Origin Story with David McIntosh Jr #137 Iryna Gil: Escaping Ukraine: A Comedian's War Story
In this raw, wide-ranging interview, Ukrainian stand-up comic Iryna Gil tells the story of how her rising comedy career collided with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine just 11 days after she filmed her first special — and how she’s using comedy to challenge war fatigue, weaponised headlines, and Western apathy.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Kyiv under fire: A first-hand account of air-raid sirens, evacuations, and working through missile strikes
The Soviet shadow: How post-Soviet distrust fuels Ukraine’s self-organising spirit, entrepreneurial drive, and digital-first approach to governance.
Comedy as translation: How Gil uses humour to bridge the empathy gap and make the war relatable to those far removed from it.
Misleading headlines: What “billions in aid” actually looks like and why surface-level stats breed hostility and misinformation.
Peace through deterrence: Iryna’s uncompromising vision for peace in strength
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Botox for Burping – the weirdest opening ever
01:13 Meet Iryna Gil
02:45 Growing up in post-Soviet Ukraine
10:13 Starting stand-up in Kyiv
14:18 Ukraine’s hustle culture and distrust of government
21:04 24 Feb 2022: missiles hit Kyiv
28:54 Leaving home under fire
32:10 Zoom calls from bomb shelters and hiding behind two walls
39:47 Losing safety, leaving Kyiv
43:52 Starting over in Scotland
48:45 Grieving a life left behind
50:38 Comedy, trauma, and fighter jets
53:55 What "billions in aid" actually means
57:00 The real cost of headlines and public perception
1:01:48 Has Ukraine faded from public attention?
1:04:32 Genocide Olympics and comparative advocacy
1:05:38 What peace really looks like
1:06:47 Closing thanks
LINKS
Follow Iryna Gil – https://www.instagram.com/gil_iryna
Follow David – https://www.instagram.com/davidmcintoshjr
Support verified Ukrainian charities – (Add specific links)
Support on Patreon – Patreon.com/davidmcintoshjr
Buy Origin Story merch – originstoryclub.co.uk
Support verified Ukranian charities -
Save Life:
https://savelife.in.ua/en/projects/military-en/status/active/
U24:
https://u24.gov.ua/projects
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