PowerPoint, Panic, and Punchlines: Emmy award winning Bryan Safi brings “Are You Mad At Me??” To The Edinburgh Fringe

Comedian Bryan Safi brings his confessional, chaotic, and deeply funny solo show Are You Mad At Me? to the Edinburgh Fringe after sold-out runs in LA and New York. Part stand-up, part therapy session, part karaoke night hosted by your most over-sharing friend, the show dives into childhood shame, adult intimacy issues, and Paula Abdul.

We caught up with Bryan to find out what audiences can expect.

For anyone who hasn’t seen you perform live, what kind of experience can they

expect from Are You Mad At Me??

They can expect a gay panic attack in the form of a confessional comedy special with PowerPoint. It’s deeply personal, but very stupid! Think therapy meets karaoke, but your therapist is wearing panty shorts. It’s a mix of storytelling, stand-up, character work, and full spirals. I basically process my entire emotional life in front of you - but in a way that hopefully makes you feel less alone (and also superior).

What was the starting point for Are You Mad At Me??

The phrase “Are you mad at me?” is something I say constantly - to friends,

strangers, the guy at the coffee shop who gave me the wrong order. It’s this chronic

need for reassurance that’s followed me from childhood to now. I realized that this

question is at the root of a lot of the people-pleasing and shame I carry - so I wrote a show about it! Because what else do you do with unresolved trauma? You make it

entertainment, obviously.

The show navigates everything from childhood shame to adult intimacy issues - all

with humour and honesty. Was it challenging to bring that emotional depth into a live setting?

I didn’t know where else to put it! My therapist is exhausted by me. But, honestly, yes. I’d written versions of a lot of these stories for years but saying them live - with real people reacting - made it feel very raw. But also kind of freeing? Once I stopped trying to be polished and just leaned into the chaos of it all, it started to click. Plus, nothing takes the sting out of childhood shame like yelling about it onstage with a PowerPoint slide titled “Flirt Wildly.”

After sold out runs in LA and New York, what drew you to bring the show to Fringe?

I wanted to bring the show somewhere where I’d be forced to compete with 14,000 other shows. Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to do Fringe. I love the energy, the risk, the weirdness. Plus, it’s such a great way to share the show with a whole new audience who hopefully will either love it… or at least be too polite to walk out.

Paula Abdul makes an appearance in the show. Can you tell us a bit more about

this?

Absolutely. The show opens with a torch song version of “Cold Hearted Snake,” which is how all emotional breakthroughs should begin, in my opinion. That song becomes a kind of unexpected mirror for a moment of betrayal I talk about - and it just spirals from there. It’s ridiculous and sincere. Like wedding vows.

What do you hope audiences walk away thinking, feeling – or maybe questioning?

I hope they feel seen. I hope they feel like they laughed really hard and maybe accidentally felt a feeling or two along the way. And I hope they question why we’re all so afraid of being too much or too needy or too honest. Also, I hope they leave thinking, “He deserves a mustard dish.” (That’ll make sense when you see the show.)

Bryan Safi will perform Are You Mad At Me?? At Underbelly Bristo Square

Friesian from 20th July to 24th August. Tickets available HERE.