Courtney O'Donnell just made your next favorite short film

Courtney O’Donnell is a true renaissance woman. A writer, comedian, actress, and social creative based in Los Angeles, she has sold out shows across the country. From shaping brand voices for companies like McDonald’s, Panera, and YouTube to producing and starring in her solo show Planet Courtney (featured at the New York Comedy Festival), she has built an impressive reputation in the world of comedy. Now, Courtney’s taking on a new challenge—short films.

Going Pop marks Courtney’s debut as a filmmaker with a mockumentary inspired by films like Miss Americana and Andy Samberg’s Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping. In her words: “After a ‘hot mic’ blunder tanked her career, singer-songwriter Courtney is now attempting a comeback as a raunchy pop princess. Set on the chaotic day of her latest album release, Courtney and her oddball team reintroduce her to the world.”

Dive into our conversation about the film, Courtney’s journey into comedy, and her biggest inspirations in Hollywood.

ShelfMAG: In my interview with Evan, they mentioned you—specifically how amazing your Planet Courtney show is at Union Hall. Backtracking a bit, I'd love for you to share how you got into stand-up and your favorite moment from the show.

@courtneyodonnell: I moved to New York in 2017 right after I graduated from school, and I knew I wanted to do comedy. I was like, “oh, maybe I'll be a writer,” but as I started to perform, I realized that was where my heart was. I started with improv, then stand-up, and then made my way into Brooklyn comedy, which was such a new, fresh world for me. I hadn't really known that existed. And when I did, I found so many people that inspired me and friends that I still make stuff with to this day.

ShelfMAG: How did Planet Courtney come about? What was the process of creating that show?

@courtneyodonnell: I'd been doing stand-up for a half hour at that point, but I was really looking to push myself to create an hour solo show which is really big. I felt like I was creating this little world that people stepped into when they came to my shows. There were references that people would get if they knew me—it just felt like a very specific, curated vibe. And when I was thinking of what this show could be, Planet Courtney felt like a really nice way to encapsulate that and make it feel like this larger than life show that sort of complements this larger than life persona that I have when I perform.

What's really cool is that it's sort of turned into like a way to describe things that might fit my comedy. My favorite thing is when I get a DM from someone that saw a Sweetgreen ad and they're like, “this is so Planet Courtney” or a pink Tesla drives by and they're like “the ambulances on Planet Courtney.” It's become this really fun reference point for people to connect with my show or the comedy. I'm not a graphic designer, but I love working with graphic designers who can bring this world to life, and wearing the fun costumes. Everything feels so theatrical about it.

ShelfMAG: Do you have a favorite moment from the hour long set?

@courtneyodonnell: There's been some really fun ones. Part of the show is interactive. There's three parts of the show where someone comes on stage and interacts with me. I have a part where I'm playing a waitress, a part where I'm playing a therapist, and a part where I'm playing a flight attendant. My favorite part of the show is when I get to be the flight attendant because I actually have a cart and I go through the audience and I pass out snacks and drinks. And that is really fun because I think people are really excited to actually get a snack, and I'm usually pushing people over. I'm a horrible flight attendant—that's the joke. That's probably my favorite part because I get to do 45 minutes of the show, and then go into the audience, see everyone that's there, and interact with them.

ShelfMAG: People love crowd work.

@courtneyodonnell: They do.

ShelfMAG: Going Pop—your first short film? Why a pop star?

@courtneyodonnell: When I was thinking about going back to this larger than life persona, a pop star felt like the perfect character to put that into. And I also have experience with music. I was also really inspired by music documentaries like Lady Gaga's Five Foot Two, or Taylor Swift's Miss Americana. I think that's a really fun format to spoof. And I hadn't really seen anyone do it. There was obviously amazing content about pop stars. Like Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping with Andy Samberg, but I was like “maybe I could do a version that's a little bit more focused on this female pop star.” It sort of has to do with some of the stuff that's going on now. The pop girl is so big that I felt like it was a really fun moment to tap into that.

ShelfMAG: I know that obviously among creating, making people laugh, acting. You're also a writer. Could you share some of your favorite authors, show-runners, comedians—your biggest inspirations when you're putting pen to paper?

@courtneyodonnell: Eve Babitz is one of my favorite writers, and I've been on a huge Eve Babitz kick recently because she wrote from LA and she lived up the street from me. I love her. She's so authentic. Other comedians…Natalie Palamides. She's an incredible performer out here, and I've seen both of her shows. They've just totally blown my mind. Showrunners…I have to say Lena Dunham—one of my all time favorites. Tina Fey, Julio Torres. I think Julio does an incredible job of creating such singular work and worlds that you step into. I felt that way with Fantasmas and Problemista. It sort of feels like this nice watermark on all of their work, which, as an artist, feels so cool to be able to point to something and say, “I know that Julio worked on this, or this came out of Julio's mind,” so they really inspire me. I also love Jenny Slate. I think she's an incredible author. But the work she's done with Obvious Child and Marcel the Shell…her career, to me is exemplary.

ShelfMAG: What's the last piece of media that genuinely moved you?

@courtneyodonnell: I have two answers. One is Frances Ha. I just watched that two nights ago. I’d never seen it. And I feel so lame, but the black and white literally deterred me. I was like, I want to watch something in color, but it was so incredible. I really connected with that film. It’s really interesting watching it now, being past the age that that character was written for—27. I'm 54, by the way. Getting to see this part of my life that I really connected to but have kind of moved past was really cool.

And then I think it was on my Shelf too, but Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte. It's incredible. I read that a couple months ago, but it's a book that just had me laughing out loud in a way that books never do. The book is disgusting and weird and crazy, but it's such a feat to me, and was a way to write about the modern age in a way that felt really timeless. Those are two that have stuck with me.

ShelfMAG: If you could stalk any person's Shelf, dead or living, who would it be?

@courtneyodonnell: I kind of want to say an answer that I've already said. Jenny Slate.

ShelfMAG: That's a good one. I would love to see her Shelf.

@courtneyodonnell: I think she probably has some incredibly beautiful books and music that she listens to. But then she's probably also watching House Hunters. I want to know what she's like doing.

ShelfMAG: I feel like I see her watching Hunting Wives.

@courtneyodonnell: She's totally watching Hunting Wives. She's watching The Summer I Turned Pretty.

ShelfMAG: Oh, for sure. She's probably Team Conrad.

@courtneyodonnell: Totally Team Conrad. For sure.

ShelfMAG: What item would you consider a red flag if you saw it on someone’s Shelf?

@courtneyodonnell: If it was a guy—a straight man—and I saw Infinite Jest, I would literally report it. I'd be like, “you're not reading that book—stop lying to me.”

ShelfMAG: Conversely, what would you consider a green flag if you saw it on someone's Shelf?

@courtneyodonnell: I think it's cool when people aren't afraid to put popular music on there. If you're listening to Sabrina Carpenter's “Man Child”, wear it proudly. I think that's awesome. I was like, everyone's gonna say that they're listening to Audrey Hobert, I don't want to [put that on my Shelf], but that's what I'm listening to, and that's what I'm loving. I think it’s really cool to demystify that and love what you love.

ShelfMAG: Amen. Final question, what item on your Shelf is most likely to stay there forever?

@courtneyodonnell: PEN15. That's something that I'll never grow tired of. If I was a Girl Scout and there were pins for the things you liked on Shelf, that would be my pin. It's so much heart and so much joy in that show. I think both Maya and Anna are so funny.

Curious about what else Courtney is into? Get real-time updates at shelf.im/courtneyodonnell