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BACK ISSUES INTERVIEWS Stand-Up Comedians Jim Norton Robert Kelly Donnell Rawlings Brad Stine Tammy Pescatelli Leighann Lord George Sarris Nick DiPaolo Russ Meneve Shang and more By Tasha A. Harris, NYC Comedy Journalist STAGE TIME The Magazine That Stands Up For Comedy |
I have the utmost respect for Todd. Todd had been a headliner when I first started out. I was
scared to go against Todd but I also know that it’s anybody’s game, so it’s fun for me. I figure if
I’m going to go out, I’m going to do my show and that’s what happened. It was an audience who
got me…If you put me in that situation, we’re all going to relate.
How difficult is it for women in comedy and what are some of the obstacles you’ve faced to
prove that you’re just as funny as the guys?
I think right there is one of the things you said. If you look at people being critics, saying
I only talk about being Sicilian. Let’s just say, I never wrote another joke that comes from that
perspective, there’s hundreds of women who came before me that only talked about being a
woman. So wouldn’t that be even refreshing, a woman talking about not being a woman?
You’re judged more harshly. I’m doing television. You got to lose weight. You gotta do this
and gotta do that. And I’m like, wait a second, “I’m not a supermodel. I’m a comic!”
Why are comics expected to be beautiful and lose weight to get work in television?
If I had thought I was beautiful, you would have seen me in a beauty contest. I wouldn’t have
been writing jokes for 11 years, struggling driving city to city. My job is to tell jokes. I believe in
the club, in front of a real audience, funny is funny. For whatever reason, all the stereotypes
come back on television.
What advice do you have for female comics? What are we right and what do we need to
improve?
It bothers me when I first started, there were so many women who were not nice to me.
When they showed how Bonnie and I weren’t getting along, they failed to show how Kathleen
and I are like sisters on the show…There are so many more women who are willing to get onstage
and try. I think that’s great and I welcome that because the more women start getting onstage,
the less of a novelty act it will be. I have been so lucky lately because some of the women that
used to watch and really liked: Brett Butler, Elayne Boosler, Carol Liefer have been really nice to
me and went out of their way.
How do you deal with people’s expectations when they come to see your show?
I’m very well aware of it because I’ve worked so long in the clubs. I understand that most nice
clubs charge $20 bucks a ticket. Most people make don’t make $20 an hour. By the time they
come and bring someone with them, they’ve paid to park, paid for a babysitter, paid a two drink
minimum and they have to get something to eat. Literally, they’re working the whole day for free
to come see me. I appreciate that and I try to give them something different…I don’t want keep
giving them what they’ve been hearing on TV for free.
What’s the craziest thing a fan has ever said to you?
There was a full message blog on whether my breasts are real. First of all, they’re real because
seriously it’s a joke but I had my nose fixed first…But it’s what does that have to do with my
jokes? Then they say, if you don’t like it, then don’t dress that way. Why do I have to change
who I really am? Why does a female comedian have to be a certain way in your mind?
That’s an interesting point. Does it help or hinder female comics to dress sexy or show their
femininity onstage?
When I first started, I definitely had a way better body, was a lot younger but I covered up
because I didn’t have the material. Before Last Comic as I got the material, I was more able
to dress like me.
I have a degree in Fashion Design. I love clothes. Half the reason that I’m a comic is because
that helps me get to shop across the country. You have to be sensitive to whether it’s distracting
or adding. The biggest compliments I can get after a show is someone will come up and say,
“You’re funny” and then they’ll go, “I love this…Where did you get your shoes?” Tell me I’m
funny first, though. I’m not trying to be a conspiracy theorist but that’s somebody else’s
projected image that you can only wear a vest, a T-shirt and a jacket and jeans. That’s not me...
What advice would you give comics who are stuck doing “split-weeking” shows? Example: A comic
who headlines on Thursday and Sunday nights, while the bigger name comic headlines on Friday and
Saturday nights.
You got do it. When I moved to L.A., that’s the level where I was at. It’s great because when you
split week, you are making a little bit more than a feature act, you’re getting to advance your
time and you’re able to test the headlining waters without the pressure.
scared to go against Todd but I also know that it’s anybody’s game, so it’s fun for me. I figure if
I’m going to go out, I’m going to do my show and that’s what happened. It was an audience who
got me…If you put me in that situation, we’re all going to relate.
How difficult is it for women in comedy and what are some of the obstacles you’ve faced to
prove that you’re just as funny as the guys?
I think right there is one of the things you said. If you look at people being critics, saying
I only talk about being Sicilian. Let’s just say, I never wrote another joke that comes from that
perspective, there’s hundreds of women who came before me that only talked about being a
woman. So wouldn’t that be even refreshing, a woman talking about not being a woman?
You’re judged more harshly. I’m doing television. You got to lose weight. You gotta do this
and gotta do that. And I’m like, wait a second, “I’m not a supermodel. I’m a comic!”
Why are comics expected to be beautiful and lose weight to get work in television?
If I had thought I was beautiful, you would have seen me in a beauty contest. I wouldn’t have
been writing jokes for 11 years, struggling driving city to city. My job is to tell jokes. I believe in
the club, in front of a real audience, funny is funny. For whatever reason, all the stereotypes
come back on television.
What advice do you have for female comics? What are we right and what do we need to
improve?
It bothers me when I first started, there were so many women who were not nice to me.
When they showed how Bonnie and I weren’t getting along, they failed to show how Kathleen
and I are like sisters on the show…There are so many more women who are willing to get onstage
and try. I think that’s great and I welcome that because the more women start getting onstage,
the less of a novelty act it will be. I have been so lucky lately because some of the women that
used to watch and really liked: Brett Butler, Elayne Boosler, Carol Liefer have been really nice to
me and went out of their way.
How do you deal with people’s expectations when they come to see your show?
I’m very well aware of it because I’ve worked so long in the clubs. I understand that most nice
clubs charge $20 bucks a ticket. Most people make don’t make $20 an hour. By the time they
come and bring someone with them, they’ve paid to park, paid for a babysitter, paid a two drink
minimum and they have to get something to eat. Literally, they’re working the whole day for free
to come see me. I appreciate that and I try to give them something different…I don’t want keep
giving them what they’ve been hearing on TV for free.
What’s the craziest thing a fan has ever said to you?
There was a full message blog on whether my breasts are real. First of all, they’re real because
seriously it’s a joke but I had my nose fixed first…But it’s what does that have to do with my
jokes? Then they say, if you don’t like it, then don’t dress that way. Why do I have to change
who I really am? Why does a female comedian have to be a certain way in your mind?
That’s an interesting point. Does it help or hinder female comics to dress sexy or show their
femininity onstage?
When I first started, I definitely had a way better body, was a lot younger but I covered up
because I didn’t have the material. Before Last Comic as I got the material, I was more able
to dress like me.
I have a degree in Fashion Design. I love clothes. Half the reason that I’m a comic is because
that helps me get to shop across the country. You have to be sensitive to whether it’s distracting
or adding. The biggest compliments I can get after a show is someone will come up and say,
“You’re funny” and then they’ll go, “I love this…Where did you get your shoes?” Tell me I’m
funny first, though. I’m not trying to be a conspiracy theorist but that’s somebody else’s
projected image that you can only wear a vest, a T-shirt and a jacket and jeans. That’s not me...
What advice would you give comics who are stuck doing “split-weeking” shows? Example: A comic
who headlines on Thursday and Sunday nights, while the bigger name comic headlines on Friday and
Saturday nights.
You got do it. When I moved to L.A., that’s the level where I was at. It’s great because when you
split week, you are making a little bit more than a feature act, you’re getting to advance your
time and you’re able to test the headlining waters without the pressure.