Camirin Farmer On The Intersection Of Astrology & Comedy
The performer & astrologer TALKTALKTALKS channeling God on mushrooms & screaming into the void
My first time seeing Camirin perform they were playing the role of Saturn with Planets Planets Planets. For the uninitiated, Planets are an LA clown troupe, directed by Blair Bogin, that act out the astrological chart of the moment. It’s funny. It’s absurd. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever experienced to an Orphic rite.
Over the course of the evening, I came to experience the cosmos as the living, breathing, force I’ve always known it to be intellectually. Camirin’s dramatic portrayal of astrology’s greater malefic blew apart my dusty archetypes, revealing new ways to relate to the cold and distant god.
The second time I saw Camirin perform was during their one person show, God Vessel, an event that I’ll describe as clown church. Although trying to describe what went on in that small, dimly lit, performance space in Altadena would be like trying to describe what transpired in the cave of Asclepius. Was it all a dream? Some things can only be experienced first hand.
But I will say this: there was singing and clapping and inspired laughter and, somehow, I left in the sort of faint tears that, over the course of the day, slowly evolved into deep, guttural sobs, right before sleep.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Camirin’s work has changed my relationship to both astrology and comedy. Which is why this interview, and the podcast we recorded, are very special to me.
Vivi Henriette: How do you introduce yourself at parties? Which is to say, how do you answer my least favorite question: What do you do?
Camirin Farmer: Oh man, yeah a tough one right off the bat! I’ll be honest, I normally leave the introductions to a friend who’s with me, if that’s possible; I think that’s my preferred way. And normally they’ll say something about me being a performer or a comic. If it’s just me, I stay along those lines, and if I’m feeling more insecure in that moment, I’ll also add that I’m a professor. Which is true. If I feel like they’re keen to it, I’ll mention I’m an astrologer, but a baby one.
I think when I was younger, lots of Los Angeles just didn’t feel accessible to me, and the parts that were felt like they lacked depth, or were just a sheen.
Vh: You grew up in Los Angeles, but you say you got your roots in the Baltimore comedy scene. What did Baltimore have to offer that you couldn’t find in LA?
CF: I moved to right outside of Baltimore for college; when I was looking for a school I wanted to get as far away from LA as possible. I didn’t like LA at all growing up; it felt like a really false place, and being a (pretty sheltered) kid, I wasn’t really able to explore the city that much. I think it’s strange living your life on essentially a film set. I think really what drew me to Baltimore immediately was my alma mater, but once I was in the city it became clear that it was not a false place in any way, shape, or form.
Baltimore is authentically itself, for better or worse, and also is a city that truly loves all parts of itself. There is so much joy there, so much pride. And it really feels like an art driven city; there is art everywhere, artists everywhere. Collaboration everywhere, community everywhere. And it makes itself accessible to explore. I think when I was younger, lots of Los Angeles just didn’t feel accessible to me, and the parts that were felt like they lacked depth, or were just a sheen. I just wanted to be somewhere that didn’t hide it’s “underbelly,” that embraced itself fully and wholly, and Baltimore is that.
Vh: Why did you return to LA?
CF: I came back really purely for comedy. I think when I started pursuing comedy, I really attacked it fully, and after a year in I wanted to jump into a bigger pool, one that I probably wasn’t ready for. I wanted the challenge. I was debating between New York, and LA, and figured since my family was out here in LA it would make the most sense to live at home for a little bit, and save money. So I did that. Also, I was friends/in love with someone in Baltimore, (who later became my spouse), who had always wanted to eventually move to LA so I figured if I went back home, maybe eventually he would join me, which he did. I was pretty miserable my first year back; LA is vast, and can be lonely. But I think slowly more, and more communities, (primarily comedy ones), opened themselves up to me, and the longer I’ve been here, the more I love it. I can appreciate the gorgeous nuances of the city, because I have the accessibility, and the communities.
Vh: In our podcast recording, you tell this story about screaming frustrated in a bathroom when someone stops to invite you to her comedy troupe. Which I just love. Please tell me more.
CF: I was in this bar called The Club Charles, which is in the middle of the very tiny arts district. It’s pretty popular, and can get a bit rowdy, but also has plenty of seating, and booths, so you can get pretty locked into a spot, and partake in many, many beverages. There are a couple of murals on the walls. I think in the main bar it’s like a strange Mt. Olympus scene. Well in the women’s bathroom, (which is the one I normally, comfortably frequent), the mural is Hell. There are flames, and devils and pitchforks all around. That’s the mural. So I was screaming about how, “Yeah we get it. We’re all demons. We come from Hell.” Something like that. I had had a lot to drink. I only knew one person in the bathroom, but I was screaming at everyone. It was 2015, so it felt like culturally a “woman” just being loud was radical, and interesting. That’s a lot of what my early comedy was: just me being loud.
Vh: Up until that point, did you consider yourself a funny person? Or at least a professionally funny person.
CF: I definitely didn’t think of myself as professionally funny at all, but I did try, and make my friends laugh. I think a good hang for me was making my friends laugh as much as possible. But that also felt like a group effort; we would all try and make each other laugh, or react in some big way, even if that ensued in an argument. I have very passionate friends. I do think I was consistently good at making people laugh though.
Vh: I feel like funny isn’t quite the right word. I’ve seen your show God Vessel. It made me laugh and cry. If you had to choose one word to describe your comedy style, what would it be? Three words?
CF: One word: enthusiastic. Three words: chaotic and penetrative
Vh: Wanna share something about God Vessel?
CF: Before each show there is a chunk of time either the morning of, or night before, where I want to cancel it, because it feels like the most self indulgent, self important thing I could have created, and I get so embarrassed with all of the vague & lofty language that I use to describe it. I have to remind myself of the feeling that I feel afterwards, of oneness, of joy, of peace to get myself to do it. I would never lie to myself about a performance. I’m in fact very critical of my performances, So I remember the feeling, and trust that it’s a worthwhile show, and, at the end of the day, it’s not about me. I remind myself to place that part of my ego aside. The show doesn’t really work if I’m letting my ego or pride take precedent; it defeats the whole purpose.
Vh: What drives you to perform? That’s such a cliche question, but I don’t know how else to put it. What compels you to get in front of an audience and bare your soul? Ugh. More cliches. Do mushrooms help?
CF: For God Vessel, mushrooms are integral, but that’s because they are a part of the central thesis; the literal mycelium, the spiritual practice. But normally for a show, I think honestly it is just a compulsion. I’m not the first or only person who believes that we are meant to live an existence of exchange, and I think maybe the most accessible thing I can offer in exchange is storytelling, with my body, and my words. I mean it’s right there in my chart, I couldn’t deny it if I tried.
Clown is historically, and presently, predominately cis, straight, and male, and there is a different way of communicating in spaces like that that require more mental, and emotional gymnastics.
Vh: I first saw you perform in Planets, Planets, Planets. For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, what are we talking about? I imagine being in Planets being a mix of social club and group therapy. Am I onto something?
CF: Planets is a collective of femme, nonbinary, and queer clowns who perform astrological charts by personifying the planets, and their aspects to one another. I think Planets really was born because Blair Bogin wanted to create clown work that centered around personifying the planets, and transits, and reached out to members who they thought would want that. We also all have worked with most of one another in some way or shape before, so I think, yeah, wanted to find a new language of performance.
The clown community is a very curious space; there’s the impulse always for discovery, and it felt like this group was a new avenue for that. I think another major part is that we all are femme, and nonbinary, and semi queer. Clown is historically, and presently, predominately cis, straight, and male, and there is a different way of communicating in spaces like that that require more mental, and emotional gymnastics. I think there was a desire to create in a space that eliminated those gymnastics. Now there are new ways of navigating that aren’t without their challenges, but we are a collective that has committed to speak through them, and care for one another through them. I think we make an effort to make the work therapeutic, but also to remember we’re ultimately there to do work. It’s hard to focus at points though, because we are all friends, but we’re getting better at it!
Vh: What is your working definition of astrology? When you tell people you’re an astrologer, and they just look at you. What’d you tell those people?
CF: Oh boy! Living in Los Angeles definitely gives me the privilege to say that I’m an astrologer, and have it not be a big conversation. It’s definitely treated as a plausible fact. And then if someone doesn’t seem to get it, but also doesn’t ask any follow up questions, or on the inverse, begins to challenge me, I tend to hear them out, and then move on. I don’t want to defend something that it seems like someone isn’t actually interested in changing their mind about. That’s not my ministry, lol.
But when I describe astrology to those who do seem interested, I like to zoom all the way out; it is one of the oldest stories that humanity has been telling itself, using science and math, to study the behavior of these undeniable giant, planetary, celestial bodies, and that over time there have been patterns that emerge in correlation to the movement, and relationship between these bodies. And that those movements could account for something as big as famine, or war, and as small as stubbing your toe. And then I get into our natal charts, how our selves are snapshots of the sky from the moment, and the position we were in when we popped out, and that we carry that particular energy with us always. And that depending on where the planets currently are, and that they can interact with your own small planetary system, and make you feel anxious, or angry, or joy, or horny.
I mean if we get really scientific about it, we are all technically stardust; the Big Bang happened, and atoms floated around, and then began forming molecules, which began crashing into one another, and became stars, these big fiery infernos, that emit more particles that become the elements. And then those elements start forming together to create planets, and that we happened to live on a planet who had enough elements to create, and sustain life. And then that happened, and with evolution humans eventually became, and we’re just copies of the nature around us, borrowing from creation in this particular way. And so why wouldn’t we be affected by essentially ourselves, if we’re all made of the same stuff, and by ‘us’ I mean all of the stardust, all of the planets.
So astrology is also a reminder, and the truth, that humanity is not the end all be all of existence, that there are forces, much bigger than ourselves. I think by the end of the spiel, people tend to believe me, or have completely zoned out. That’s a retrograded Mercury in Leo for you.
Vh: According to the Picatrix, Saturn rules clowns. I think about that a lot. The cold severity of the jester. What do you think of this correlation?
CF: Yes, that totally makes sense to me. I think ultimately clown could be boiled down to fucking with boundary. It’s a thing you’re taught a lot in clown: what is the boundary between you, and the audience? How do you embrace that boundary? How do you challenge that boundary? Who is audience, who is performer? How can we switch places? How can we challenge hierarchy? I think having structured play is pretty integral to clown. Otherwise, you’re just someone flapping around with no point, and that’s not funny, or entertaining. That’s masturbation.
Vh: How boring was this interview on a scale of one (being the least boring) to ten (being the most boring)?
CF: One, least boring interview possible
Vh: How can people find you?
CF: You can find me on instagram at @camirinfarmer and my website camirinfarmer.com
Vh: What’s coming up?
CF: Not much, taking a big break from performing for a bit, but follow Planets on instagram @planets.planets.planets
ABOUT CAMIRIN
Camirin Farmer is an astrologer & performer from Los Angeles who got their roots in the Baltimore comedy scene. Through their stand-up comedy, writing, and acting, Camirin relays their lived experience as a black, queer, non-binary person in modern-day America in an equally direct and silly way.
ABOUT VIVI
Vivi Henriette is an and tarot reader whose collaborative approach to divination weaves in storytelling and mythology to create a container for her clients to explore their personal narrative. She’s the host of the Los Angeles Astro Salon and the podcast TALKTALKTALK.
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