Heather Shaw set to bring laughs, roasts and rapid-fire wit to Rose City Comedy in Tyler

Published 6:00 am Monday, February 16, 2026

Fast, goofy, and mildly “unhinged,” Heather Shaw turns the absurdity of pop culture into rapid-fire comedy. This weekend, the Louisville-based comedian returns to the Rose City Comedy Club in Tyler to debut fresh material following the recent filming of her first special.

While Shaw’s sharp, topical wit has earned her a dedicated following, she first exploded onto the national stage for her uncanny resemblance to a certain ’90s icon.

“I got really bored during COVID, and I couldn’t bake bread, so I just decided to get on TikTok… and kind of convinced everybody that I was Jim Carrey’s long-lost daughter,” Shaw said. “People believed it really easily, so I eventually had to be like, ‘just kidding,’ because I don’t want to get sued.”

Although the viral fame is new, the comparison is a lifelong companion. Shaw first noticed the resemblance when she was around 8 years old, around the time Ace Ventura hit theaters. Today, she views the constant comparisons with a shrug of professional detachment.

“I’m so desensitized to it because I’ve heard it my whole life… it doesn’t even bother me,” she said. “It’s accurate… It’s better than someone saying I look like somebody crazy.”

Beyond the facial expressions and physical comedy of her doppelgänger, Shaw has built a robust career by “punching up.” Her comedy — which she describes as having a dry, Kathy Griffin-inspired edge — takes aim at celebrities, politicians, and the general circus of the news cycle.

“If you can make anything funny, nothing’s off-limits,” Shaw explained. “I don’t touch certain things just because I don’t think there are ways to make them funny, like punching down on certain people. It’s much more interesting to make fun of the people in charge.”

That philosophy has taken her from her hometown of Rochester, New York, to the comedy clubs of Orlando, where she first took the stage at age 25. Since then, she has navigated every type of room imaginable — from the “professional drunks” of Wisconsin, where she filmed her special, to the tougher, quieter retirement crowds of Naples, Florida.

“The people in Naples were like 90 years old and didn’t relate to anything I was saying,” Shaw recalled. “I had to start doing crowd work, asking them, ‘What medication are you taking?’ It’s probably my favorite story to tell… just a wild time.”

On New Year’s Eve, Shaw married attorney Lilly Jean Coiner, her girlfriend of four years, in an intimate setting. 

“It was awesome to celebrate with her family… my family flew in,” Shaw said. “We had it in Kentucky, where my wife is from… with 75 people there. It was a beautiful celebration and ceremony.”

When she’s not on stage, Shaw prefers to keep things simple. She starts her day with an Americano “as big as they can make it,” and spends much of her downtime at home with her wife and their two dogs — a Doberman and a Russian toy. Football usually plays on television in the background, with Shaw rooting for the Packers.

“The dogs are great — one looks like a miniature Doberman,” Shaw said. “They walk around like Dr. Evil and Mini-Me.”

Shaw has found that being dubbed the “lesbian Jim Carrey” hasn’t limited her reach; if anything, her brand of “goofy” seems to be a universal language.

“I honestly never have a problem anywhere I go. I think either my crowds are great or I’m just bringing out the most fun people,” Shaw said. “I could go to super red states, super blue cities, it’s always really fun crowds that show up. I think people just want to have fun.”

Now a seasoned touring pro with a popular podcast (Heather Shaw is Kidding), Shaw is happy to be returning to East Texas — this time, hopefully, with her health intact.

“I was super sick the last time I performed in Tyler, so all I did was hang out in my hotel bed,” she said. “But the crowds were great, and the club was awesome, so I’m very excited to actually explore the city a little this time. Very much looking forward to coming back to Tyler.”

Shaw will be performing Friday, Feb. 20, and Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Rose City Comedy Club, located at 7428 Old Jacksonville Hwy #10 in Tyler. Tickets can be purchased on the club’s website, rosecitycomedy.club.