by Bambi Weavil
Queer On Their Feet, a outstanding comedy showcase featuring out comics Jennie McNulty, Jason Dudey and Diana Yanez, who have all been featured nationally on LOGO, are coming to North Carolina, starting on February 19th in Asheville, and concluding their North Carolina part of the tour in the Port City on February 22nd. Queer On Their Feet is refreshing and hilarious, that has each comic doing about 15 minutes of fabulous stand up, with a followup by all three comics together playing improv games onstage with suggestions from the audience. Every show is unique, fun, and totally hysterical. The Wilmington show is a fundraiser for the Frank Harr Memorial Fund at 6:00 PM at St. Jude’s MCC for $15.00.
We recently had a chance to have a fun and frisky roundtable chat with these three fabulous comedians about their upcoming visit:
BW: What does it mean for you to be apart of this tour, Queer On Their Feet?
Jenny McNulty: As someone who’s been touring for years doing comedy by myself, it’s really fun to be part of an ensemble and I LOVE doing the improv as well as the stand up so the tour is really, really, fun.
Jason Dudey: It’s awesome. Jennie came up with this idea a couple of years ago and it incorporates all that I love about comedy. We each get to do some stand up in the beginning and then we do the improv. The improv is fantastic, it brings the whole audience together. Everyone participates and no one knows what’s going to happen. I love bringing a new, different, exciting night out to the gay community. It really provides something different that just heading to the bars. We go there after the shows.
Diana Yanez: It’s a big deal to me to be with this group and on this tour. This is my art and to be in such good company is a bonus triumph. Taking it to the people – I treasure meeting our queer brothers & sisters across the U.S. but I also enjoy meeting our brothers & sisters that are not queer. On the road – & inevitably in our audiences – we always end up meeting a lot of our straight family. I’m a big believer that change is going to happen faster the more people get to know us. And by us I mean the whole GLBT disco ball. Every shiny facet. Everybody laughs, everybody loves, everybody wins.
BW: Jennie, I saw you’re into football – who was your pick for the Super Bowl? Are you surprised by the turnout?
JM: Pittsburgh. My parents are both from Pittsburgh so I grew up liking/following the Steelers. I’m from Detroit so the Lions are my team (I’m loyal if nothing else). But, as a Lion fan, you need a “realistic” team and the Steelers have always been my realistic team. I had some other Steeler fan friends over and we had a great time. Although, one of my friends brought over her new girlfriend who was cheering, and THE ONLY ONE cheering, for the Cardinals. Is it bad to hope they break up? (smiles)
BW: Where is your favorite place to perform so far to date?
JM: Iraq and Afghanistan. I was honored to be able to perform there for the troops who were all so grateful we were there. They all come up and thank us for “taking their minds off of where they are.” It’s WE who should be thanking THEM. They are amazing people fighting for us over there, even if they don’t believe they should be there, they put their lives on the line for us everyday. It was an honor to be there for them. And pretty exciting for me to be there and see what it’s like….
JD: I must say performing on cruise ships for Atlantis and RSVP has been great. Who could complain about that. Great audiences, great ships and great scenery.
DY: Oh – everywhere has been great but I think loved Tucson, AZ most. The audience was great and it felt more like I was hosting a really great party than performing. It was a blast.
BW: What would your fans be surprised to know about you?
JM: I worked in a research lab that studied growth hormone regulation.
JD: I can’t stand it when my food touches. I know it’s weird and no, I will not grow out of it.
DY: If it’s after 7pm and you tell me a good story, not gossip or current events but a REAL STORY…or put a good “story” oriented movie on, I will pass out before the end of it. It’s my favorite comfort – hearing a good tale makes me all cozy and sleepy.
BW: What non-profits do you support or especially close to your heart?
JM: Marriage equality is in the forefront of my support right now. In fact, my partner and I have designed t-shirts and novelty items under the name of “queer realms” and 20% of our profits go to support marriage equality.
JD: Aid for Aids based in Los Angeles is my primary non-profit to support. We have such a great time and we put on an incredible “talent” show that is so over the top and so much fun. The best part is, in one night a hundred volunteers come together and raise over $300,000, for HIV/AIDS patients throughout Los Angeles.
DY: When the notorious Prop 8 passed in California who was there to take it to the courts and say, “No way Jose! You can’t take away people’s rights by majority vote!” – I tell ya who, the ACLU & HRC!
BW: Jason – you’ve got the “Midwest values, East Coast attitude and West Coast mentality” going for you – where do you call home now and how is it being on the road with all these lovely ladies?
JD: For the last 13 years I have called Los Angeles home. Lately, I should be calling Los Angeles International Airport home. It seems I am there more than anywhere else these days. What can I say about traveling with Jennie, Diana and our manager, Taylor. It’s safe, that’s for sure. Taylor is a nurse and firefighter. Jennie plays football, she’s the tough one. Diana can speak lots of languages so if we get lost she’s our ticket out no matter where we are. I just look pretty and like to drive.
BW: Diana – you stay very active behind the scenes as well as in front on stage – what projects are you working on that you can tease our audience about?
DY: Well this year I get to proudly say I am a published author. That’s something I’ve been working on. It’s called “OUT ON THE EDGE; AMERICA’S REBEL COMICS” – and you’ll see a bunch of essays by other GLBT comedy folk in there. Once again I’ll be part of Outlaugh, the first ever ongoing Queer Comedy Festival in America and this year we are making it a national experience with simultaneous shows in LA, NY, and Lake Tahoe where the Gay Winter Fest is going on. There is another city in the works but I can’t talk about that yet! I’m in talks about developing a one-woman show but I’m still a ways away from that. In production, my latest short film is called “Inner Stupid Ugly” about a casting assistant that is model-blind. She sees the models but for what they really are on the inside, typically, ugly. I’m a type E personality – e for everything all at once.
BW: What are you looking forward most about visiting North Carolina?
JM: Well, we’ve been there before and had some really fun shows so we’re looking forward to meeting all the fun peeps. They come up with some crazy suggestions.
JD: I love North Carolina. Bring on the hush puppies and sweet tea!
DY: I’m looking forward to visiting with my two very good friends, Norbert & John, who live in Asheville. I know them from my college days in Miami. They have seen every incarnation of me – from straight girl, to producer, to agent, to producer again, to actor, to lesbian, to comedian. Progress, I believe! I don’t get to see them very often but whenever I come to visit I am amazed by the natural beauty of NC. I credit Norbert with some of the best writing advice I ever received. He said, ‘when you make a sandwich do you think of every possible thing you can make a sandwich out of? No! You go look in your refrigerator and see what you have.’ I never forget that and if you come see the show you’ll experienced what I found in those mystery Tupperware containers.
BW: Just for fun: Who killed Jenny on The L Word?
JM: The fan base.
JD: The only lesbian activity that I have not participated in is watching The L Word. Is that bad? I know who killed J.R.
DY: The fans. No kidding. I actually met the actress, Mia Kirschner, a couple years and she was a doll. Intelligent, articulate, interesting and down to earth; she was nothing like that character. One of the first things she said to me once we got into a real conversation was – and I am paraphrasing of course – she basically said, “even I hate Jenny.” That says it all, Amigos.
BW: Thank you guys! We look forward to seeing all of you in Wilmington and we urge all of our readers to not miss Queer On Their Feet!
For more information, please visit their MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/queerontheirfeet.
Information on the Wilmington, NC show:
Queer On Their Feet will be at St. Jude’s MCC 19 N. 26th St Wilmington, NC on February 22, 2009 at 6:00 PM. General Admission tickets are $15. Advance tickets available through Brown Paper Tickets at www.BrownPaperTickets.com or by calling 1-877-278-4842. Buy your tickets early before the show sells out! Remaining tickets will be available for sale at the door, cash only.
Latest posts by Bambi Weavil (see all)
- NAGLREP Members to Meet in Washington DC May 15th for REALTOR Meeting – April 30, 2013
- The Cliks’ Lucas Silveira: ‘Walking Through A Tunnel of Darkness Towards The Light’ – April 29, 2013
- Boston Marathon: Hope, Heroes, Perseverance – April 17, 2013
(Out Impact has an gay online radio station!: Out Impact Radio - click here to listen)
