Brandi Brown ʼ00 is a comedian, writer and freelance strategist based in Minneapolis. In January, she opened for Josh Johnson's sold out shows at the Pantages Theatre. A Minnesota State Fair aficionado, she has won several crop art ribbons.
Q: What is the best gift you have been given?
A: Finding out last month that I have exercise-induced asthma. I need all my former Blake teammates to know I would've been way better at sports had I been getting enough oxygen.
Q: What piece of advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
A: I don't think 16-year-old me would listen to a time-traveling me. Also, anything I told her would probably freak her out and cause more problems.
Q: Is there anything you wish would come back into fashion?
A: The U.S. Constitution, human rights and Rollerblading (RIP Rollerdome)
Q: What is the best prank you've experienced or planned?
A: I can't think of a specific prank, but it was probably a prank Tyler Deans ʼ00 pulled off. One of the best pranksters to ever do it!
Q: If you could take one prop from any movie set, what would it be?
A: I would like a Blake hockey jersey from “The Mighty Ducks 3.” If anyone has a lead on getting one (cheap or free), please let me know.
Q: What is your favorite travel hack?
A: When getting picked up from the airport at departures instead of arrivals is the one I use.
The favorite one I have HEARD is from a sound engineer who used to put an empty track and field starter pistol in his luggage and then declare the gun. Because the airline is NOT going to lose track of that.
Q: Would you rather explore a new planet or the deepest parts of the ocean and why?
A: Neither. Whatever is happening up or down there is none of my business!
Q: What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
A: When I was a baby, I somehow ended up on stage at a Diana Ross concert singing along to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." I don't remember this, but it's a good enough story that I'm willing to rank it #1.
Q: What teacher inspired you the most? How?
A: So many: Yvonne Robinson and Elaine Swanson in elementary school. Judy-Ann Erlich in Middle School. Marie Michael, Chuck Ritchie and Rod Anderson (RIP) in Upper School. I'm certainly missing teachers. I had a really great experience at Blake.
Q: What’s your dream job?
A: In my dreams I don't grind.
Q: What day in your life would you like to relive?
A: Earlier this summer I took a guy on a date to see the Lynx in the Commissioner's Cup Championship. Great date and great guy, but the Lynx lost and halftime-show-legend Red Panda, a unicyclist, fell off her bike and broke her wrist. Anyway, I'd go back to that day to tell Red Panda her unicycle's pedals were damaged and she shouldn't get on it.
Q: If your pet could talk, what would they say?
A: "My human made me sign an NDA. I'm hungry."
Q: It has been said that everyone gets 15 minutes of fame. What happened during your 15 minutes?
A: I wrote an article for the sports/culture site Defector about Senator Amy Klobuchar refusing to say the Minnesota State Fair is better than the Iowa State Fair, even though every other Minnesota politician said it was better. It became a whole thing and eventually, years later, she issued a statement saying the Minnesota State Fair was better. Because it is. Obviously.
Q: What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?
A: "I wish my cat would learn to read a clock and stop yelling at me about breakfast this early."
Q: I was once mistaken for…
A: I've lost track of the number of times I've been mistaken for another black woman at various companies I've worked for.