Lisa Lampanelli
THE QUEEN OF THE MEAN IN THE QUEEN CITY
Stefanie Cochrane
NO ONE CAN CALL YOU a twat like Lisa Lampanelli can. The ‘Queen of Mean’ is bold, brash, but above all, very funny. She’s been a mainstay on Comedy Central’s ever-popular celebrity roasts and has a number of albums and stand-up specials to boot. She’s been in the biz a long time and at 53 years old, she’s still hot on the scene. Because she doesn’t discriminate, her comedy allows us to laugh
at ourselves and frees us, if only for a night, from cultural prejudices and the taboos therein. We’re all just silly twats, after all. Before her June 21 appearance at Denver PrideFest, Lisa chatted with Out Front about her signature acid tongue, the growing popularity of comediennes, and Honey Boo Boo.
Let’s start from the ground up. You were a journalist before you got into comedy. How’d you make the switch?
It just seemed like a natural progression. There was always a little bug inside me. I had to try it once and if nothing ever came of it, I could just go back to doing what I was doing. I turned 30 and started doing small clubs and it suddenly just blew up. I have this joke that I could make a steady living or get paid to sh*t on people. Luckily for me and for all of you it worked. You’re welcome.
Thaaaanks, Lisa. Did you immediately get into insult comedy or did you have to work to find the right style?
It was easy for me. That’s just my nature. But I only ever take a crack at people and groups that I love. It always comes from a place of acceptance and authenticity. That’s what my act is all about.
How does your stage presence stack up to you off stage?
My personality is probably 10 percent of what it is on the stage. I’m a lot more boring than people think. I sit around in my socks and binge watch shows, too.
Speaking of, you’ve done reality TV. Do you think you’d ever do it again?
I don’t think so. It’s a lot, a lot of work. On The Apprentice, we had 20-hour days! And you’re working with a bunch of crazies, myself included.
You did pretty well though.
I did. I came in fourth place and was able to donate $130,000 to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis. [NY nonprofit for AIDS outreach and service] I’m very proud of that. You know, I would do Dancing With the Stars if they asked me. It looks like so much fun.
Maybe you should just send them a tape of your moves and they’d invite you down.
Yeah, maybe after they were done vomiting!
So that’s a lot of money for a worthy cause. You obviously love the gays and they sure love you! Why do you think the LGBT community has embraced you so wholeheartedly?
I have a great story for this. I was at a book signing in Atlanta and it was like a super gay part of town and I asked why they loved me so much. I was thinking it was because I’ve always felt like I didn’t fit in and maybe they did too, so we could connect in that way. But this one guy raised his hand and said, “No. I think it’s because we just really like mean girls.” I looooved that.
Ha! Your nickname is the ‘Queen of Mean.’ Do you love that or what?
Oh yeah, I put it out there! I said to The New York Times one day early on that people call me comedy’s ‘Lovable Queen of Mean’ and they ran with it. I kind of fostered that because I think it’s a real badge of honor to be an insult comic and not just a comic, because it shows you can do something most people can’t do. So yeah, I love totally love it.
Are you mean in real life?
No. I think it’s funny — I had a real anger streak up until about a year and a half ago, like I just hasn’t worked on a lot of my issues. So I started with the weight-loss surgery, and got that out of the way, and then I started to work on the real internal stuff. It got me way less angry because I wasn’t taking out stuff on people who didn’t deserve it. So then I could do it all on stage and people could tell it was just out of fun and for entertainment’s sake. I’ve been so much happier since getting all that anger out of my system.
Is comedy sort of like therapy for you?
No, not for me. I view comedy more as a service. [I turn it around and] make somebody happy that lost their job that day or had a death in the family. Sometimes I’m tired and I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore, but then I think people like to laugh just like I like do. So if I can help brighten them up, I’m much happier and so is the audience.
So it’s more of an outlet.
Yeah, it takes all the stuff I’ve been feeling all week and by making it funny so it doesn’t hurt anyone, hopefully the outcome is someone in the audience has a better day because I was performing for them.
How do your personal relationships mingle with your comedy? Is your family supportive?
Oh yeah. My family is super proud and cool — probably because I have enough money to put them all up. My mother definitely liked it better when I didn’t curse a lot, but she’s learned to live with it. She has a dirty mouth, too. I talk about them in my act all the time, so they kinda have no choice but to like it.
You’ve said you’re actually the quiet one of the bunch.
I am! Oh my god, you can hear my sister and my mom coming 12 miles away.
Maybe you guys should do a Partridge Family type show?
Put me in the grave right now!
Has comedy ever been hurtful for your romantic relationships?
I could never be with someone who doesn’t have the sense of humor where they can take it. I’ve been really lucky that way. I never seem to attract people that take themselves too seriously.
Is anything off limits in your show?
If I can make it funny I’m gonna say it, but if I can’t, then what’s the point? It could be about AIDS, rape, cancer, pedophila, or whatever — as long as I can make it funny. That’s the only rule I have.
Are you ever surprised by things you think of? Like you just can’t believe your mind went there.
Oh yeah, for sure! But then I say it again and again until I’m not surprised anymore. I’ll do a bit about Honey Boo Boo being too fat to be molested, stuff like that. I’ll be like, “Oh god, that was hardcore,” but then I’ll be like, “I can’t wait to do that at the show tomorrow!” It’s never been for me to shrink from anything.
Who are some of your favorite comics today?
My hero has always been Howard Stern because he’s so fearless and he tells the truth about himself and his faults, and I love that openness. And he evolves so much year to year. And, of course, the best insult comic who ever lived is Don Rickles. I just love him.
You get compared to Rickles a lot.
Yes. I’m really lucky to even share a sentence with him because he’s just the man.
Do you think comedy these days is more welcoming for women?
I never noticed because I always just did it either way. I have sort of a guy’s style, you know, rapid-fire and not storyteller-ish, so I just did it on my terms. I do think there are way more women comics who are getting noticed now ,which is really good. I take full credit for that even though maybe I shouldn’t.
Take it all!
Well, ever since Joan Rivers showed that women can be bawdy and crazy like men, it’s opened the door for people like me. There are a lot of great female comedians working today and it’s about time. YES, girl, yes! You lesbos have some good ones, too. Even the clam-slammers are getting out there.
Can you tell me about your upcoming comedy special on EPIX? Let’s plug it!
Of course I can! You’re not gonna watch it, are you, you little twat!? It’s gonna be great. It’s a lot of things people have been asking me about over the years. Like the inside scoop on the weight loss and the divorce and the surgery. Just all the stuff I’ve been through recently. As an insult comic, I’ll be including the audience a lot, so it’s sort of them and me that makes me tick. Matter of fact, ever since I’ve been talking about myself a little more, I’ve been getting standing ovations rather than just from the seats. I think people like when you expose yourself a little bit more.
*****
We certainly do, especially when it comes outta Lisa’s sweetly smutty mouth. Check out her new special, Back to the Drawing Board, airing on EPIX June 26.
What's Your Reaction?
