Courtesy of Kevin Thomas Garcia

The #blessed Sandra Bernhard

18:30 June 18, 2015
By: Emily Hingle

The illustrious and multi-talented comedian/singer/actress Sandra Bernhard brings her new show Sandra Bernhard is #blessed to the Joy Theater this Saturday at 7 p.m. Learn more about the show and purchase tickets here. 

WYAT: What is this show about?

Sandra Bernhard: Well, it's more about the stylistic quality of what I do which is a real mash-up and blend of comedy and monologues and observational [humor] wrapped around songs that are classics; some are kind of rock and roll in nature, some are original tunes. I weave together an interesting stream of consciouness narrative about my life, my travels, my world, how I see the world. It's funny, it's dramatic, and it covers all of the different styles of performing that people have come to know me for. It's very personal and intimate, and it's a great evening with a compelling performer like myself. 

WYAT: How does the prominent PC culture of America affect your act?

SB: I second guess things now that I wouldn't have 15 years ago before social media because now every little thing gets picked up, and before you know it, there's a firestorm that might be based on something that was said in a certain ironic mode that you wouldn't know about if you weren't there. When you see somebody perform, and you hear them, you understand the approach and the tone of them. When you just read a dry, reproduction of a line, you don't understand the mode. And that's what a performer does; they bring something unique and funny. It might be a look, a sideways glance, that makes it a whole different point of view. Now you have to think things through a little bit more. It's a bummer. That's what was fun about when I started out; you could just go for it. It has tended to hone things down a bit. It's not my ideal setting. 

WYAT: Overall, do you agree or disagree with that fact that you have to be careful of offending other people now?

SB: For me, I've always pushed the envelope. It's been about pushing people to open up to other ways of thinking and looking at the world. I think I have a good barometer of how far to take things, and I've been around some of the great people: Paul Mooney, Richard Pryor...I've sat and watched people from back in the day, and this is what they did; they were social commentators. That's what I like to think my work is about.

WYAT: Do you have anything else to say about your upcoming show?

SB: I haven't been down to New Orleans in a long time; I've only performed there once. So I'm excited about coming back. The city has gone through such changes and not changed much. I'm excited to be there.  

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