Interview: Lisa Lampanelli Chats New Special 'Back to the Drawing Board,' Donald Trump, Off-Broadway Play

Tonight at 10pm ET on EPIX, one of the funniest women in the world takes to the stage for her fifth televised special, LISA LAMPANELLI: BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. If you are familiar with Lampanelli's work, this goes without saying, but viewer discretion is highly advised. Known to fans and critics alike as "The Queen of Mean," Lampanelli is an insult comic willing to attack anyone, including herself.

In this special, her most personal yet, Lampanelli opens up about her life, including a dramatic weight loss, turning 50, and her recent divorce, and frankly, it is gut-bustingly funny. I have long been a fan and admirer of Lampanelli's. Somehow she finds a way to merge an unyeilding, acerbic wit and a genuine compassion for the butt of each of her jokes.

For every vile thing that she says (and trust me there are many vile things that she says), you feel as if they are being said with the warmest hug possible from your oldest friend. Last week I spoke with Lampanelli about the special, Donald Trump, and her upcoming Off-Broadway play. Check out our chat below.

For more information, check out the "Back to the Drawing Board" Official Website.

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BWW: Thank you so much for talking to me today, I really appreciate it. I watched "Back to the Drawing Board," and it is phenomenal, I laughed throughout the whole thing. When you go about putting together material for a special like this, or even just your normal set, how do you figure out what to include? Do you start with a theme, and go from there, or does it come together more organically, because it doesn't seem like there is a whole lot that's off-limits for you?

L.L.: Oh yes, there never has been for me. There really can't be since I'm self-employed. So I always just kind of do what I want. And I think that what happens with me, is I just talk about what I'm interested in that day. I tape record it, and if a story is worth punching up and making better and finding its way into a special, then that's what happens. But I never sit there and go, "Oh, let me have a theme," the theme sort of grows out of the material.

This one is called "Back to the Drawing Board," for the most part because, I'm at my high school weight again, I'm feeling younger than ever, and I'm also divorced, so I'm single again, and it's a lot of, "Hey, here I am, back to the drawing board, because I'm still working at it."

So, I think a lot of the message is about keeping evolving, and working on one's self without hitting people over the head with that.

A lot of the topics, with all of the changes going on in your life, are about you, does that make it easier to write material, or is it harder to know that you're going to be putting yourself out there?

No, I'm pretty used to that by now. I've been so open about the divorce and the weight struggle and the body image issues, and all that. I'm writing a one-person show about weight and body image and my weight struggles. It made me feel like, "Wow, audience members really like to hear this stuff. The people I'm being interviewed by aren't the only ones who have questions, so I might as well do it."

It didn't seem threatening, because I don't really have any secrets, I can't think of anything that I have to hide. Even doing that list of my real faults at the end of the show, just seemed to make me feel better that it's stuff that I'm working on; stuff that the audience would never know about, unless they knew me as a person.

Because of how personal stand-up is, I know a lot of comics have devoted followings, but I think for you, because of the style that you do, your fans have a slightly different sensibility. Is there someone that you would describe as a traditional Lisa Lampanelli fan?

Man, I wish there was. Then I would know who to market to better. For a lot of (comics), they say, "You're really blue collar, so we'll market to blue collar people," or "He's a gay comic, we'll market to the gay population."

With me, it's like every race, creed, color, age, sexual orientation comes to my shows, so who is it? And the only thing that they all seem to have in common is that they can take a joke; they want to sit up in the front, they want to be called out. They tweet me, "Why didn't you call me this? Why didn't you pick on me, I was in the third row?"

So, I honestly think that the only thing they have in common is that they can laugh at themselves, which is a pretty rare thing.

I've been to a couple of your shows, and seen a lot of your specials, and I would be horrified to sit in the front row. I don't know what that says about me, but being called out by you would terrify me. That title of "The Queen of Mean," I would imagine as an insult comic that's kind of a badge of honor, but does is it ever a burden? Are people disappointed if you meet them in real life and you don't make fun of them?

Oh yea, because I'm super boring in real life. I'm just normal and nice, and now nobody recognizes me anymore, because of the haircut and the weight loss. So, nobody asks me (anymore). I used to get this a lot, people would say, "Can you call my wife and call her the C-Word?"

And I'd say, "Sure, I'd love to."

The ones who say, "You're not as mean off-stage," I wonder if they think that DeNiro really carries a gun, just because he plays in mob movies? Are these people that stupid, but then I think, "Oh yea, my fans aren't that bright."

I'm a huge disappointment to some, and a huge relief to others.

The people that I know that love you are generally fairly educated and fairly liberal and would normally be considered politically correct, but that is the exact opposite of what your show is. And, I think that's because the insults and slurs might be really offensive in a vacuum, when you say them, they feel like they are being said with love. How do you walk that line of saying really terrible things, but getting people to love you for it anyway?

Well, cause we all have a friend that's the funny guy, and if the funny guy makes fun of you, it means that he really likes you. Then there's the overly polite friend, who doesn't really like you that much, but smiles to your face, and you kind of know they hate you. It's like that. If I include you in my show, and I pretty much include everybody, because I like everybody, then it means, "Oh, she likes us."

And there's a certain warmth that comics can bring to the table where people know that it's ok. I think myself, Jeff Ross, obviously (Don) Rickles, we have this thing where you go, "They don't mean it. They like us."

So, you can kind of get away with anything, and if there is any prejudice there, people know, and they can sense that, and they don't like that in a comic.

I would imagine that sometimes the camaraderie that you have with the audience can embolden them a bit. In the special you talk about some hecklers getting on an opening act. Do you get a lot of people who try to insert themselves and beat you at your own game?

Occasionally, but it's been less and less over the years, because of the roasts. There's a "you're really going to go up against me?" kind of thing. But if somebody drinks or has a complex, they learn the hard way, because I come out swinging. It's insane. I mean, I'll do 20 minutes on you, and that'll be really ugly. I know exactly what to say to get to somebody, but it hardly ever gets to that point, because they they usually do know better.

In the special, you mention that everyone always asks how you feel about losing all of the weight, but beyond that, has it done anything to change how you approach being a comic; other than giving you some material?

I think I bring more confidence to the table, because I;m not walking out apologizing internally. I'm not walking out thinking, "Oh my God, how many pairs of spanks do I have on tonight?"

It's just a little bit of extra, intangible confidence, that I think has really helped get my performing to another level. It hasn't made me less funny, or more funny, but it's let me be more real, and confident, and I can stick a little more to who I am now.

That's great. There have been a few things in the news lately that I was really curious to get your take on. Obviously, you did a season of THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE, so I have to ask what you thought of Donald Trump officially entering the presidential race.

Oh well, I think it's hilarious, because he gave Obama such a hard time about proving that he's an American citizen, I think Donald should only be allowed to run if he proves what's on the top of his head is actually real.

If he can prove that, I'll vote for him. Actually, if he can pay off the National Debt with a credit card, which he probably can, I'd be like, "Ok, let's do this thing."

When you were on the show, we know what they show us in the episode, but how much interaction did you have with him? Was it just in the board room scenes, or did you actually spend some time with him?

Oh no, he does all of that stuff, and he gives instructions, and asks questions. He was always nice to me. I think because I was older, and I think he kind of got me; that I was smart, even though I was a mental case on the show.

He was always a gentleman. I know he's wacky, but he's one of those guys that deep down, isn't a horrible person like people think. He's got a big heart, but just doesn't know when to stop.

I've done a lot of charity stuff with him after the show ended, and I feel like he at least does things for other people, which I really appreciate.

The other thing going on that I wanted to talk to you about is this whole Rachel Dolezal thing out in Spokane. Have you followed that much at all?

When I did (THE) WENDY WILLIAMS (SHOW) yesterday, I was going to come on stage with a huge corn-rowed afro just to fit in; just to be the "other" black girl. But, that's ridiculous.

I mean, it sounds like a joke, but why would somebody pretend to be something that is more difficult? It's harder to be black, I'm sorry. White people have advantages. It's harder to be gay than straight, and it's harder to be fat than thin.

So, if you want to be really brave, try putting on a few pounds and try looking like I did? It's all a bit ridiculous and twisted, and she clearly got a few issues.

I think the more she talks, the more evident that becomes. So, if somebody hasn't seen your act before, why would "Back to the Drawing Board" be a good introduction to what Lisa Lampanelli is all about?

I think it's definitely the best one I've done, only because it's the most real. It just is more who I really am at this stage in my life. I'm not covering it up with a bunch of jokey stuff. The realness adds to the humor in it. It's still me being out of my mind angry with certain people and certain issues, but I think people will say, "I know her a little better."

I know that you are always doing shows, but other than touring and this special, is there anything else that fans should be on the look out for?

I had been preparing a one-person show called FAT GIRL INTERRUPTED for the stage, and I decided to make it a four-person VAGINA MONOLOGUES style show about weight and body image. So, I just put an "s" on it, FAT GIRLS INTERRUPTED. We are talking to producers, and hopefully it will be in the fall of 2016 Off-Broadway. That's the thing that I'm most interested in doing, because I think weight and body image affects every woman, and a lot of guys out there, and we are trying to put it out there in a funny, but meaningful way.

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How do you feel about Lampanelli's brand of insult comedy? Would you be brave enough to sit in the front row of one of her shows? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or on Twitter @BWWMatt. Also, don't forget to follow @BWWTVWorld on Twitter and Like us on Facebook for all of the latest TV news, reviews, and recaps.

Photo and Video Credit: EPIX

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