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,’ that inspired me to actually start writing bits.”
The First Open Mic
Bethany’s first time on stage was a step into the unknown just as much as it was a leap of faith in herself.
“I had my bits prepared, I was supposed to only go for three minutes, and I looked at the clock, it was six minutes. I had just gone up, and I don’t remember what I said—I blacked out. I remember some people laughed,” Bethany said. “It was so nerve-wracking, I was nervous to the point where I don’t really remember it.”
That first open mic, though anxiety-inducing, didn’t discourage her. After listening to the audio back later, she realized how much she wanted to keep doing this, hearing what worked and what didn’t, and finding motivation by picking out what she could “fix” or “make it better.”
Like many comics, Bethany found herself hooked on the chase or breakdown of refining jokes, testing new material, and making incremental improvements. And the best way to do that is to get on stage and do it.
“If I want to be a better comic, but I get tired of going to open mics, I’m never going to become a better comic… I think, well, even if I don’t have the best new joke yet, maybe I just need to go there and ramble into a microphone for a minute, and something will come out. It doesn’t always happen. But I’m like, Hey, I still showed up,” Bethany said.
What's So Funny?
Bethany’s comedy style is personal, grounded in reallife stories, and infused with just a touch of dark humor.
“I’m definitely not your grandma’s favorite comic,” she said. “I talk about things from my whole life, things from my childhood to now. As far as inspiration— anything and everything. Just the other day, I saw a billboard that made me laugh, and I thought, how can I turn that into a bit? I’m still pretty fresh at it all, so sometimes I have to realize just because it was really funny in my head or when I said it in the kitchen doesn’t mean it’s funny on stage.” Bethany reminds herself that just because no one laughed today doesn’t mean that they’re not going to laugh next time. She has learned resiliency in this aspect. Another key to Bethany’s comedy is reliability, she doesn’t shy away from the gritty or the awkward and even embraces the unexpected turns of life in her comedy
A lot of what she brings to her sets are everyday things that people can relate to, but maybe don’t talk about. Her jokes may walk a fine line, but they come from a place of authenticity.
While she may be still figuring it all out, she’s staying true to who she is. For Bethany, that’s where the fun is—being herself, but with a mic.
The Long Game
Bethany’s comedy career may still be in its early stages, but she’s already made significant strides. In addition to regular performances at The Cellar, she recently had an unexpected opportunity that launched her to a new level. She received an Instagram DM from national comedian Nikki Glaser. She asked Bethany to open for her in New Town, ND. And while she thought it was a scam at first, it was real. And earlier this summer, Bethany opened for the comic.
Opening for a well-known comic in front of thousands of people was a surreal experience for Bethany. The show was the biggest crowd she’d performed in front of to date—around 3,000 people. Nikki gave Bethany a few extra minutes of stage time and told her that she’d found her through a few clips on Bethany’s Instagram.
This was a huge opportunity for Bethany. And not one to be taken lightly, all things considered. The fact that she, among more women of various ages, backgrounds, and experience levels, are weekly performer on The Cellar’s comedy stage is a feat and something the FM area should be proud of.
“Comedy is a male-dominated industry. It is. You can’t deny it,” Bethany said. “The first time I came to The Cellar when I walked in, it was mostly dudes. I think the first night I went, there was one female… but I come from the gym world, so I’ve been around dudes. I thought, how would I act if I was walking to the gym? Either I put my headphones on and ignore them, or I’m like, well, we’re all here to work—it’s the same thing with comedy. We’re all here to have fun. That helped me.”
With just about one year of stand-up under her belt, Bethany is focused on gaining more experience, specifically in different venues outside of the FM area. Because her main focus right now—learn, learn, learn.
“I’m looking forward to just doing more shows around North Dakota in general. I’ve talked to some people in Bismarck about doing a show, and maybe Minot. We’re doing some shows in Casselton and Mapleton, ND, coming up; because I haven’t done comedy outside of Fargo. New Town was my first road gig. I just want to get more experience in front of more crowds and different venues, and then in time travel outside North Dakota,” she said.
Though she’s ambitious about expanding her comedy, Bethany remains grounded in the joy of the journey. Right now, the goal isn’t fame or fortune, but experience and personal expansion—and that’s enough for Bethany.
Upcoming Shows
Breast Cancer Awareness Comedy Show @ Icewind Brewing, Mapleton, ND – Oct 19
Comedy Showcase The Cellar – Nov 30
Q&A with Bethany
Q: Pre-show rituals?
A: “Every time I drive to where I’m going, I listen to the song ‘Inside Out’ by Eve 6. I don’t know, it’s a good jam and it gets me in a good mood. And, I write my whole set out in my comedy notebook.”
Q: What isn’t funny?
A: “Parallel parking.”
Learn more about Bethany and her business, and watch out for announcements on her next performance in town!
Instagram | @bethanyabeln
