A pandemic-induced pause gave her more time to refine her voice
By Nick Zaino III Globe correspondent, Updated January 9, 2025
Three years can be an eternity for a comedian. Take Mary Beth Barone, for example. She arrives at Laugh Boston Sunday night at the top of her game for two shows, one of which is sold out, on her Pillow Talk Tour. In 2024, she released her debut special, “Thought Provoking,” on YouTube and landed her first leading role in a feature film in “Sugar Baby.” She also appeared on “The Tonight Show” for the second time.
Barone made her “Tonight Show” debut in 2021, and comparing the two appearances, it’s easy to see how razor thin the margins can be between being a good comedian and a polished comedian who has come into her own voice. There were hints of her potential in the debut set. Like when she riffed on people telling her she would change her mind about not wanting kids.
“If you never have kids, you’ll never know what it’s like to love someone more than you love yourself,” she said, repeating the mantra she has been hit with by family and friends. “And I was like, ‘No, that’s exactly my point.’ That would be ideal, actually.”