“Web3 Is a Joke,” Says Mona Shaikh, and Somehow It Is Working

Not every Web3 story begins with blockchains, decentralization, or the promise of a new internet. Some begin with a microphone, a punchline, and a room full of people laughing.

Mona Shaikh, a renowned stand-up comedian, stepped into this world with a playbook that looked nothing like the norm. Instead of whitepapers and pitch decks, she brought humor and started, what she calls, “Web3 is a Joke”. 

Today, she is known for roasting the Web3 crowd itself, and somehow, this satire has turned into one of the most effective ways to spark curiosity, awareness, and real conversations about the industry.

When we first came across this intriguing idea of hers, we knew this was one of those unconventional stories from an unconventional industry that deserved to be told. So to learn more about her life, comedy, the leap into Web3, and the unexpected journey that followed, we sat down with Mona for a conversation. 

How Comedy Became Home

Mona’s relationship with performing started early, and it did not come from theory or long-term planning. At just eight years old, she watched Madhuri Dixit perform the iconic Ek Do Teen in the Bollywood film Tezaab, and she was instantly sold on the dream of the spotlight, to become an actress

She also went through multiple audition rounds for lead roles in feature films, but she was told she was not “hot enough” despite her talent. That experience forced her to confront how limited and unforgiving the industry could be. 

Around the same time, a friend suggested she try stand-up comedy, and that changed everything. When she did her first open mic, it felt different, honest, freeing, and more real than anything she had experienced before. 

“You don’t have to be hot, young, rich or any of the other ridiculous requirements…you just had to be funny, be determined and be willing to dedicate yourself to a craft to find your true voice,” she explains.

But choosing to follow her dream meant walking away from everything familiar and stepping into a world that felt completely unknown. When she left home at eighteen, she felt a strange mix of deep fear and total freedom.

“I felt fear because I had only been in the US for 3 years and didn’t really know anyone besides my brothers and classmates,” she explains. “I felt relief because I was no longer tied down by cultural or familial deterrents that prevented me from becoming my own person.”

For the next 16 years, Mona lived the rhythm of stand-up, writing jokes, reaching out to bookers, networking, testing material at open mics, creating content, and performing late into the night. Some chapters were carefree, like headlining cruise ships with short sets, free meals, and slow afternoons. Others were quieter, spent waiting on TV sets, hovering around craft tables, and killing time between takes. Through it all, comedy remained the one constant that held everything together.

The “Web3 is a Joke” Chapter

Mona’s entry into Web3 began at a crypto event, and what she saw there immediately stood out. “I was at a Hollywood Hills Crypto event, and I watched a bunch of nerds who’ve never been around attractive women before were nerding out by using very complex technical terms… in an attempt to impress them (they didn’t),” says Mona. 

That was the moment that made something clear to her. This is not how Web3 or crypto, for that matter, is going to achieve mass adoption. It was also when she realized how confusing and unintentionally funny the Web3 space had become.

That’s when she decided to come up with something that would somehow bring Web3 to the mainstream. But rather than joining the long list of educators and analysts already explaining Web3 seriously, Mona leaned into comedy. 

“There are so many brilliant people already seriously explaining Web3…and given my background, I realized that comedy is that one platform where you can discuss complex and taboo topics in a funny way,” says Mona. “…and people will give you a chance to at least hear you out because at the very least the value you offer is….laughter!”

That’s when Web3 is a Joke was born. It is a live comedy and roast platform that uses humor to break down crypto culture, industry egos, and the strange social dynamics of the space.

The early format, however, did not look like what Web3 Is a Joke is known for today. The debut event was built around a panel discussion featuring Altcoin Daily, Crypto WendyO, and Phil Ranta, followed by a Q&A session and performances by comedians Erica Rhodes and Francisco Ramos. But after that first event, the direction became clear. Panels were already everywhere, and roasting Web3 was not. So the pivot turned out to be the right call. 

Finding an audience willing to get it was one of the main challenges, though. But once the roasts started, the community saw its own absurdities and leaned in. 

“Bitcoin Miami sold out. The Roast of Altcoin Daily in Los Angeles sold out. And soon after, the format expanded across more than a dozen events in cities including LA, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, and Denver,” adds Mona.

Building Something That Lasts

When asked about the role she hopes to play in Web3’s future, Mona said that she wants to be remembered as someone who helped shift control away.

“Being at the forefront of letting people, especially artists, know that they are the ones now with all the power and not centralized platforms, whether social media, music labels, studios, or otherwise,” says Mona.

At the same time, she sees Web3 Is a Joke as part of that legacy, not just as entertainment, but as proof that professional comedy could exist inside Web3 and act as a real bridge between Web2 culture and a still unfamiliar digital economy.

When she looks back at the harder and lonelier stretches of her journey, Mona does not frame them as setbacks. “The lonely parts of my journey have been some of the best parts,” she says, reflecting on how those phases shaped her voice, strengthened her resolve, and clarified what she needed to build. 

For young women reading NARRATIVE who feel caught between expectations and personal ambition, Mona keeps her advice direct. “Be flexible; not in values or morality, but in being open to change and pivoting,” she says. Additionally, for her, clarity is the starting point. Get specific about your dreams and build a roadmap for how you plan to achieve them. Once that path is clear, pursue it fiercely.

At the end, Mona also shares a quiet philosophy that took her from comedy stages to reshaping how Web3 learns to laugh at itself.

“Don’t share your dreams with everyone. Not everyone is deserving of your precious dreams. Build in silence and let your work speak for itself.”