“Getting Personal with the Stars” Column-Casino Player Magazine/by Michele LaFong
August edition, Paula Poundstone
“Getting Personal with the Stars” Paula Poundstone-online Version: http://t.co/8f04e5zbZ5
Paula Poundstone has been a recurring favorite guest on my radio show, Las Vegas Backstage Talk for over two years. I always attend her show at The Orleans whenever she is in town, as her show never seems to get repetitive, as she uses the audience in her hilarious, spontaneous banter, to weave her material very masterfully throughout.
This unique comedian, an adoptive mother of three, is never at a loss for new material which includes her sixteen “shelter cats,” and two large rescued German Shepard Mixes.)
One thing that always struck me is that Paula always makes her entrance on stage with very wet hair. I had to ask if this was reflective of some kind of ritual or superstition.
No, Paula responded. ”I shower before going on-stage because I want to give the crowd “The Deluxe…” It is this kind rapid- fire, sarcastic, one liner responses, coupled with the fact that Poundstone’s comedy is mostly autobiographical, that make me think “sitcom” every time I see, or interview her. Might you consider doing a sitcom if presented with one? “No…Here’s the thing…My youngest is only 14, and I want to finish ruining his life before moving onto other projects. I want to finish making bad parenting choices before I take that on…I’m hoping that before he gets into college, there might be some elderly role that I can play, that Betty White isn’t available for…and I would have to step in. The schedule on those shows can be pretty grueling, and I kind of like the idea of making sure that someday my son will be gainfully employed so…
Q You became a stand-up early on in life-you just got on a Greyhound bus, and you just started going to clubs. How long was it before you really felt that you “might have something” once you were in the clubs?
A-I don’t know but when I get to that point I will give you a call…when I really think I may have something going on… I really don’t know…I did take the Greyhound bus all over to open mike nights, and seeing what clubs were like in different cities, and I started out in Boston, and ended up a couple of years later in San Fransisco, which had a GREAT comedy scene at that time, and then I moved to Santa Monica, I don’t like to brag, but I live right near a Jack in the Box.
Q-Do you still go out and do guest sets and try out new material?
A-No I don’t have that opportunity to go and do open mikes anymore…I wish I did cause it’s such a great tool…but I have kids. I have to be home every night so that my son can lie to me about doing his Spanish homework.
Q- Do your kids have any interest in being comics or anything in Show Business, and if so how would you feel about that?
A_ if they were interested, I’d have no problem with it. I’d think that would be fun if that’s what they wanted to do. Let me think…well, my oldest daughter would like to sit in a chair…and…you might think… maybe work at a computer, or work at phone banking or something …but no…she just wants to sit in a chair, and it’s been very hard to convince her that there are no jobs that you just sit in a chair and get paid for that. But I’m her mom and she doesn’t believe me…so… she’s still looking.
Q-At least when you have kids, you can learn how to work technology by asking your kids. Do you find that is helpful?
A-Um…No…I don’t, I really don’t!
Q- You started comedy in 1979, and haven’t had a slow season since then have you?
A-“I’ve been very lucky to work a lot over the years, which is great. I’m on the road a lot, a lot a lot! I have many frequent flyer miles, and many, many small shampoos. The truth is that very early on I tried going out for a month straight before I had children…and I was miserable. It was just a horrible experience. I would never do that again. What I do now is I go out on the weekends. Sometimes it’s Thursday thru Saturday. Now I have a system. It works out okay. Occasionally there are weeks where I don’t go out at all…and my children seem to wish that I would. I think we’ve found the right balance somewhere…the best that we could do anyway.
Q-So your kids bring a lot of material to your show…?
A-I don’t even have to write!…I really just have to take notes. My oldest daughter…If only she were kidding. If only there was any irony in the things that she said.
Q How old is she?
A- Twenty one. We’ve actually been getting up earlier in the morning now so that we can fight longer! Otherwise…we’re tired by ten…and I’d like to still get in another good solid hour of yelling and screaming.
Q- Does she get your sense of humor?
A-No…not really. I don’t think so. She believes that everything that I say is the polar opposite of what she must do. I mean honestly, I could actually kill her by telling her to breathe! I tell her all the time “if you don’t get your act together, we’re gonna live together for the rest of our lives…like Laverne & Shirley.
I love my job…just the way it is now. I don’t have to submit what I’m going to do to anybody, and have the “suits” go over it, and decide if they think it’s funny or not. I get to go on stage and say whatever I like. In television, it’s terrible! Oh my God they are a pain! And it’s the people by the way that don’t even go on stage that want to tell you what’s funny, and what’s not. They’re all phonies though. But I do The Craig Ferguson Show regularly, and they are great there, they pretty much give me free reign…But there are a lot of settings…certainly in sitcoms where there’s a script, and there are SO many people that are not performers that are involved in the decision making process…and I hate that.
Paula Poundstone’s latest interview plugging her appearance at The Orleans Showroom, July 5 & 6 at 8pm, can be heard on Las Vegas Backstage Talk Radio Show from 6pm-7pm PST, July 4 & 6 on 1230am in Las Vegas and steaming live on this site. She is also featured in my Monthly Syndicated Column, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” in Casino Player Magazine.
TweetCarlos Mencia, The Nelson Twins-LVBST w/Comedian Michele LaFong
May 2, 2013 6pm-7pm PST 1230AM in LV & Web
Comedian Carlos Mencia, The Nelson Twins guest on Las Vegas Backstage Talk Radio Show on 1230AM, KLAV in Las Vegas and The Web.
In a candid “comic to comic” videotaped interview at Treasure Island, following Mencia’s phone interview on our radio show, Carlos answers accusations of stealing comedy material from his peers, which led to the cancellation of “Mind of Mencia” on Comedy Central.
One of the controversial youtube videos that LaFong discussed with Mencia is posted on the link below:
Comic Joe Rogan confronts Carlos Mencia about stealing material from fellow comics during a set he was performing at The Comedy Store. http://youtu.be/gdugSUFbzws
Currently on the road with his “C 4 URself” Tour, comedic superstar Carlos Mencia. Mencia has appearances on television shows including “In Living Color” and “An Evening at the Improv.” In 2000, he released a comedy album called “Take a Joke, America” that showcased his brand of confrontational humor. In 2002, he received a CableACE Award nomination for “Best Stand-Up Comedy Special” for his HBO special, and was featured on “Comedy Central Presents” later that year. In early 2005, “Mind of Mencia” debuted on Comedy Central, which drew an average of 1.5 million viewers. His most recent Comedy Central special, “New Territory,” debuted in December 2011.
His acting credits include starring opposite Ben Stiller and Michelle Monaghan in 2007’s “The Heartbreak Kid,” and in 2010 he starred in “Our Family Wedding” with Forrest Whittaker and America Ferrara.
Mencia will be featured in Michele LaFong’s Syndicated Monthly Columns, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” in Casino Player Magazine, and “Getting Personal with The Stars” in Gaming Today, and Feature Interviews in CP (Casino Player Magazine.)
For more about Carlos Mencia, click here–>
You can catch Carlos Mencia at TI
Treasure Island Theatre, Fri. May 3 9:00pm
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Gaming Today Column – Bobby Rydell by Michele LaFong
“Getting Personal with the Stars” Gaming Today – Column by Michele LaFong
Note: Bobby Rydell has added Comedian Michele LaFong as Special Guest at The Suncoast Showroom.
Bobby will also be featured in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated Column, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” in Casino Player Magazine.
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Gaming Today Column-Bill Engvall by Michele LaFong
Article in GAMING TODAY with Engvall “Getting Personal with the Stars” by Michele LaFong
Bill will also be featured in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated Column, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” in Casino Player Magazine, as well as his Backstage video taped interview from The TI, posted on Lasvegasbackstagetalk.com Website, and on Casinocenter.com.
TweetGaming Today-Bill Engvall by Michele LaFong
Bill Engvall was my guest last week on Las Vegas Backstage Talk Radio Show, in Las Vegas on 1230AM KLAV. He was plugging his appearance at Treasure Island on Friday Dec. 14.
I just had to ask Bill what life was like on the road with “The Blue Collar Comedy Troupe,” and whether the characters of the comics was just an act.
The first question out of my mouth was “who was the most “out of their minds” amongst you? Was it Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy, or you?” Bill responded without hesitation. “Larry… He also was the sweetest guy. We called him the “Mikey” of the Comedy Troupe. He could be talked into going along with anything.
He also was really the only redneck amongst us.” It’s not at all an act. He pretty much got married on four wheelers!” “So that’s not a costume that he wears?” “Umm…No! That’s part of the reason that he’s so popular and people can relate to him so well because there are no aires, he’s just genuine.”
When asked “which comic was the hardest to follow of The Blue Collar Comedy Troupe, Bill retorted “Ron White. Ron really is one of the funniest guys out there, but when we first started the tour, both Ron, and Larry “The Cable Guy” were unknowns. I was a long-time headliner doing comedy the longest, longer than even Foxworthy.
In fact, the first two years of The Blue Collar Tour, I didn’t enjoy myself. I was too focused on “being bigger than Jeff Foxworthy because Jeff and I were kind of at the same level when we started. Then he just sky-rocketed, and took off. I wanted to be Jeff Foxworthy, and in the process, I forgot to be Bill Engvall.
Then one day, Ron White and I were sitting and talking at a bar…go figure…and he said “Engvall, I remember the days in Dallas I’d go up on stage and just gut the room. I remember thinking “follow that Engvall!
You then would go up there with that slow delivery, and your story telling, and within five minutes the audience was going…Ron who?!” “I thought oh my God, I’ve gotten away from what got me to where I’m at! So I got back to being Bill again, and started having the greatest time of my life.
I made the decision early on to work clean. In fact, I got passed over for “HBO’s One Night Stand” because they said that I wasn’t edgy enough. But in the long-run, I’ve worked ten times longer than those guys that had their “HBO One Night Stands,” so I think I made the right decision.
The Blue Collar Comedy Tour served as a good venue for Bill, although it proved to be a double edged sword. “People don’t assume that you can do anything other than that! “It’s taken me years to break out of that “Blue Collar” Mold. ” But break out he did! Bill Engvall has just sold a pilot which he will soon be starring in a new dramatic role.
Engvall will also be featured in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated Column, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” in Casino Player Magazine.
Bill Envall’s videotaped backstage interview from the TI, with Comedian Michele LaFong is posted on lasvegasbackstagetalk.com, and casinocenter.com.
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Gaming Today, “Weird Al”
(Click on article to enlarge)
“Weird Al” Yankovic, was another fun interview on Las Vegas Backstage Talk Radio Show with Comedian Michele LaFong on 1230AM KLAV in Las Vegas, and The Web. It took place backstage at The Cannery. Weird Al, known for his costumed comedic song parodies, made it clear that he always asks for the green light from the artist before recording a parody of their song for a music video. When asked if he was ever refused permission by anyone, he said “Only Prince has consistantly said “no,” with no explanation given. Whenever possible I try to go to the artists directly because managers often get in the way, as with Lady GaGa.”
The misunderstanding referred to by Al as “The GaGa Saga” explained that managers don’t always consult their clients before turning something down. “Finally it all got straightened out, and I parodied “Born This Way” with a music video that I did in drag called “Perform This Way”, and GaGa LOVED it!” It was also a hit with the 1300 plus screaming fans at The Cannery. “I challenge anyone to find a rock show where you’ll see a wider range of demographics.
It’s because a lot of fans that were into me in the 80’s are still into me, and now they are bringing their kids. It’s become a family bonding experience. Another reason for my popularity with families is my New York Times Best Selling childrens book “When I Grow Up” Some of my fans are hard core! They’ll follow me from one city to the next. Sometimes it’s the same people in the front row city to city even though the shows are hundreds of miles apart.”
Weird Al will also be featured in Michele LaFong’s Monthly Syndicated Column, “Las Vegas Backstage Talk,” in Casino Player Magazine.
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