Andy Erikson's comedy act is all about seeing the glass half-full — then pouring in enough bubbly to reach the rim. The Minnesota native specializes in adorable puns, clever wordplay and a cheerleader's spirit. At her merchandise table after shows, she sells unicorn fishing jigs with the enthusiasm of a grade-schooler pitching lemonade.
But mortality has a funny way of testing even the most optimistic of us.
In June, Erikson felt so dizzy she couldn't respond to her husband's call to dinner. She'd faced health issues before. As a youngster, she was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a super-rare genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue.
But this was different. After arriving at a hospital by ambulance, she went into cardiac arrest. She flatlined. Heart surgery followed; a pacemaker was installed.
Because of the pandemic, her family was not allowed to be by her side. All she had was a stuffed llama doll to cling to — and the support of her loved ones who, standing in a parking structure across the street, held up signs she could see from her window.
"It was a really cool, weird, special moment," Erikson said months later as she prepared for "Andy's Unicornicomedy Holiday Show," a Zoom special streaming Sunday with a slew of special guests. "My brother is not an outwardly affectionate guy. He made a sign that said, 'Packers suck!' That made me laugh so hard."
Erikson was already facing challenges before the near-death experience.
After a fairly successful six-year run in Los Angeles — including a strong showing on NBC's "Last Comic Standing," a regular slot at the Improv comedy club and a recurring role on Fox's "Scream Queens" — she and her husband, actor Alex Stein, decided to move to her parents' home in Ham Lake.
