Comedy is not an easy skill to master, although D’yan Forest makes it seem effortless. Using a combination of music and jokes, her shows are compelling for her audiences and an absolute pleasure to watch.                       

Born on July 31st, 1934, in Newton, Massachusetts, she lived a fairly traditional life as a stay-at-home wife, but she dreamed of something more. In the end, she divorced her husband and moved to Paris, and the “City of Love” helped form her comedic talents. There, she learned to incorporate satire and storytelling into comedy, and her life is still an integral part of many of her routines today. Her most recent performances featured stories from her experiences in sex clubs and swinger scenes in France. Forest took advantage of her time abroad, performing in countries such as Scotland and Ethiopia.                                                                       

In 1966, she made her way back to the US. In New York City, Forest was quickly recognized for her many talents. In Manhattan, she put on electric performances at Gotham Comedy Club, The Broadway Comedy Club, Le Poisson Rouge and countless others. One of her one-woman shows, I Married a Nun, kept audiences laughing as she told the story of when she explored bisexuality with an ex-nun. Her experimentation with women was long before the legalization of gay marriage, which shows her courage in standing up for what she believes in. Forest has paved the way for comedians of any identity and encourages her fans to embrace their most authentic selves. She also emphasizes that her supporters remember that comedy can be whatever they make it to be. 

This performance also featured her now signature ukulele songs, properly shocking the city due to its unconventional and innovative nature. Her show Swinging on the Seine After Dark comically toys with gender norms, as she tells playful anecdotes about her younger self and her move from Boston to Paris with hopes of making it big in the cabaret scene.

Forest has also been featured on a variety of talk shows, such as Saturday Night Live, The Drew Barrymore Show, Time Out New York, The Guardian and New York Live, where she has continued to showcase her innate abilities and serve as inspiration for the new generation of comedians. She has shared the stage with comedy legends such as Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan and Joan Rivers.                                                                                

In February 2021, Forest wrote and published her book I Did It my Ways, which homes in on how she made her own rules in the world. Her book shares insights into the many lives she has lived, from being a stay-at-home housewife in Boston to being a swinger in Paris, and how those experiences shaped how she perceives both comedy and the world at large. 

Currently holding the Guinness World Records title for the Oldest Working Female Comedian at 89 years old, Forest is still performing comedy skits and musical productions– and has no intentions of stopping anytime soon. 

Published by: Nelly Chavez