Elissa Bassist

Elissa Bassist is the editor of the “Funny Women” column on The Rumpus and author of the tragicomic memoir Hysterical, a semifinalist for The Thurber Prize for American Humor. She’s worked in media and publishing since 2007, as a managing editor, an associate editor, an assistant editor, a TV and film writer’s assistant, a producer, a performer, a speaker, a writing instructor, and a barista. Her writing has appeared in over 30 publications and anthologies, and she’s taught and lectured for over 20 writing programs, including Harvard. Her next book is Inside Jokes: A Comedy and Creativity Guide for All Writers, forthcoming from Grand Central Publishing in 2026. Elissa is probably her therapist’s favorite.