Totally Inappropriate and Loving It
By Charles Karel Bouley
As one of the most enduring and visible lesbians in comedy, Suzanne Westenhoefer has made a career out of being totally inappropriate, so it’s only fitting that her one-woman show reflects that: “Totally Inappropriate” hits Orange County on March 20 at the Orange County Pavilion. The show includes a chance to meet Westenhoefer after her performance.
Orange County’s reputation as a homophobic enclave is not lost on Westenhoefer. “I will go to Orange County with the same spirit I serve coffee to gay Mormons,” she said. “I will go there because it is where I am needed. Westenhoefer shares her home with her wife, Jennifer Houston, whom she married in the summer of 2008 prior to the passing of Proposition 8, which allows the marriage to be upheld.
Westenhoefer knows times are tough in America, but she still sees opportunities for entertainers. “It’s easier when you’re in a niche market,” she commented. “The base, your core audience, doesn’t go away and will see you through lean times. Mainstream comedy clubs are struggling to fill the seats on a regular basis unless it’s a major name, but people will still come out for certain black comics, queer comics, Hispanic comics — so ‘niche marketing’ works.”
“Totally Inappropriate” is a significant change for the lesbian bartender who 20 years ago (on a dare from her regulars) took the stage for a standup attempt at her New Jersey bar. Along the way she’s racked up a lot of “firsts,” as many openly gay entertainers do. In 1991 she went on “Sally Jessie Raphael” as part of the “Breaking the Lesbian Stereotype” show, becoming the first out lesbian on network TV. In 1994 she was the first lesbian to host her own HBO special, which was nominated for an Ace Award. This was followed by an appearance “The Late Show With David Letterman.”
Westenhoefer’s Orange County appearance contains more improvisation than scripted comedy, which allows the show to change depending upon the day, the city and her mood. “Totally Inappropriate” takes her to Ft. Worth, San Jose, Orlando and Milwaukee.
But Westenhoefer doesn’t dwell on current political issues; rather, she dissects the relevant issues of everyday life.
“I do comedy about what’s happening to me, my friends, my life, right now,” she said. “That kind of stuff is evergreen because it’s the human life-condition comedy. I don’t do 20 minutes on George Bush, so when you see me two years later you’re not like, ‘Whatever.’ I’m trying to get them to laugh and enjoy being human; I don’t need to remind them how fucked up their financial or political lives are. They already know it. Sex is forever. Things like my dogs are forever topics. I like laughing at that and I think people do, as well.”
Married life often comes up on stage, and now that she is legally married, Westenhoefer doesn’t see a big difference. “We weren’t waiting for marriage to have sex,” she said. “But, I’m not sure what a ‘gay marriage’ is. My marriage feels like everyone else’s, it would appear — well, outside of if it’s two boys; they don’t have to deal with [pre-menstrual syndrome]. I don’t notice a lot more respect, but I do notice a lot more excitement from both my audience and those around me. I mean, ‘respect’? It’s not like I got promoted or a pay raise, but people are genuinely happy for us.”
“[My wife is] on the road more than I am,” Westenhoefer said. “But it does make it easier when both travel, so there’s no guilt about staying home. We travel together when we can, but Vancouver [for the Olympics]? It’s cold. Give me Orange County.”
Besides preparing for the Orange Curtain, Westenhoefer is also busy with her second season of the online Web drama “We Have to Stop Now,” which follows two women therapists. “I knew the principals and knew it would be funny and that’s the point,” she said. “The delivery method — Web, TV, stage — it’s all so relevant these days. Web programming is no longer seen as an extra. Great programming is out there exclusively on the Web and that’s fine, because people are finding it more and more.”
For the LGBT community, online endeavors are still important.
“We have got to raise our content level of what we put on our networks like Logo, here!, Sirius and others to a consistent level of excellence,” Westenhoefer added. “Just being gay isn’t enough to pull an audience any more.
“I know money is always an issue, but gays and lesbians are all over the industry, we can create consistently competitive content if we put our minds, and talent, to it,” she continued. “On a positive note, I think that Bravo, A&E and others are going to open up to our programming. And knowing what the LGBT community can do with a dollar, having done shows all over, I know we can do even better.”
Westenhoefer wants to do a talk show but acknowledges that many in stand-up want to do television and often have trouble making the transition. Westenhoefer believes it’s the vehicle; not the comic. The talk show, and talk guest, could use some reinvention.
“I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’m really in love with the way Craig Ferguson does his show, including dealing with his guest,” Westenhoefer said. “I think there’s an opportunity now to reinvent the talk format, bring in new guests that don’t normally do the shows, like Jodie Foster, and then try to get her to go there finally. I’d also like to have a venue where people could feel safe coming out.”
So would Tom Cruise be a great “get” to have a frank, open discussion about any floating rumors?
“I don’t talk to Scientologists about anything in depth,” she said. “Seriously, he’s being fed what to say, and he’s in a cult. I wouldn’t have wanted to interview the leaders of Jonestown, either — save for Diane Sawyer, these people are nuts, anyone that believes anything a million percent without question, especially when the things can seem so absurd, well, I’d have better guests to get.”
Westenhoefer has several DVDs and audio CDs available at www.suzannew.com, including the “We Have to Stop” Web series. You can also keep up with the comedian at Twitter and Facebook. “Totally Inappropriate” takes place at 8 p.m. on March 20 at the O.C. Pavilion. Visit www.ocpavilion.com for ticket information.