he is reminiscent of, though perhaps with a bit more “spice” thrown in, the powerfully funny women who blazed a trail before her: Carol Burnett,
Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers and Lucille Ball to name a few. Sandra Bernhard is part too, of the long line of talented, funny women who came out of the ‘70s. Women who bucked the male-dominated world and blazed a trail through comedy clubs, theatres, television and film. A group that not only changed the face of comedy with their brand of humor, they also became the riotous denizens who managed to challenge and then break through, cultural norms that had bound so many of their gender, since, well…Forever. Comedy, like any great art form, has the unique
ability to force us to view things that we might be uncomfortable with. It challenges morays and rigid ideologies by poking fun at them and exposing each to the light of day, consequently challenging those in turn who use such things to inhibit. Bernhard has a unique skill in this realm, using her humor, wit, musical ability and intelligence to poke at those mechanisms and making many squirm. Which, in the end, opens the door to a greater understanding. Though admittedly doing so, can sometimes be like taking a stick to a hornet’s nest.
I recently had the chance to take a whack at Bernhard’s fierce personality and firebrand humor. As far as I can tell, I managed to avoid being stung by anything other than a master’s humor.
Tell us a bit about your current show,Sandra Monica Boulevard: Coast to Coast. What’s new about this tour? Well really, I mean what isn’t new right now?
First of all, I’ve been doing my SiriusXM Radio show, Sandyland for going on two years. So, a lot of the material is of the moment, every day for me, because I’m constantly circling in on what’s hap- pening. That’s sort of what I do naturally anyway, it’s always been a big part of my shows. In terms of broad strokes, the show is about my relationship, travels, people I meet along the way. Funny little chance meetings with people, whether they are known or totally unknown. There’s a lot of splashes of color and a lot of spice, all intertwined with my music. I always try to do something current and fresh, that hopefully, keeps people on their toes
as well as myself. It is one of the things that I truly enjoy about your performances and your comedy. My perception is that you are much less scripted in your work, it’s always refreshing and unique. I think one of my specialties that I’ve developed
over the years, is to be able to make it seem that everything is improvisational. It is part of what I do as a performer, to make it seem conversational and of the moment. I like to always make sure it feels fresh, no matter how many times I’ve done a piece. Let’s talk a bit more aboutSandyland on SiriusXM Radio. How’s that been going? It’s been a really, great experience. I’ve had on
such amazing guests and it keeps me inspired. Every day I walk in, we sort of talk about what’s happening right now. Things from my life, little snapshots and things that I find quotidian and fun to talk about and to sharpen my skills. Do you have an episode or show that stands out for you? Really, every day…It just keeps getting better. I
had Leslie Bennetts on today, who has written this great biography about Joan Rivers and tomorrow I have Neil Diamond on. It’s from one end of the spectrum to the next. There have been a few duds, mainly though, it’s been great. Live radio, that’s got to keep you on your toes. Do you do a great deal of prep work for the show? It does, one hundred percent keep me on my toes,
it is really fast and furious. I do have a producer who I work with, but we don’t have writers, so I pick the songs, formulate the conversations and write the questions that I’d like to talk about. Thank god I have a great producer. How about a new studio album of just music? Any plans for something new? I am always working on things, working with producers and other music people who love my voice, I’m sure it will happen again. It is still such a pleasant surprise to hear you sing, because I still see you primarily as a comedienne. I wonder, do you see yourself more as a comic, or do you see yourself as a musician? Thank you. Music was always my first love. I wanted to be a singer, but I also wanted to be an entertainer as well. I approached it from a different starting point, but I have managed to come to the place that I wanted to be, so I can’t complain! I recently read somewhere thatHello Dolly was
something that played a big role in your life. Can you tell us that story? In my early life. I was only 8-years-old, but those
kind of big, huge personalities, were much more prevalent when I was little then they are in a certain way now. Carol Burnett, Carol Channing, the list goes on and on and on. They were dames, they were broads and had big personalities. Even where I grew up in Michigan, when I was little, there were lots of women like that. So, for me it was a natural. Isn’t that an interesting development? People were performers first and not “famous personalities.” Back then, there was never a way to do it backwards, or any other way. Before social media, you had to work your way up the food chain, so you had to have a real love for it—you had to have love, talent and passion for it—and you had to have smarts, as well. Those things don’t seem to be as important now for many people. We’re living in such a different culture now in so many ways. I keep saying, that its’ going to be interesting to see where we end up. I think we’ve gone past the point of no return. Especially when you look at the president who is leaving the White House and the one that’s going in. Who knows though, by the time he gets in, he may be impeached. There are so many things that he has done already that are outrageously illegal. Unfortunately, most of the people didn’t vote for him. If we had the popular vote, he wouldn’t be the one who is heading to the White House right now. Really, it is kind of a hot mess. The thing that is so disconcerting about the whole thing I think for many of us, is that we’re still trying to figure out how to respond. In my “The universe is working in perfect order” place, I think that this is a reaction to all the progress that has been made on the social front. The paradigm has shifted and we can’t go back to what once was. Unfortunately, the response to that change is intense right now, but it is done. We just don’t know what will happen, it’s all up in
the air. Everything is sort of cyclical and things do come back around, it’s just a shame that some feel the need to kind of punish themselves in between. I don’t know and I don’t really understand. It has definitely had an impact on what I will be
doing in the foreseeable future. I think it’s important for people to have their artists be honest and not pretend that everything is fine, because it’s not.
DECEMBER 2016
DECEMBER 2016 | | RAGE monthly
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