Interview: DIXIE'S NEVER WEAR A TUBE TOP WHILE RIDING A MECHANICAL BULL AND 16 OTHER THINGS I LEARNED WHILE I WAS DRINKING LAST THURSDAY

DIXIE'S NEVER WEAR A TUBE TOP WHILE RIDING A MECHANICAL BULL AND 16 OTHER THINGS I LEARNED WHILE I WAS DRINKING LAST THURSDAY

July 5-24

At Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale at Blumenthal Performing Arts Box Office:704-372-1000.

Dixie Longate, the fastest-talking Tupperware lady you'll ever meet, returns to Charlotte with an all-new show! Whether you've seen her before or not, this show will put a smile on your face listening to her adventures as she shares lessons learned after a hard night of drinking. Charlotte is one of only a handful of cities to host Dixie and her all-new show!

Dixie Longate was a hoot to interview and behind that tongue-in-cheek persona, I found a heart of gold with a lot of sincerity, not to mention a great deviled egg recipe. I was too polite to ask Dixie what landed her in jail.

LAW: Where are you now?

DL: I'm in Nashville, Tennessee. I just bought a pair of boots and I've been eating BBQ all week.

LAW: Tell me about how you started with this character?

DL: Well, this is who I am. It was 15 years ago, and I was on parole and I had to get custody of my kids. I needed a job, so I started selling Tupperware at Tupperware house parties. It was great! [laughs] I'd get free drinks.

LAW: Who is Dixie Longate?

DL: Well, I'm not an actor. I've been selling Tupperware. I'd make it fun, I was selling Tupperware and Tom Caruso spotted my selling and brought me to the New York stage and people loved my show.

LAW: Where did you grow up?

DL: I grew up in Mobile, Alabama in a trailer park.

LAW: What was it like?

DL: It was nice there, everybody looked out for one another. I had a momma, but I never had a daddy. We would catch fireflies in the summer. I try to get back there when I can. And everybody there asks me what the world is like. All people are stupid. I tell them they have to get out of Mobile and experience the world themselves. I won't tell them what the world is like.

LAW: How did the new show come about?

DL: Like I said, I've been doing this a while, selling Tupperware and I was at the Denver Center and they asked me to come back, so I worked on a new show, DIXIE'S NEVER WEAR A TUBE TOP WHILE RIDING A MECHANICAL BULL AND 16 OTHER THINGS I LEARNED WHILE I WAS DRINKING LAST THURSDAY. It's hard to hold a microphone singing karaoke, and be a two fisted drinker, while riding a bull. That tube top is dangerous.

LAW: What was your most memorable experience in your profession?

DL: People sit with me on the stage. That's how I do my show. Well this sweet lady was sitting with me and she was laughing and laughing and when she left she said she had such a good time, she tee-tee'd on the seat. I didn't believe her, but I looked, and on that cushion was a little tee-tee. That was funny. And one time a lady laughed so hard her teeth flew out of her mouth [laughs]. I guess those were the most memorable.

LAW: What was the worst experience you've had on the road?

DL: I look for the good parts in people, but some people get bent out of shape and walk out on my show. They just have negative energy. They don't realize I'm just trying to make people giggle.

LAW: What will people take away from your show?

DL: Holy cow. Everybody needs more adventures and to do great things. That's what I hope they'll take away from my show. People can't stay in the house, they have to get out and go on adventures. If I didn't get out in the world, I wouldn't be having so many great adventures including coming back to Charlotte. I love Charlotte!

LAW: Anything else you want to say that I didn't ask you?

DL: Let me think... I love deviled eggs and Jell-O shots. I like Jell-O shots more, they're so easy to make, but I love to eat deviled eggs.

LAW: How do you make your deviled eggs?

DL: Let me tell you, it's all about the cinnamon. It's my momma's recipe. She would put mustard, but she'd also put a bit of cinnamon in for a little sweetness. I make 'em and I put them on my Tupperware deviled eggs tray. They're great for a party. They go in no time.

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