Katie Novotny Brings Her Midwest Humor and Catholic Guilt to Her First Comedy Special Son Of Your Dreams

Comedian and University of Missouri alumna Katie Novotny recently filmed her debut comedy special Son Of Your Dreams at the Flyover Comedy Festival in St. Louis on Nov. 15. The half-hour set focuses on her Midwestern upbringing, her Catholic childhood, and the complicated relationship she has with her father.

Novotny originally enrolled in the Missouri School of Journalism before switching to advertising, graduating in 2011. After college, she moved to Denver for an advertising job and eventually signed up for improv classes, which her agency ended up paying for because of how much the training improved her presentation and communication skills.

She credits improv with helping her gain confidence and stand out in her professional life. Novotny says improv was the “training wheels,” while stand-up forced her to fully be herself from the moment she stepped on stage.

A few years later, she moved back to Chicago, where she continued performing improv and sketch at major comedy institutions like Second City and iO Theater. These stages helped her strengthen her comedic voice and learn how to stand firm in her opinions.

Novotny frequently describes herself as a Midwest tomboy. Growing up in Illinois, her father raised her and her sister “as boys,” even though they also had a brother, teaching them how to throw a football and hang a photo. She jokes that “a lot of men get me because I am half-man,” a sentiment that appears often in her special.

Catholicism is another major theme in Son Of Your Dreams, which is fitting because St. Louis has a large Catholic population similar to Chicago. Novotny explores Catholic guilt, the pressure to uphold moral standards, and the anxiety that comes with constantly questioning whether ordinary actions are sinful.

Her relationship with dating also appears throughout the special. She ties much of her romantic hesitation and awkwardness to growing up in a household filled with rules and expectations about morality. She jokes in the special that these influences are “the real reason I’m single.”

Novotny often uses her uncomfortable childhood experiences to build relatability with audiences. Her 2015 web series Guilty, available through her creative projects, examines what it’s like being a young Catholic woman in the Midwest. It highlights the shame and embarrassment many young Catholics, especially women, often carry.

After Chicago, Novotny moved to Los Angeles but found the city’s bubble difficult to adjust to. She said that growing up in a place with mixed political and social views taught her how to talk to people she disagrees with, something she feels L.A. doesn’t always foster.

She also jokes about political divides within her own family, pointing out that her father gets his news from Fox News while she gets hers from Instagram. Even in these differences, she finds humor and a way to connect with her audience.

Novotny also emphasizes the practical side of pursuing creativity. She advises new writers, comedians, and musicians to use their day jobs to fund their artistic passions while referencing how Mizzou students juggle multiple projects, clubs, and jobs.

She argues that the idea of the “starving artist” is unrealistic. Novotny has lived in several states but always finds her way back to the Midwest, which continues to influence her material and shape her audience.

Her career has grown significantly in recent years. She mentions that five years ago she had no agent and had never auditioned for a commercial. Today she has two agents and has booked six national commercials, something she never imagined when starting out.

Though the Flyover Comedy Festival taping of Son Of Your Dreams sold out, viewers can still watch the special on Rhizome Comedy’s YouTube channel through this link: Watch Son Of Your Dreams.