Novato writer gets personal in ‘selfie’ comic strip
Jenny Jedeikin shares her mishaps and adventures through Just Living Jenny, her "selfie" comic strip on Substack.
Jenny Jedeikin is not afraid to get personal. Whether it’s on stage as a stand-up comedian or in her writing, the Novato resident has long given a glimpse of her life behind the curtain, sharing her parents’ relationship, dining with a childhood friend the night before they died, and her mom’s support after she came out as gay in mid-life and divorced her then-husband.
Although she spends most of her time writing for other people, including a past stint as a segment producer for Jon Stewart’s MTV show, she continues to share her own mishaps and adventures through Just Living Jenny, her “selfie” comic strip on Substack (jennyjed.substack.com) highlighting snapshots of her life, from dating, time with her father and two children, dealing with the pandemic and “the complexities of modern life” — while finding the humor in it all.
Jedeikin, whose column in Rolling Stone was the first to give national exposure to topics as Generation X and body piercing, will teach how to create “selfie” comic strips next week at Book Passage in Corte Madera. To register, go to bookpassage.com/event/class-jenny-jedeikin-learn-create-your-own-selfie-comic-strip-no-drawing-involved.
Q When did your interests in comics begin?
A I grew up in San Anselmo and collected comics with my brother. He collected Marvel and I preferred Harvey Comics, Richie Rich, Little Lotta and Archie Comics. We could walk to downtown San Anselmo and buy comics when we were kids. I’ve always liked that form of expression, but I was never someone who drew so I thought it was out of reach to do comics. But, I was always a writer, and that’s the direction I went in. I really learned to write in NYC in the trenches of NYC magazines. I was lucky enough to land my own regular writing gig at age 26 at Rolling Stone magazine, pre-internet. That was a good teacher.
Q How did you find out about this style?
A I found out the software exists and I sent out my comic. I didn’t know if I would be considered a real comic strip artist, but a woman in New York started putting it in her magazine, so right away, I felt like I’m doing this. That publication folded, but it gave me enough confidence to keep going and see what happens. The idea of doing a comic came later, in my 50s. I feel like it’s an amazing way to express yourself and it can be really healing to put yourself out there. I don’t see many people doing what I do with these comic strips. And now I’m also doing comic strips for a tech company, having the CEO talking to his employees.
Q What was your first comic?
A About my ex losing his job. I met my ex-husband while doing stand-up comedy in NYC. We were both stand-up comics, and having comedy as a foundation is what I believe allowed us to become friends after we divorced years later.
Q What drives you to be so open in your work?
A Being a stand-up comic, you do expose yourself. I also grew up in Marin, my mom was counterculture, so we sort of had an open communication style. My mom was a spiritual seeker. She sent us to self-help retreats when we were children, things like that. We definitely had an unusual upbringing. Also, I am driven to communicate and the healing process that ultimately comes from that. My mom died from ALS, which was awful, in 2006 and then I started to write a lot about that. That’s my healing form, to write and to share.
Q Does creating comics feel different than your other work?
A It’s so revealing because I am actually putting myself in the comic — how I look, the people who I am talking to — and they can really see me as I am going through things. One of the most revealing ones I did was when I was dating a woman. I was so insecure about how much money I made in the Bay compared to her. I tell her how much I have. I didn’t take pictures at the time, but I told her, “Look I am doing this comic strip about us, and I want to take pictures,” and I took pictures of her. You’re so vulnerable and I like the idea of totally exposing my fears for some reason. I find it interesting to just put it out there.