The comedian, podcast creator, and actress behind the hit podcast How C*m returns to the stage with her most personal work yet, proving that honesty—and a good laugh—can change lives.
By the time Remy Kassimir launched How C*m, she never imagined that a deeply personal question about her own life would spark a worldwide conversation. What began as her quest to experience her first orgasm evolved into one of the most talked-about relationship and sexuality podcasts of the past decade, earning more than six million downloads while encouraging listeners from every background to embrace conversations that had long been considered too uncomfortable to have.
Now Kassimir is taking that journey to an even more intimate setting.
This August, the New York-based comedian brings How C*m, a one-woman show inspired by the podcast, to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. But while audiences may expect a theatrical adaptation of the podcast they know, Kassimir says the stage version is something entirely different.
“For years I felt like I was slowly becoming a more polished, edited version of myself,” she explains. After How C*m exploded in popularity—particularly following its appearance on Netflix’s Explained—she found herself carrying labels like “sexpert,” “orgasm guru,” and “feminist icon.” Although flattering, those expectations also made her increasingly cautious about what she shared publicly.
“I don’t like being fake,” she says.
Stand-up comedy, she explains, has always been the place where she feels most authentic. The live production allows her to tell the story behind the podcast without filters, offering audiences a version of herself that is even more vulnerable than what listeners heard over hundreds of podcast episodes. She admits the honesty is terrifying—but also the most rewarding creative challenge she has ever undertaken. Secretly, she hopes someone discovers the show and transforms it into a scripted television series in the tradition of Fleabag or Baby Reindeer, both of which also found early success at the Fringe.
Ironically, Kassimir says she realized almost immediately that her personal struggle was shared by countless others.
Within minutes of accidentally launching How C*m on Christmas Day—a release that happened much sooner than she expected because Apple Podcasts approved it almost instantly—messages began flooding her inbox.
Women confessed they had never experienced an orgasm. Others admitted they could only do so alone but not with a partner. Men reached out with their own insecurities surrounding intimacy. Many had never discussed these issues with anyone before.
It became clear that while society talked openly about sex, it rarely talked honestly about pleasure.
By admitting she felt “broken,” Kassimir unknowingly gave thousands of others permission to say exactly the same thing.
That willingness to confront difficult subjects has always been rooted in comedy.
Kassimir describes humor as the way she processes life’s hardest moments. Rather than avoiding discomfort, she leans into it, believing laughter creates space for healing. Whether discussing relationships, embarrassment, grief, or personal insecurities, comedy has become her favorite way to make difficult conversations approachable without diminishing their emotional weight.
Over the years, the podcast’s impact has extended far beyond entertainment.
One listener, Toni, wrote to tell Kassimir she experienced her first orgasm at the age of 50 after listening to the show. Another unforgettable message came from an American soldier deployed overseas who described an entire platoon of servicemen sitting together listening to episodes of How C*m. Their discussions evolved into conversations about empathy, consent, female pleasure, toxic masculinity, and becoming better partners.
For Kassimir, those stories remain among the greatest rewards of her career.
She laughs that many men probably started listening expecting something entirely different before unexpectedly finding themselves engaging in conversations about feminism and mutual respect.
“If dudes in the Army think this is dope,” the soldier wrote to her, “men, in general, will think this is incredible.” Those words continue to resonate with her today.
Although millions have discovered her through Netflix, Comedy Central, SiriusXM, and numerous television appearances, Kassimir admits widespread exposure has often intensified her imposter syndrome rather than easing it.
Success, she says, sometimes makes her feel pressured to be perfect, causing her to second-guess herself creatively. That’s one reason she finds the intimacy of the Edinburgh Fringe so appealing. Rather than performing for enormous audiences, she looks forward to connecting with smaller crowds where genuine conversation can flourish.
Looking back, Kassimir believes the greatest transformation hasn’t been professional at all—it has been personal.
She once described How C*m as a “self-love story,” joking about the obvious double meaning. Today, she sees it differently.
“It’s really a self-like story,” she says.
The podcast began during a period when she struggled to accept herself. Creating the live show has allowed her to develop compassion for every earlier version of herself and to finally appreciate the person she has become.
As conversations surrounding sexuality, identity, and personal well-being continue to evolve, Kassimir believes society has made remarkable progress. Topics once considered taboo are now discussed openly across social media and popular culture. Yet she believes the next frontier lies in educating young people about consent, healthy relationships, personal boundaries, and safety—not simply sex itself.
For her, honest conversations have always been about empowerment rather than shock value.
Whether How C*m becomes the next breakout television series or simply reaches audiences one theater at a time, Kassimir has already begun thinking about what’s next. She hopes to tour the show, eventually film it as a comedy special, and has even imagined returning to Edinburgh with another deeply personal solo production exploring life with ADHD.
Whatever direction her career takes, one thing remains constant: Remy Kassimir continues to prove that vulnerability can be hilarious, authenticity is powerful, and some of the most meaningful conversations begin with someone brave enough to simply tell the truth.
How C*m runs August 9-13, 16-17, 19-20 and 23-25 from 10:40 p.m. to 11:40 p.m. at Just the Tonic at Westside Rodeo – The Saloon Bar. Tickets are available through Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Just the Tonic.
For more information about Remy Kassimir, visit RemyKassimir.com and HowCumPodcast.com.