If out comedian Gloria Bigelow's demeanor reminds you of Whoopi Goldberg’s old HBO stand-up days, it’s for good reason. The current co-host of ABC’s talker The View was an early influence on Bigelow, a “celesbian” known for co-hosting popular lesbian Web talk show Cherry Bomb. Fresh off the inaugural Sweet cruise, comedian Bigelow took a break on Black Friday in Brooklyn to talk to SheWired about how lies to club promoters can pay off, why she’s obsessed with Disney’s The Princess and the Frog and her worst on-stage experience.
SheWired.com: Have you always wanted to be a comic?
Gloria Bigelow: No. I just started comedy three years ago; before that I was an actor. I loved that, I went to grad school for that and trained in that and was really passionate about it. But then got a little disillusioned; I wanted my own voice and that’s kind of how I got introduced to comedy. It’s a nice mix of being able to be on stage but also being able to create my own work and talk about what’s important to me.
SW: When was your first gig and how did it go?
GB: My first gig was at the Improv in New York. I’d written something probably two years before and did nothing with it. I just wrote it and shared it with a friend, and she was like, “Wow, this is really good. You should do something about this,” and I did nothing. Two years later, it was like a New Year’s kind of thing where my thinking was, “OK, I’m going to give this stand-up thing a try.” I called the Improv, lied and said, “You don’t know about me? I perform all around the country all the time.” I packed the audience with my friends and had a good set. Then they gave me other things to do after that. That was my first gig and it was three years ago, coming up on four years in January. It’s crazy it’s been four years.
SW: Did you ever come clean to the promoter?
GB: No, I never did. I did well in that show but other people were there, too, and I went and took a comedy class after that because I didn’t know why people were laughing. I didn’t know what I was doing that was working, so I went and took a comedy class after that and figured out that there’s a method to this. But no, I never came clean to him; he has no idea. I’m such a liar!
SW: When you’re writing new material, what inspires you?
GB: Just about everything. A lot of my comedy focuses on being queer or being a woman or being black so those are kind of the lens for how I look at the world. I can find inspiration in anything. Right now I’m kind of fixated on the whole Disney black princess that they have now (the upcoming animated film The Princess and the Frog). That’s making me laugh.
SW: Did you see the early press photos for the prince? They depicted him much lighter than how he appears now in the movie.
GB: So you know why I’m looking at this as, “What’s going on here?!” So then for a while, my sister-in-law said to me that someone told her that he was Creole, and then someone else told her that he’s Latino. And I’m like, “They couldn’t get a black prince?” (Laughs.) You just couldn’t find any black prince in the forest? I don’t understand why they couldn’t just put that stuff out. It’s really fascinating. I’m actually really excited to see the movie to see what happens with Tiana.
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SW: What’s your worst on-stage experience?
GB: My worst on-stage experience was at the Stonewall Inn, I did a show there called Dykes on Mics and we had just moved there from Rubyfruits, which was an old lesbian bar. So our first night at Stonewall, it’s like happy hour, chock full of gay boys who really have no interest in lesbian comics; they could care less what we’re doing. So we’re up there and this guy thinks that he’s helping me by talking and like “amen-ing” everything I say and just talking back to me the whole time, during my whole set. The thing is, I hadn’t practiced with this man; he’s just in my set now. And there was no shaking him. He just wanted to be in my show. That was probably the worst thing. I got off the stage and felt physically exhausted; I felt like the color had drained from my face. It was just horrendous. I walked outside crying. I thought it was terrible, he thought it was great! He was like, “I had the best time with you, girl!” I was like, “Honey, we’re not in an improv, it doesn’t really work like this.” That was the worst time. It was probably last summer.
SW: Who are your comedic influences?
GB: I would say that Whoopi Goldberg is one. I remember when HBO first came on the scene, I was a little girl, and she came on the show and had her one-person show and did the character Spontane. I’d never seen anything like that. Seeing her with her dreadlocks and her skin was the color of mine, for me she was just it: A funny black woman that I could relate to. She was one of them, growing up, and Suzanne Westenhoefer is one of them now. She’s somebody I love now. I admire her and I love her work. I watch her and study her because I love the way she seems so natural and comfortable and you just feel like you’re watching her and sitting in her living room just chatting with her. And she’s a hysterical hostess; I like that about her. And I feel that’s what happens to you when you’re good over time; just watching somebody like her. Erin Foley is also somebody I also really admire. She’s been in the game for about 10 years and I love her writing. Her writing kills me.
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SW: You recently performed on the Sweet cruise with both Westenhoefer and Foley. How was performing on the Sweet cruise?
GB: That cruise was absolutely insane and wonderful. That’s one of the things that I liked about the cruise was getting to be around everybody; we don’t really get to see each other that much. Everybody is doing their own thing and a lot of them are on the West Coast, so it was nice to be able to be on a cruise and wake up in the morning and go have breakfast with them, or see them in the hallway. That whole aspect of being able to talk to your friends and the other comics and everybody in the community was incredible. And the cruise itself was great; the first day was totally traumatizing and then after that we felt like we’d all pledged a sorority and made it through rush. After you survived a hurricane together, we’re all best friends now. We’re wildly traumatized, but traumatized best friends.
SW: Are you a regular at any comedy shows?
GB: I do Dykes on Mics at Comic’s Comedy Club in the city, and that’s every first and third Tuesday. That’s my workout place. Right before the cruise I was just out on the West Coast and did Gays ‘R’ Us and a couple other shows around there, but hopefully in the New Year, I’ll be able to get out West and hopefully also hit up San Francisco.
SW: Cherry Bomb recently headed to OUTtv in Canada. What sort of reception has it gotten there?
GB: I hear it’s doing really well. They have a lot of viewership and we get a lot of letters from Canada, which is really nice. The Canadian viewers seem really happy with it, which is great.
SW: Can you share any upcoming topics for the show?
GB: We filmed two episodes on the cruise, which were great and a lot of fun, so we have those coming up. I don’t know if there’s anything else right now. I think that’s going to be how we wrap up the season in mid-December and look to kick off Season 4 in January.
SW: If you couldn’t be a “celesbian,” what would you be?
GB: If I couldn’t be a “celesbian,” what would I be? I think the word “celesbian” is absolutely hysterical. (Laughs.) I would be a politician. I would be wearing pantsuits and trying to run the world.
SW: And your running mate?
GB: My running mate? I would have Erin Foley as my running mate; she’s incredible. She’d be perfect.
SW: You have my vote.
For more about Bigelow, visit her Web site at globigelow.com.
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