If you’re the sensitive type, you probably don’t want to sit in the front row of any comedy show.
This is especially true if the comedian on stage is Lisa Lampanelli.
But, fans of the “Queen of Mean” love the abuse, and will get the chance to revel in it on May 27 at Fox Tucson Theatre.
“My fans are so cool, they pay extra to sit in the front,” Lampanelli said in a phone interview from her New York City home. “They know how it’s done.”
Lampanelli, who’s famous for her crude insults and celebrity roasts, hasn’t performed in the Old Pueblo since 2007. She has since lost more than 100 pounds — through weight loss surgery, diet and exercise — has written a play and has changed up her comedy routine.
Don’t worry, there will still be insults aplenty, but she has added an audience Q&A session and has thrown in funny anecdotes based on her personal experiences, including weight loss and divorce.
In the spirit of her upcoming show — sorry, we had to keep it clean — we had our own Q&A with Lampanelli.
What will your Tucson show be like? “When I did my last special in June called ‘Back to the Drawing Board,’ I found that I do a lot of insults and audience work, but I wound up telling a lot more stories about divorce, weight loss and myself, and people really responded to that. ... Since there was such a good reception, I’m doing a combination of the same kind of subject matter, plus insults and a Q&A with the audience to ask me anything. It’s been a highlight because it’s so much fun and off the cuff and keeps me on my toes because you never know what the idiots are gonna ask.”
How do you come up with your material? “I think I’m mentally ill because I don’t know there’s a line in comedy. I’m never like ‘Oh my God, that’s too much.’ My senses have gone. I was doing a charity event for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the Trumps were there and I have a joke about doing a sexual act and I asked my husband if I could do that and he said ‘the Trumps are here.’ He had to remind me that there is decorum sometimes. I just kind of say whatever comes to mind and if people laugh, I enjoy it. It’s funny because when you really commit to it, they laugh.”
Who is your favorite comedian? “Don Rickles because he was the originator, and of course Howard Stern is my hero because he’s given me opportunities and by talking about himself fearlessly, I realized I can do that, too. He talks about sexual inadequacy and going to therapy, and that made me be brave. I’ve always looked up to those two and they are my favorite role models, that’s for sure.”
Who’s your favorite comedian to work with? “On the roasts, I love it when Jeff’s (Ross) there because he brings it and brings it hard. It’s weird because he’s like me. You always know it’s a joke and that he doesn’t have an axe to grind. The people always know we’re joking... A roast wouldn’t be the same without him. I feel like he’s one of the anchors of the roast.”
Who have you enjoyed roasting the most? It’s awesome because when you roast someone like Donald Trump, he’s very self centered and loves to hear people say his name. So it didn’t matter what you said about him — as long as you said his name, he just sat there and laughed. ... I knew he was there to laugh and he had a great time. ... Gene Simmons was similar. He likes to hear his name out loud. He was amazing and had a great, really nice demeanor. And Flava Flav because he had the most material you can use. Look at him looking like beef jerky in a track suit and his horrible career and failed chicken franchise...That dopey clock he wears around his neck. So, he was a great roast subject. The more material that is built into a human being, the better it’s gonna be.”
What’s next for you? “My play will be opening in New York City in the fall. I didn’t write it to prove I’m more than a comedian because I think being a comedian is enough. I just wanted to say something about women and weight loss and body image and I said I want to write a play about it and thankfully the producers love it. It’s gonna be called ‘Stuffed.’ I’m super excited. It feels like the best thing I’ve ever done.
“I’m gonna write a series of four plays. The next is about women and relationships with men called ‘Screwed.’ The next is on women and anger called ‘Pissed.’ The fourth will be on women and grief. I don’t know what that’s gonna be called yet.”
