Robby Hoffman: Growing Up Poor Never Leaves You | The Interview
Video Overview & Insights
The comedian Robby Hoffman seems to be everywhere these days, including her scene-stealing role in “Hacks” as a former Hasidic Jew from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, who becomes a Hollywood assistant and her part in the HBO comedy “Rooster” as the blunt, protective roommate of a student having an affair with a professor.
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Hoffman’s life experiences are a source of much of her unfiltered comedy, including her most recent Netflix special, “Wake Up,” and her current tour. They also inform how she looks at the world now, how she handles her growing fame and how she relates to her wife, the reality TV star Gabby Windey.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/27/magazine/robby-hoffman-interview.html
I grew up poor and ended up in NYC working for extremely rich people. I had access to much of their lives, but the refrigerator was off limits as was the kitchen.
[00:00] Introducing Robbie Hoffman
[02:29] What’s weird about being famous and having money?
the raspberries part really got to me , maybe not the way she meant it but it makes me think shes offended that theyre so expensive that the poor cannot afford them so she wont buy them eithet
[04:38] How poverty still affects her
[07:43] Earliest memories of Crown Heights
Lulu looks fabulous in that first segment. Hoffman who has rich people's teeth was a lot less offensive in the last segment.
[08:48] “My father was abusive to my mother.”
[10:42] “My whole family, everybody was funny.”
This is one of the best interviews the last few months.
[13:32] Is being comfortable a rich thing?
[16:52] Becoming more secular
She/he was funny at first, now she seems like a skit, and I am being punked.
Something is up.
[20:17] Trying to fit in at high school
[24:34] Being outed at 17
Rich vs Poor. Yes.
[29:17] “Comedy chooses you.”
[34:00] Backlash from the pitbull and celiac communities
I love how she said as a society, we love to hide the ugly. So true, even though that’s where all the interesting stuff is. And where we need to look if we want to change anything.
[36:33] Antisemitism and anti-Mexican sentiment
[40:10] “Hacks” and criticism over a Yiddish line
How much we need these vulnerable, REAL conversations right now. She is absolutely captivating and effing hilarious.
[42:12] Navigating new fame and criticism
[44:55] Gabby Windey and building a relationship
I have become a big fan! Happy for her success.
[49:34] “Classism affects everybody.”
“The Interview” features conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Each week, co-hosts David Marchese and Lulu Garcia-Navarro talk to compelling, influential figures in culture, politics, business, sports and beyond — illuminating who they are, why they do what they do and how they impact the rest of us.
Robby is the coolest
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Fantastic interview and Robby is amazing.
#theinterview #robbyhoffman #comedy
I remember her at McGill and doing acting classes at Suzanna lenirs before her career took off 15 years ago, good for her
More User Perspectives
This reminds me of growing up how my rich friend’s parents would ask my mom to pay them back if we went out to eat somewhere. My mom grew up dirt poor and could never imagine doing something like that. She’d cook enough for an army and donate clothes all the time. She was too generous for her own good at times.
@Cytc33Robby Hoffman is amazing ❤
@AnaBartlett-rr2gf“It was always brutal AND funny.”
@danielabotterbuschcole5983Great interviewer. Asked perceptive and direct questions and actually listened to the answers.
@koreakim693Nobody can go in the fridge in a rich persons's house? What?
@D0ggerelRobby for president!!
@balance415:35 1990’s Breugger’s Bagels refillable mug with the branding worn off. She really does hang on to the classics
@claireaudientShe’s the real deal. Never heard about her before the interview. I can relate to much of the weirdness she speaks of as a kid from meager circumstances, who changed his situation. Mazel tov to Robby
@PatrickFX8First time I see her and she is brilliant!!!!
@ebruyildirim9291Thank you. Poverty doesn't make you stronger. It lingers.
@claytonmoradaExcept the NYTimes recently published an article on David Sedaris where they misspelled Upper East Side in the headline . I’m no longer impressed
@starlight60230:22 huh ? Until this moment I’ve never heard of this person and I watch a shit ton of comedy.
@SticksAandstonesBozoWe ❤ RHoff
@PLHXONot a fan.
@ZebraMachinesSuch an interesting perspective!!!!!!!
@Sharmapratibha1989I have no idea who she is but if she told me she is Larry David's daughter I would believe her in a nanosec.
@anonymousonlineuser6543The part about dogs took me out. I felt like she was in my head
@Lulyss918👓
@juansequiturDefinitely thought you were talking about Pitbull the person, not the dog
@Charity-WellspringHard core comedian
@kensteffes6712This was outstanding. Wish it was much longer. Please do another one!!
@devorahhoffman3244She’s like a cerebral Sebastian Maniscalco
@773JWDrill queen starts playing...
@diekssus7194Rich weird is really weird you they were always rich. Love it!
@kensteffes6712could someone explain the “orange” bit?
@pituska13Imagine how angry this reporter would have been if Robby wore EVEN LARGER glasses to win the IQ-Determined-By-Glasses-Size the reporter is going for.
@user-ud7ko4cq1nPeople who grow up with lack, are proud to be generous. In my experience.
@mariannemcginnis7274Did you change the lens from the 1st interview to the second? It's particularly noticable on the interviewer that her face is different in the second segment.
@3rdwhirledbeauConcordia Salus — Salvation through harmony.
@sens36I adore her. What a national treasure (who we share with Canada)!
@rsvendsen6810L O V E
@AnimalsOverHumanHer sister mimicking a disability to ward off an attacker is rather uninformed and naiive.
@afaceinthecrowd3652Not buying 6oz of raspberries for $7 is not cheapness. It's the knowledge that a few weeks later they will be $3 and you don't like being ripped off. The feeling of being ripped off is larger than the desire for a particular flavor on a particular day.
@TravelingMusicManWhat's the backpack? 😅
@piovillanueva3980Thank you for making me laugh!
@darraghogrady3350This was a fantastic interview!
@suecorcoran894It's very true. Likewise, I have mostly seen generosity among poor people.
@weston.weston