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AE:
Are you still comfortable with being identified as a feminist
humorist?
KC:
You know I haven’t used it lately, but I also don’t
mind the F word. I’m kinda proud of it.
AE:
I was asking because some people have criticized Ellen for not
being gay enough now that she has her own talk show. Do you
think that criticism is justified?
KC:
Oh, god, hasn’t the woman done enough? (laughs) I think
that she has one of the best sound comedy eyes. She just picks
out great mundane details and gets to the ironic funny heart of
them. And sometimes I wish she would talk about the lesbians that
she meets, cause I think it would be a riot, but I also believe
that artists and people have to do what they feel comfortable
with, and if she doesn’t, that’s fine with me.
AE:
So, your most recent CD, The Marrying Kind, is available
now. What are you talking about on your new CD?
KC:
Well, let’s see…a lot of marriage, the whole marriage
thing. A lot of politics. My style has been pretty much sort of
like a newspaper. It’s got politics in it, it’s got
media, sports, family relations, you know, all the sections you
would expect, and—oh, wonderful religion things. I’m
really happy that I was raised Catholic because it’s given
me years of material. I consider a CD or a comedy collection as
a record of what I’ve been doing, and I try to wrap it up
and start new material. So after putting the CD out I feel like
I can start doing other new material, and that’s really
the point of my job here in Provincetown. I try something new
every night. It’s an hour show and I try something; if it
works I maybe try it a few more times and then move that off and
try something new. It’s a great workshop for me.
AE:
You tour a lot though, right?
KC:
Oh geez, yes I do. I think of it as my USO work. But I just love
my job and what I love about the summer is that I can just ride
my bike to work. Unfortunately the rest of the year I have to
take a plane there…
AE:
In the midst of all your touring did you have a chance to watch
The L Word when it was on last spring?
KC:
Oh, of course. We signed up for Showtime, which I think put us
on a Homeland Security list somewhere. (laughing) But yes…one
of my favorite memories is…I think The L Word started
the same night as the Superbowl…
AE:
I think so too.
KC:
What a riot! I am in New York and I’m with people who are
for the New England Patriots and—I don’t remember
what the other team was—but we’re just watching this
football game and there’s this little voice from somebody
who’s holding the clicker and says, “The L Word
is on in five minutes.” And then…The L Word
came on and it was like the last second of the football game…it
was like heavy testosterone…and then it was like totally
lesbian, it was great. And I have to tell you the woman who was
working the clicker did a beautiful job.
AE:
Well that’s good, so you got to see the end of the game
too?
KC:
Yes! We still watch The L Word as if it were a sporting
event. You know everybody’s always screaming like “Oh
she did not.” Everybody…we all hated Jenny.
AE:
I have not met anyone who likes Jenny.
KC:
Why build this show around her?
AE:
This is a very good question!
KC:
Okay, thanks. But the fact of the matter is it’s got us
all nutted up and returning, so…
AE:
Well, who are some of your favorite characters?
KC:
Well, Shane was actually based on my life.
AE:
Oh, okay.
KC:
Yeah. I actually love the woman who plays the bisexual that keeps
the fuck chart.
AE:
Leisha Hailey.
KC:
Oh my god she cracks me up….I think she’s great. It’s
fun to have your own sitcom, soap opera, serial thing to watch.
It’s just a blast. And everybody has opinions. This is my
favorite one: Well I don’t think the sex on the show is
that sexy. And I always feel like, oh right, in your house…
AE:
(laughing) Well, a lot of people thought that it was pandering
to straight male viewers because there was so much—well
there was a lot of straight sex at the beginning.
KC:
Well, it’s very Showtime sex. Which as one of my gay friends
who watched Queer as Folk pointed out to me, he says
it’s just like you don’t even know which body part
goes with which person the way it’s filmed. And then the
music comes on and it’s either the weather channel or the
porn channel and it’s kind of oddly disjointed, unemotional…but
he said it’s the Showtime sexual trope.
AE:
Well, what’s next for you? You have one book out, do you
have plans for another?
KC:
I actually am working on another book and it’s actually
a young adult book.
AE:
Is it fiction?
KC:
Yes, I’m very excited about it. I have never—it’s
such a relief to do it and not write political stuff. It’s
totally made up and there’s a great cranky little girl who’s
the main character. It’s just been a riot.
AE:
That’s wonderful; can you tell me a little about the story?
KC:
I’m still working on it, but you know, it’s hijinks
aplenty. It’s really one of those finding yourself, introspective…She
has some adventures, she gets involved with a group of older women
who are kind of dangerous, and nobody suspects them because they’re
older women and …they know their way around kidnapping.
I don’t need to say anymore. It’s just wild, it’s
zany. I want it to be sort of like mad mad mad mad world.
AE:
Now they’re having all these gay TV channels. Do you have
any plans to host your own talkshow?
KC:
Actually I want to host a religious show. I’m sure nobody
will be wanting the 11 o’clock spot on Sunday morning, but
I’m picturing sort of an hour of power. I think we’re
in such a religious nutbucket moment that we should really get
some of our own preachers and preach that gay is good and here’s
what else the Bible says by the way. And some fabulous choirs.
That’s what I’d like to do. You know, everybody’d
just be coming home and they could watch it before they go to
bed (laughing).
Kate
Clinton can be found online at kateclinton.com
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