Note: Molina Molina is a friend of the author.

At just 29 years old, Molina Molina is one of Seattle’s most recognizable comedy divas. The comedian, writer, and producer can often be seen on stages around Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco, showing off her incredible acting skills with her “straight-sona” or sharing outlandish and true stories about her many celebrity encounters. Molina admitted that, despite her knack for performance, she never considered a future in comedy until she stumbled onto a class advertised by fellow Seattle comedian Stephanie Nam.

“I never really thought of myself as a funny person, but I liked writing, and I think comedy was the first real outlet for my writing,” she told the SGN.

A self-described “comedy nerd,” Molina was inspired to try stand-up by some of her favorite podcasts, created by Brooklyn-based comedians Las Culturistas and Seek Treatment.

“There was something aspirational about the lives they shared with listeners: being young and creative and ambitious authentic selves,” Molina explained. “I spent a lot of my life doing what others expected me to do, and it wasn’t until listening to them that I saw how fulfilling it can be to follow your desires.”

In a scene bursting with talented young Queer performers, it’s Molina’s on-stage persona that often sets her apart from the crowd.

“A common thread with this persona is that she is delusional or dishonest about who she is,” she said. “This girl is in denial or doesn’t want to reveal her failures and shortcomings, so she tries to present a version of herself that is overconfident and successful that everyone can see right through, and that’s what makes it funny.”

Molina often draws from her own experiences but exaggerates her stories to an absurdist degree. She said that portraying a character as a stand-up comedian can be tricky.

“That can be hard to convey when you’re playing a character in a medium where everyone else is usually speaking as themselves, so I’m still working on refining that skill,” she said.

Ultimately, Molina hopes to develop her character-based stand-up into a solo show.

As a producer, Molina has curated several shows featuring all LGBTQIA+ cast members and femme lineups, including “Good for Her” and “Who Is This Diva.”

“As someone who loves attending comedy shows, I always think about making the shows I want to see,” she said. “As an audience member, I want to walk into a show and feel safe and see performers that aren’t just cis, straight, white men.”

As a producer, Molina said she finds it hard to market inclusive comedy shows.

“There’s such a weight to being labeled as a comic who is a ‘Queer woman of color,’ especially in a post-Nanette era of Queer comedy,” Molina said. “It’s hard to be silly and stupid when you worry that people expect some sort of social commentary.”

Molina got candid when asked what it means to her to make the SGN 30 Under 30 list.

“Well, thank God, since this is my last year of being under 30,” she said. “The other day, a coworker asked how old I was, and I said, ‘I’m in my twenties.’ [I’m] trying to be better about my anxiety about getting older, because I just need to accept that I am a victim of the passage of time. Everyone thinks that because I’m a woman, I’m scared of getting older because of wrinkles, but really, it’s about my mental and bodily decline! So, when people respond to my anxiety by telling me that laugh lines mean I lived a happy life, that’s not remotely comforting.

“Sorry, that didn’t answer the question. It feels rewarding.”

While her twenties have been about expanding as a comedian, writer, and producer, Molina hopes the next ten years will be a period of growth toward her ultimate goal: writing and producing television.

“What I aspire to is to be a television writer and producer, which is a dream that I’ve had since I was a kid [when I] would spend my time watching hours of sitcoms every night,” she said. “I try to follow my instincts artistically, and right now, my gut is making me want to lean in more as a filmmaker.”
Molina is currently in her Saturn Return.


You can follow Molina on TikTok, Instagram, and Threads at @molinasquared.