We all know that the ability to sugarcoat things is not a virtue in the comedy business and comedian Paula Bel certainly doesn't mind unloading her issues and pet peeves whenever she steps to the mic. Before her upcoming gig at the Brea Improv on March 12th called “Hell in High Heels,” we took some time to talk to Bel to see where her brutally funny and fearless as fuck comedy style comes from. And we don't want to blow her cover BUT…she is actually a total sweetheart… and a total badass!
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OC Weekly (Ali Lerman): It's funny because you sound so pleasant right now but in your comedy, you come across kind of annoyed.
Paula Bel: So my comedy sounds annoying? [Laughs.] Well do you want me to just wake up and be a bitch?
Ha! No, I mean you kinda bark a lot. It's like, you get to say what people want to say but they can only say it in their heads. It's cool.
Well yeah, that's true. People always tell me they wish that they could say what I say. Especially women. Truth be told, people think I'm pissed or I'm angry but I'm really just passionate about what I say. If you go to France, everybody talks like me. It's just they're speaking French so you don't know what the fuck they're saying. Seriously, it's about having some dedication to what you're saying. Most people don't though because they're too afraid or timid but that's not me. That'll never be me.
You're lucky that you have this platform where you can shout it out.
Well people think that with comedy that you can just go up there and do it. But it takes a lot of writing, it's a lot of work. I can't just go up there, well, granted I probably could because I've made it into what I love to do, but it still takes time. If anybody could just jump up there and be the bitch that I am, people wouldn't watch it. [Laughs.] They'd just watch reality TV or something. You have to have timing and know what the fuck you're talking about and usually, I'm talking about personal stuff like what's happening to me or my views on things.
I love the bit you do about your friends not knowing you have kids. Hearing people go on and on about their kids is probably why I hate Facebook so much…
Yeah it's like, what were these people before and what are they going to do later? Their kids are going to grow up and leave so you hope they'll have something else to talk about eventually. I mean, not every woman that kicks kids out of their uterus makes it all that they are about. Society is just weird. [Laughs.]
Seriously. I also loved your blog on Chris Christie and I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on the fantastic train wreck known as Rob Ford.
Ohhhh what's not to say about that guy, you know what I mean? It's just another politician that's getting away with being a real person by smoking crack and drinking. But he has power. Probably any man, not all of them but, they're definitely going to fuck around and do all of these things. It's just people with power or being uber rich but I don't know anything about that because I don't have any power and I'm not uber rich. I'm more of a simpleton. But if I have an extra $100, I'm probably going to go drink extra whiskey so I can just assume if you have a ton of money, you'd just have more access to shit. But yeah, if you're going to smoke crack at least look like a crack head! That guy is way too fat.
I'm not severely into politics but there is something about Rob Ford that just makes me so happy inside.
[Laughs.] He makes you happy inside? Oh that's hilarious! Well I don't think he's going to go away so you'll be good. I mean, once they find out you're ill, the media will keep pumping things out of him. I have to doubt he'll be the mayor again but he'll eventually end up on TV doing some kind of crack head business like selling ribs door to door.
Ha. I would love that to no end! OK so how did you hook up with Jenny McCarthy for the “Dirty Sexy Funny” comedy show that was on EPIX?
She chose the comics that she wanted, she's a big fan of comedy. She's an even bigger fan of female comedy which is cool because for myself, I'm just not really. There are a couple of females I like but it's just not my thing. I'd rather see balloons blown up out of clowns ass or something. But Jenny put it all together and I was glad to be one of the comics on it.
It turned out really good. Did you enjoy dressing up for that special? Everyone looked so glam.
I was actually quite bloated because I had been drinking quite a bit of beer so it was the only thing I fit in. I'm serious! [Laughs.] I'm pretty sure I was in some kind of romper and I was like, great it's all one piece! You know they try to clean you up for TV but yeah, I was on a beer binge or something. I think it was me and Blue Moon for about a week there so they had to contour me somehow!
Catch the Hell in High Heels show staring Paula Bel, Lahna Turner, Jen Murphy, and Jodi Miller at the Brea Improv March 12th. 120 South Brea Blvd. Brea, CA 92821. (714) 482-0700. For tickets go to www.Improv.com. For more info, visit www.PaulaBelComic.com and follow her on Twitter: @RealPaulaBel.
