Moms Will Understand Why Ali Wong Doesn't Want Her Daughters To Be Comedians

Daydreaming about who your baby might turn out to be is something all parents do. When they're still little, it can be difficult to imagine what type of career your adorable, tiny blobs could grow up to have. Maybe a doctor? Or a lawyer? Whatever makes them happy, I suppose, just as long as it isn't lounging around all day, right? And celebrities also have thoughts about what they'd like their children to do as a profession, as it was recently revealed Ali Wong doesn't want her daughters to be comedians. Her reasons? Well, they're quite valid.

Ali Wong's wildly successful Netflix specials, Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife, have made her a household name when it comes to standup comedy (especially when it comes to the pregnancy and parenting, as she was heavily pregnant for both specials). Because well, let's face it: Ali Wong freaking hilarious. And oh so relatable when it comes to life with young children.

During a recent appearance on The Ellen Show, the mom of two opened up about whether she hopes her daughters — who are nearly 2 and nearly 4 years old — will one day follow in her footsteps. Wong was speaking with DeGeneres about her new book Dear Girls, which came out on Oct. 11, according to USA Today. That's when the talk show host asked, "What happens if they want to be comedians? Would you want them to be comedians?"

Wong didn't have to think too hard about her answer, either. "Would you want any of your progeny to be comedians? No!" she exclaimed without hesitation. "It's a hard job because like now is nice. But staying in those hotels, sleeping on those squishy-*ss mattresses in most comedy condos that are filled with god knows what. It's just — it's not safe, you know what I mean, for women. And I think that's a big reason why a lot of women don't do standup. Because of the road."

Wong continued, "It's not getting up on stage that's hard. It's going on the road, getting in a car with all these different strangers, being in cities by yourself and walking back to your car at night."

DeGeneres elaborated on Wong's sentiments, pulling from her own experience as a standup comedian. "Before you make it, like I was traveling alone. You travel alone a lot," she added. "And you stay in these horrible places, and it doesn't feel safe."

Once the pair established how undesirable the working conditions are for female standup comedians in particular, they delved back into Wong's book. The inspiration behind the book was actually her late father, with the comic expressing regret for not learning more about the man he was before finding success. how she didn't get to know who wrote a short letter to her before passing away. As a result, she's determined to share her life story with her daughters, a goal Dear Girls aims to fulfill.

"With my girls, they only know me after I filmed those specials with them in utero — I put them to work right away," Wong explained. "So they don't know everything I went through to get to where I am. And I think it's really important."

To me, Ali Wong's reasoning behind not wanting her daughters to follow in her career footsteps makes complete sense. And honestly, I'm the same way. I'd much rather my kids pursue a major other than journalism or English in college. Not because it's dangerous, of course. It's just as much as I enjoy what I do, life as a freelance writer can be highly stressful and unpredictable. Still, I'd support my kids in whatever career they ultimately choose. And I have a feeling if either of Ali Wong's girls really want to be comedians, she'll be their biggest cheerleader.