Paula Poundstone returns to The Folly

Photo Courtesy of Paula Poundstone

Not that we’re counting, but it’s been almost exactly three years since Paula Poundstone last unleashed her quick-witted stream of consciousness on The Folly Theater. The comedy icon makes her much-anticipated (and likely very chatty) return on Saturday, Nov. 8.

When we pointed out the three-year gap, Poundstone was quick to joke, “There’s probably some sort of advent calendar being sold to count down to the day that I arrive, huh?”

During our interview, Poundstone pinballed through topics faster than we could take notes—Portland, herbivores, eye creams, minimalist dressing rooms. We barely managed to ask any questions.

She’s chatty—personified. When we complimented her on being every interviewer’s dream guest, she paused just long enough to deliver the punchline: “It depends on what you want out of an interview. But generally speaking, A) it’s a compulsion, and B) people use phrases like, ‘You were so generous with your time.’ Meaning, I can’t stop talking.”

Somewhere around the ninety-second mark, we officially lost control of the conversation—and loved every minute of it.

Then the topic of leaves changing colors came up. “I’m leaving for Burlington, Vermont. I’m not going as a leaf peeper, but I may peep,” she says. “Probably I’ll get pulled over. Police will ask, ‘Were you peeping?’ Don’t tell anybody. Yes, I’m sorry. I peeped. But, yeah, what I need is joke peepers. I need people coming out to the theater to have a night of laughter. It’s the best thing for you, with the exception of maybe water, oxygen, food, or housing.”

The thing about Poundstone is that her sidebars have sidebars. At some point, she mentioned she misses KC’s old circular airport and how she could never get lost. “It’s not round anymore? I always loved the round one,” she says. “I hope this new one doesn’t mess me up.”

As the interview progressed—and we use that term loosely—we did manage to get a few questions in. Her answers came fast and furious. So, without further ado, here is our chat with the illustrious Paula Poundstone ahead of her Folly Theater appearance.

The Pitch: You like to chat up your audience. While it’s all in good fun, who do you like to zero in on?

Paula Poundstone: I don’t have a particular type.  I really just say, ‘You! Over there!’ My manager used to tell people that I had some sort of sixth sense, and I can tell who would be good to talk to, which is such a load of crap. I don’t have a sixth sense. I happen to have really wonderful audience members, so that gives me a leg up in that department. But everybody—when you engage them and get them talking—is great.

What’s the deal with you posting pictures of chairs backstage? 

There’s no judgment. I just show the chairs. Some places have very fancy-looking chairs, but most of them are making my point—that backstage is not fancy. It’s a cement room. The other thing is—a lot of times, venues want to pick me up from my hotel and bring me to the venue, like, an hour early. And I’d be, ‘Well, why is that?’ And they say, ‘Well, we just want to make sure you’re there.’ Okay, well, I don’t really roam. It’s not like somebody’s gonna accidentally let me out like a cat.

So, I’d have to explain to them that the difference between sitting in my hotel room for an extra 45 minutes or sitting in a cement room is vast on my mental health.

Photo Courtesy of Paula Poundstone

Makes sense. 

Alright, here’s a show business story. Many, many years ago, I had some friends with me, and we were all in Lake Tahoe.My whole life growing up, Johnny Carson was always interviewing somebody and saying, ‘Sooo, you’re playing in Tahoe?’  And I just thought of it as the most glamorous thing. So, I go to Lake Tahoe with some friends of mine, and we go see Liza Minnelli. And I’m trying to impress my friends for whatever sad reason. We were there early. And before the show starts, I write a note on a napkin: ‘Hi, my name is Paula Poundstone, I’m a stand-up comic, blah, blah, blah—and could my friends and I come backstage?’ And I give the note to a security person.

I don’t know Liza Minnelli. Like, she has zero reason to invite me and my friends backstage. But, in a little while, the security guy comes back over and he says, ‘Ms. Minnelli would like to see you.’ So, me and my friends go backstage, and she could not have been more gracious. She’s offering us, like, do we want anything to drink?

But the dressing room is so uninviting and unglamorous, I can’t even tell you. And years later, I performed in the same venue. And I’m like, ‘Well, this is the place where I met Liza Minnelli.’

My guess is the reason she invited us back was because she too had gotten to go to the venue ridiculously early—and she was lonely and bored out of her mind in that sad dressing room.

You are talk show gold. Gold, I tell you! What do you remember about your first talk show appearance on The Merv Griffin Show, like, 40 years ago?

You know, I don’t remember much. I mean, I remember that I was there. I think Connie Stevens might have been on as well. I was excited that I did it. Oh, and the dressing room was disappointing—just a boring little hole in the side of a building. Not really exciting in any way. They could’ve thrown some goddamn flowers in there. Honestly! Put up a picture on the wall!

Does Paula Poundstone have any guilty pleasures, you know, other than sweet potato pies? 

Oh, my God—I love sweet potato pies! ‘Bama pies! Well, I am a big junk food eater. I don’t know how guilty I feel about it, but I am a big junk food eater. Currently, I’m going through a fairly intense Ruffles potato chip phase.

You know what I do with my Ruffles potato chip bags after I’m finished eating the chips? I put the empty bag on the floor so that the cats can play in it. And they’re delighted. First of all, it’s salty, and cats love salt. Most of the salt has been licked out already by me—but, nonetheless.

That’s what I do with a lot of things now—I just put them on the floor for the cats to play with.

You are closing in on your 400th podcast. What do you think constitutes a good podcast?

A pulse. As long as you have some place to plug in and you’re still breathing, by God, you’re a podcaster!

Paula Poundstone takes on The Folly Theater on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Interview briefly edited for content and clarity.