On Dec. 17 comedian Paula Poundstone said, "I shall be the court jester at the Royal Oak Music Theatre in Royal Oak, Michigan, Sire." Photo courtesy of Michael Schwartz Royal Oak – Comedian and author Paula Poundstone said she wishes her new book, "Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness," was out now instead of on May 9.
"I think it could help. It's a funny book. A sense of humor is essential to survival," said Poundstone about moving on post-election.
"Be with one another. Put down your screen devices. Limit your screen time. Give a hug. Go outside. Exercise. Love people that you don't even know and volunteer. There. I guess that was more than one thing. Oh, yeah, and drink some water."
Or, go see her perform live on Dec. 17 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre where Poundstone said she will provide "a night of healing laughter."
Heralded as one of our country's foremost comics, Poundstone has the ability to stand on a stage with no script or props and entertain an audience solely using her wit.
She is a regular panelist on NPR's #1 screwball weekly news quiz show, "Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me!" where she holds the record for game losses.
"The others cheat," she said magnanimously. "You wouldn't think NPR would put up with that."
Poundstone tours regularly, performing nearly 100 live stand-up dates a year across the country. Although her interchanges with the audience are never mean or done at a person's expense, she is known for doing "crowd work," asking questions and putting (willing) people on the spot.
She even manages to handle politics without provoking the pall of disapproval received by less artful comics. "With the exception of that one time," she claims.
Poundstone voiced the character "Forgetter Paula" in Disney Pixar's 2015 Academy Award winning animated feature film, Inside Out. Her first double-live CD, "North By Northwest: Paula Poundstone Live" debuted this year at #1 on both Amazon's "Hot New Releases – Non Fiction" and "Comedy CD" lists, and charted on Billboard's Comedy Albums. "It's a joyous romp through a field of cheeseheads and hipsters," said Poundstone, who also appeared on the hit television drama, Major Crimes this year, and has done commentaries for CBS Sunday Morning.
Over the years Poundstone has amassed a list of accolades and awards. In 1992, she became the first woman to share the stage with President George H.W. Bush and host the prestigious White House Correspondents dinner, a role not until then offered to a woman in its 72-year history. Only four other women have followed in her pioneering footsteps. That same year, she rocked the comedy establishment when her HBO special, "Cats, Cops and Stuff" won the Cable ACE Award for Best Standup Comedy Special. Poundstone is the first woman to ever receive that award.
Setting quite the example for young women in her trademark suit, men's shirt, suspenders and red lipstick, Poundstone shares a bit of advice.
"When they ask me, I always tell other young stand-up comics not to worry about the politics and prejudices of getting hired or not hired. I encourage them to simply focus on being the best they can be at their craft. It takes practice and experience. I tell them to do every open-mic they can, and to read and to write. Eventually, using this technique, a performer will become undeniable. Someone not hiring them will look stupid. I think this theory applies to every job," she said.
"The truth is, not as many women take the risk to do certain jobs. I have no idea why that is. Certainly stand-up comedy, as well as most other jobs, are genderless. Angela Merkel is about to have another go at it. Just keep swimming."
Which is more important now than ever as Poundstone said she agrees the arts have a huge role to play in protecting the country from a downward nationalist spiral.
"Sometimes, especially in neighborhoods that are quite segregated, the only way we learn about someone's experience that is different from our own is through a movie, a play, a song, a television show, or a comic," she said. "We also need to seek out really good journalism, instead of so much editorial news-talk-infotainment."
Poundstone is included in Comedy Central's list of 100 Greatest Stand-Ups Of All Time about which she said is, "especially meaningful because lots of other Neanderthals were overlooked." And when she won an American Comedy Award for Best Female Standup Comic she said, "they ran out of people to give it to."
Known for her self-deprecating style, she has established quite the reputation for being brainy and smart on stage. Still, she considers her greatest achievement being a mom of three children. She lives in Santa Monica where she also has two dogs, 14 cats, and one ant left from her ant farm.
The ROMT is located at 318 W. 4th St. Tickets are $32-60 in advance. Doors open at 8 p.m. For more information, visit ROMT online or call 248-399-2980.
