MaraShapshay

Mara Shapshay is an award winning writer, body image activist, baker, and comedian. Mara received her BFA in directing from NYU - Tisch School of the Arts. Her short film documentary, The Sound of Silence, was showcased in the NYU Film Festival. Mara received her MFA in screenwriting from AFI. Her script Brooklyn Beauty was a finalist in the script of the year contest garnering Mara a manager and a development deal. She's worked on the following sitcoms: FRIENDS, South Park, That's My Bush, Jesse, Veronica's Closet, Ladies Man and Inside Schwartz.

In 2005 Mara hit a bottom and checked into rehab. Upon leaving rehab Mara was fired from her job, going through a divorce and was homeless. Carrie Fisher took Mara in. While living with Princess Leia, Mara wrote the novel, Junky American Princess. She also started writing for The Huffington Post, The Jewish Journal, The Hollywood Journal, the Fix.com and Glamour Magazine.

In 2008 Mara became a stand-up comic. She performs regularly at The Comedy Store, Improv, Laugh Factory and many other venues. She can also be seen in an episode of Season 6's Kathy Griffin's - Life on the D-List.

As the result of being on the Jenny Craig diet, in 2012, Mara was rushed to the ER for emergency gallbladder surgery. On June 3, 2013, Mara's lawsuit against Jenny Craig went public. She was on TMZ, People Magazine, USA Today, The Today Show, the LBN Report... Mara soon realized that her battle was not with Jenny Craig, her battle was with food. She sought help for her food compulsions, dropped the lawsuit and created the popular blog, The Self Worth Diet. The blog's purpose is to shine a light on the dieting industry as well as to help others with their food/body image issues.

Mara has been baking since she was 8 years old. In 2015, she made her famous cheesecakes for Thanksgiving and soon received too many orders that she had to seek out a commercial kitchen. Her baking business was born. Mara decided to marry her love of baking and stand-up