Executive Overview
In a cultural landscape where the realities of midlife and women’s health have long been relegated to hushed whispers, a disruptive and long-overdue movement is taking center stage. Team Scary Mommy has officially announced its role as the premier media sponsor for Are You There God? It’s Me, Menopause: LIVE!—a groundbreaking, five-city national tour that promises to rewrite the script on how society approaches the transition of menopause.
Inspired by the acclaimed debut novel by Heather J. Robertson—the pen name of prominent physician, OB-GYN, and women’s health advocate Dr. Heather Bartos—this multi-city event is designed to shatter taboos, spark unfiltered conversations, and deliver an unforgettable night out. Described by Dr. Suzanne Gilberg, Chief Medical Correspondent for The Drew Barrymore Show, as "the Practical Magic of midlife," the tour is not your average book reading. Instead, it is an immersive cultural experience blending stand-up comedy, expert-led panels, cocktails, and community connection.
Spanning five major metropolitan hubs this fall—Chicago, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco—the tour aims to provide women with a much-needed night off to laugh, exhale, and reclaim their narratives. Featuring an all-star lineup of headlining comedians, acclaimed journalists, and health advocates, Are You There God? It’s Me, Menopause: LIVE! arrives at a critical cultural inflection point. As millions of women navigate perimenopause and menopause amidst a historically underserved healthcare landscape, this tour offers both a sanctuary of shared laughter and a megaphone for systemic change.
Detailed Chronology & Tour Itinerary
Moving far beyond traditional author appearances, the organizers have curated a high-energy, four-hour program for each evening, running from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM local time. Every stop on the itinerary features localized entertainment, paired with deep-dive conversations designed to educate, validate, and entertain.
The 2026 National Tour Dates and Locations
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Chicago, Illinois
- Date: Friday, September 18
- Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Venue: Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue
- Featured Talent: The evening opens with a high-energy set by acclaimed stand-up comedian and actor Kristen Toomey. Following the comedy, creator and author Heather J. Robertson takes the stage for a headline conversation with author Meghan Rabbitt.
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Boston, Massachusetts
- Date: Friday, October 9
- Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Venue: Hilton Boston Park Plaza, 50 Park Plaza
- Featured Talent: Boston audiences will be treated to the razor-sharp wit of veteran comedian Bethany Van Delft, setting the tone for an evening of unvarnished dialogue surrounding midlife realities.
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New York, New York
- Date: Saturday, October 10
- Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Venue: New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas
- Featured Talent: The cultural capital will host an opening comedy set by viral sensation Alyce Chan (MomComNYC), followed by an intimate, hard-hitting discussion between Heather J. Robertson and Scary Mommy Editor-in-Chief Kate Auletta.
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Los Angeles, California
- Date: Saturday, October 17
- Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Venue: The Beverly Hilton, 9876 Wilshire Boulevard
- Featured Talent: West Coast programming and special guest announcements are slated to be released in the coming weeks, promising a star-studded Southern California finale.
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San Francisco, California
- Date: Saturday, October 18
- Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Venue: Parc 55 San Francisco — a Hilton Hotel, 55 Cyril Magnin Street
- Featured Talent: Details regarding the Bay Area lineup will follow, rounding out a packed five-weekend itinerary designed to reach communities nationwide.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Menopause Movement
To understand the cultural weight of Are You There God? It’s Me, Menopause: LIVE!, one must examine the broader socio-medical landscape. For generations, menopause has been treated as a medical afterthought—a silent transition that women were expected to endure quietly. However, recent metrics underscore a massive demographic shift and a surging public demand for education, visibility, and destigmatization.
The Demographic Imperative
According to recent census and health data, more than 1 million women in the United States enter menopause or perimenopause every year. Globally, approximately 1 billion women are currently experiencing, or will soon experience, menopausal transitions. Despite representing a significant percentage of the workforce and the general population, studies consistently show that medical professionals receive startlingly little formal training in menopause management during their standard schooling.
A landmark survey by the Mayo Clinic revealed that up to 75% of women experiencing menopausal symptoms receive no treatment, frequently due to a lack of provider knowledge or social stigma that frames symptoms—ranging from brain fog and vasomotor issues to sleep disruption—as mere inconveniences rather than legitimate health metrics.
The Literary Catalyst
Enter Heather J. Robertson—the pseudonym for Dr. Heather Bartos, a board-certified OB-GYN and nationally recognized women’s health advocate. Dr. Bartos recognized that clinical manuals and sterile medical brochures were failing women. By transforming complex biological realities into a narrative masterpiece that earned a coveted Publishers Weekly Editor’s Pick distinction, Robertson created a literary bridge between medical authority and everyday lived experience.
The book’s success exposed a voracious appetite for honest, funny, and scientifically sound information about midlife. The national tour is a direct extension of this literary momentum, leveraging the communal atmosphere of live performance to combat the isolation so many women feel during this stage of life.
Official Statements & Creative Vision
The partnership between Team Scary Mommy and the tour organizers represents a powerful alignment of digital media muscle and grassroots cultural advocacy. Known for its unapologetic, humorous, and supportive voice for modern parents, Scary Mommy views this sponsorship as a natural extension of its mission to support women through every phase of adulthood.
"Team Scary Mommy is VERY excited to announce that we are the official media sponsor for this tour," editors shared in a joint statement. "We spend our days talking about the messy, beautiful, exhausting realities of parenting, but too often, the conversation stops once our kids hit a certain age—leaving women to navigate midlife changes entirely in the dark. This tour is about turning on the lights, sharing a glass of wine, and reminding every woman that she is not alone."
The event’s format has been meticulously engineered to balance levity with substance. Organizers emphasize that attendees can expect:
- First-Class Comedy: Headliners hand-picked from the top tier of the comedy circuit to ensure the evening starts with uproarious, cathartic laughter.
- Unfiltered Panel Discussions: Honest conversations between medical pioneers, journalists, and cultural critics that strip away clinical jargon.
- Curated Community SWAG: Premium, practical takeaway items designed for everyday use, far removed from the standard, disposable promotional freebies found at typical corporate events.
As Dr. Suzanne Gilberg aptly noted, comparing the movement to the enchanting, empowering vibe of Practical Magic, the tour aims to help women rediscover their personal agency, wisdom, and collective strength.
Future Outlook: A Paradigm Shift in Women’s Wellness
As Are You There God? It’s Me, Menopause: LIVE! prepares to kick off its multi-city run this September, industry analysts and health advocates are watching closely. The tour is widely viewed as a bellwether for a larger economic and cultural shift: the rise of the "menopause economy" and the dismantling of ageism in media, entertainment, and healthcare.
For decades, marketing and entertainment industries largely ignored women over forty, treating midlife as an invisible phase. Events like this prove that the demographic is not only vibrant and economically powerful, but actively demanding spaces that cater to their intelligence, humor, and physical well-being.
By blending live entertainment with community-building, the tour lays the groundwork for ongoing digital and IRL advocacy. Organizers anticipate that the conversations sparked in Chicago, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco will ripple far beyond the ballroom venues—influencing workplace policies, healthcare standards, and family conversations across the country.
Tickets for all five cities are currently on sale. For women ready to trade in the silence, drop the societal expectations, and embrace the power of midlife with humor and solidarity, Are You There God? It’s Me, Menopause: LIVE! offers the ultimate destination.
(For tickets and additional information, visit the official tour portal at menopause.live.)
