BWW EXCLUSIVE: Kathy Griffin WANTS A TONY & Talks GLEE, Palin, Sheen & More

Last night I had the honor of interviewing two-time Emmy-winning comedy queen and Broadway's newest leading lady Kathy Griffin about her new show Kathy Griffin WANTS A TONY, which opens at the Belasco Theater this Friday, as well as all her other exciting endeavors coming up soon. Next week, Kathy will be all over the entertainment landscape, with her Sarah Palin-esque turn as a red state Regionals judge in red on Tuesday's GLEE and later that week marks the premiere of her new Bravo comedy special Kathy Griffin: 50 AND NOT PREGNANT - the first of four she will presenting on the network in the coming months. All of this in addition to her Broadway debut. Commenting on everyone from Julie Andrews to Charlie Sheen to Sarah Palin and Scarlett Johansson, Griffin's quick wit and razor-sharp astuteness makes her a convivially caustic and endearing subject - and perhaps the funniest, as well. See why she is soon to be the toast of Broadway - plus, find out her favorite cast album of all time; a selection she shares with Stephen Sondheim, no less - and a whole lot more in this exciting, exclusive conversation only on BroadwayWorld!

Kathy & Brecht, Bosom Buddies

PC: Kathy, what a thrill! Thank you so much for talking to us at the number one theatre site on the internet today!

KG: How do you do it?

PC: You are such an icon - a comedy legend in her own time.

KG: Oh my God, you are so nice!

PC: So, you want to win a Tony with this new show, judging from the title?

KG: Frankly, I'm expecting one.

PC: That's too funny.

KG: I don't even know who's on the committee or if they even have a category for me anymore. But, you know, I should get the Tony for this show - maybe for Best Dressed? I think they have a category for best dressed.

PC: Yes, I'm sure they do. (Laughs.)

KG: I would take a Tony for Best Dressed, if I have to. Or Geniality - I'd take that.

PC: Any category you could just walk away with?

KG: Most Negative Attitude. I think they should consider making that a new category.

PC: Bitchiest dialogue, perchance?

KG: Definitely bitchiest. You know, also, Most Offensive To Celebrities, Politicians & Pop Culture Figures.

PC: Speaking of political figures, Sarah Palin called you a "50-year-old has-been" earlier this week. Any comment?

KG: Are you kidding? That's why I had to add two shows!

PC: Seriously?

KG: Yeah! I seriously added two shows after she made that comment. I had to!

PC: Was everyone going crazy when the comment hit?

KG: It was so fantastic: my Twitter blew up and my e-mail, too, with messages from all my friends.

PC: All press is good press, then?

KG: It's just a gift to have her say that. It's a gift from Wasilla to me.

PC: So you aren't actually a "fifty-year-old bully"?

KG: (Laughs.) No, I'm not! But, I am fifty, though!

PC: Congratulations.

KG: Thank you, darling. In fact, I named my next Bravo special - which premieres March 17 while (Pretentious Voice.) I'm on Broadway - Kathy Griffin: 50 AND NOT PREGNANT.

PC: What a hilarious title! Are there any words you have for Sarah Palin in response to what she said about you?

KG: Well, I will say that she was correct about my age - as I am, as far as I know - and the whole thing is just great. It's just gold.

PC: Pure gold.

KG: Pure comedy gold.

PC: And you are playing a Palin-esque politician on GLEE next week, judging Regionals, correct?

KG: The episode of GLEE in which I play a Tea Party candidate? Whatever could you be implying, young man?

PC: (Laughs.) What can you tell me about the episode?

KG: It is going to be so, so great.

PC: Tell me everything you can.

KG: Well, first of all, it really is a treat and an honor for me because I met Ryan Murphy when he was doing NIP/TUCK.

PC: He did a genius job on that show. I love his work.

KG: Exactly. He's a genius. He's just great and fearless - and, obviously, I like people like that.

PC: What is he like?

KG: The first time we met he came to my house and he pitched me a story arc on NIP/TUCK. It was so exciting. I felt so A-list. The only reason I couldn't do it was because I was doing MY LIFE ON THE D-LIST at the same time.

PC: What was the proposed character/story-line on NIP/TUCK?

KG: Oh, he had the funniest character for me to do on NIP/TUCK. He wanted me to play this outrageous character - I don't know if you watched the show, but do you remember when the doctors got their own reality show?

PC: Of course. Season 5.

KG: Yeah, he wanted me to be a part of that whole story arc. It was very exciting. When I got it I was like, "Oh my God, this is great!" But, I truly was too busy doing THE D-LIST, so I couldn't possibly do NIP/TUCK, too - so, of course, it obviously just killed me not to be able to do it.

PC: What a great lost opportunity!

KG: Totally. So, when GLEE blew up, I just wasn't going to be that person that was going to call him - probably, as I imagined, like everyone else who wanted to be on it - begging, and be like, (Pleading Voice.) "Ryan, please write me a part! Pretty please?"

PC: Too D-List!

KG: (Laughs.) I've run into him and stuff at events in between, so we were on each other's radar. But, then, to truly get the call that they wrote a part for me and she's a home-schooling Tea Party candidate - I mean, it's just gotta be as a result of the stuff in my act! Right?

PC: Undoubtedly.

KG: That is just so fantastic to me, because I just love when someone gets the freaking joke! And, obviously, Ryan does.

PC: What was the atmosphere like on set?

KG: It was really, really, really exciting to be there. The whole cast was there and I brought my mom to the set. They were all up there singing and dancing. I mean, what was really funny to me was that it was like a parody of what you would think the GLEE experience would be like!

PC: Which is?

KG: Fun and friendly - and, I was flirting with Cory Monteith. (Laughs.) It was just such a blast.

PC: How did Maggie [Kathy's mom] react?

KG: Oh my God, it made Maggie's day! As you know, Maggie can be very jaded about Hollywood because, after all, (Deadpan.) she is a superstar. So, sometimes you've got to remind the superstars - like my ninety-year-old mother - of their roots.

PC: Of course! (Laughs.)

KG: It was really great when I brought her to the set and they were all gushing over her. Lea Michele was like, "Oh my gosh! I love your mom!" And, Colfer, of course, was like, "I want a picture with your mom. Is that OK?"

PC: What did Maggie do?

KG: My mom was just posing the whole time - like, she didn't even care if anyone wanted a picture with her. She was just, basically, sitting in a chair and posing all day.

PC: So, it was a really great experience?

KG: It was truly gleeful. Truly gleeful. Can I give you my mom's advice for Broadway?

PC: Do it.

KG: OK - keep in mind there may be a box of wine involved.

PC: Undoubtedly.

KG: OK, first of all, the show is literally just me and a mic - there are no musical numbers. It's just me saying whatever is going to come out of my mouth. So, my mother's advice was that she would like me to absolutely - under no circumstances - mention Charlie Sheen.

PC: No way!

KG: (Deadpan.) It's a comedy show. I'm a stand-up comedian. (Pause.) And, every single day he is doing something that is right up there with Sarah Palin! Meaning, to me, that those two are very similar - they sort of serve the same purpose, for me.

PC: What was your retort to Maggie?

KG: I thought it was just hysterical. So, I said to her, "Mom, not only am I going to have to ignore this piece of very sage advice," I said, "but, I think it's going to be on everyone's minds. Everyone will have been watching all these crazy interviews and tapes." Then, it immediately reminded me of her other advice to me, which was that I should not go into show business and, in fact, I should become a dental hygienist.

PC: Thank God that didn't happen!

KG: I will tell you, I will be ignoring that one other piece of my mom's advice. I just might have to bring up Charlie Sheen. And the Lohans. And the congressman with the Craig's List picture of himself flexing the muscle. And... who knows! Who knows what I am going to say?

PC: That's the thrill of it all.

KG: It's so funny, you know? Because I don't know what they are going to say or do next!

PC: Is Charlie Sheen going down the Anna Nicole path?

KG: Well, I would compare Sarah Palin to Charlie, in a way. I mean, they both can't stop saying outrageous things in interviews and they are both kind of like these ever-changing stories. I mean, really, there are parallels.

PC: What other stories are you going to be tackling in your Broadway show?

KG: Well, of course we're all following the Lindsay court case - which may not actually be a court case!

PC: So much drama.

KG: You know what's so funny, is that in talking to all you folks who actually know Broadway back and forth, is I love the question, "Are you doing previews and dress rehearsals?" And, I'm saying, "Of course not!" I feel like, what's the point of doing a dress rehearsal if I don't know if Lindsay stole that necklace or not?

PC: It's time-sensitive material.

KG: I've gotta wait to see what happens before I can, you know, write stuff to say in the show! So, no, I can't rehearse stuff when I don't know how it's all shaKen Down yet.

PC: Theatre is about being in and about the moment - at its core, anyway.

KG: Believe me, if nothing else: this will be in the moment! I swear to you - that is my pledge!

PC: In essence, you are doing Brecht, really - bringing the events of the day to the stage and satirizing them.

KG: (Big Laugh.) I... OK. That is it! I'm putting that on a T-shirt! I had never thought in my life I would ever hear someone say that I was doing Brecht. Pat, you have made my day, you have made my week - and, dammit, I want that Tony more than ever! Brecht has his - give me one!

PC: You're on a stage, alone, with a microphone, commenting on society in a comedic/satiric fashion - that's Brecht.

KG: What did Brecht wear to the Tonys last year?

PC: (Laughs.) You tell me.

KG: It was probably something Calvin Klein. (Snooty Sigh.)

PC: I am going to give you some names of other A-list divas who have done this column and please give me a few words on each.

KG: Oh, this will be fun! Shoot!

PC: Liza Minnelli.

KG: Aww... just: legend. Legend. Blackgama had it right, "What becomes a legend most?"

PC: Julie Andrews.

KG: (Long Pause. Sigh.) This is so corny, but I'm gonna have to go with: classy. I just think of a picture of her and she is just the epitome of the classy way to do it, you know?

PC: You're are in SHREK FOREVER AFTER with her.

KG: Oh, yeah. We're co-stars, of course. (Laughs.) We were never in the same room! She's just divine, though, I'm sure.

PC: Rosie O'Donnell.

KG: Aww: friend! I just talked to her today! I love her. She's just out there. Outrageous. Fearless.

PC: She gave me an incredible interview. So generous.

KG: Oh, yeah. She is the real, real deal.

PC: Joan Rivers.

KG: Oh, where do I start? I would have said the same thing about Rosie. All these people. These are the kind of people I like - and, obviously, I can already tell you get people like them and like me. It's all about the most fearless and the most fun.

PC: And so much more!

KG: Also, Joan is like a good pal - a real friend. And, Rosie is like a real friend and a good friend, too. In celebrity world, that is pretty rare. So, it's ironic that the people you bring up that we are talking about - like Joan and Rosie, not so much Julie Andrews - they get so much flack from the media. You know, from the bloggers or whatever.

PC: What do you think of that?

KG: It's just like, "In fact, these are nice girls! I know them!" So, with Rosie, I think she would hate it if I called her the Queen of Nice - but, she really kind of is the Queen of Nice!

PC: So generous and compassionate.

KG: I know she feels like that TIME cover sort of haunted her in some ways, but, I'm sorry, she is nice! She's nice. She's funny. She's a friend. She's out there. She's fearless. I dig her.

PC: What do you think of Scarlett Johansson - who has done this column - and her new relationship with Sean Penn?

KG: (Gasps.) I mean, I've seen the pictures of them canoodling - my new favorite word. Look, Madonna has always said that in many ways Sean was the love of her life, so maybe Sean Penn has got something going on that we don't know about! I mean, I don't know - who knows? I will say, though, that I wish he had a little more sense of humor.

PC: It wouldn't hurt.

KG: Like, he could be a little more fun, you know? I mean, he does great work and he's an amazing actor, but I'm sort looking forward to his moment - like how Tom Cruise will do a sketch with Ben Stiller and you'll be like, "Hey! Tom Cruise has a sense of humor!" I'm kind of wanting him to have that moment.

PC: A TROPIC THUNDER moment.

KG: Yes. Thank you. Perfect. Exactly.

PC: You were fantastic on Howard Stern on Monday. The Howard TV segment that went up this morning is superb, with lots of behind-the-scenes stuff with you two.

KG: I just gotta say that I love Howard - for a lot of the same reasons I love and respect some of the people we've been talking about. Once again, when you go on HOWARD it's like full disclosure both ways. He's so open.

PC: What about off-mic/off-camera?

KG: Once again, when I say this people don't believe me, but it's true: during the commercial breaks Howard is a mensch! He's so sweet and loving. He's always just like, "I hope you're doing OK," and "You're so great!" It's so hysterical. I always say, "Howard, nobody would believe we are having this conversation!"

PC: They certainly would not - not you two!

KG: We have this mutual joke, which is that if anyone knew about those conversations it would be a career killer. You know, it‘s like, "I won't tell anybody if you don't!" And I'm like, "OK, Howard, we have a deal!"

PC: Don't let the cat out of the bag now, then!

KG: I think we're OK, Pat.

PC: Favorite cast album?

KG: Probably PORGY & BESS.

PC: No way! That's what Sondheim picked when I asked him!

KG: (Gasps.) Steve? Really? I love it. Love it, love it, love it. I have the Broadway cast that I listen to and movie soundtrack and everything. I love it.

PC: Thank you, Kathy. I just loved doing this. You are the real deal. I wish you all the best of luck on Broadway.

KG: Thank you, doll! I can't wait to talk to you again. You made my day - you really did! Bye for now.