New York comic keeps promise to play Laffs — five years later
By Cathalena E. Burch
cburch@azstarnet.com
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.16.2008
New York funnywoman Vanessa Hollingshead is five years late for her Tucson debut.
Sometime around 2003, she told Gary Bynum she would headline at his Tucson club, Laffs Comedy Caffe. But she got a better offer — five back-to-back college gigs — so she begged off.
"It was the nightmare from hell," she recalled Tuesday from New York. "And Gary was not too happy. I begged for his forgiveness. No forgiving."
So Hollingshead spent the last five years building an enviable comedy career, headlining clubs nationally and in Europe and attracting packed houses on her home turf, New York's Gotham Comedy Club.
Finally last summer, Bynum called Hollingshead and he forgave her with an invitation to make up the ditched date this weekend.
"I just said 'I cannot thank you enough for giving me a second chance because I am always someone of my word'," Hollingshead said. "I am finally able to redeem myself."
Hollingshead, 48, will perform four shows between Friday and Saturday. If you've never caught her on Comedy Central or in her numerous cable TV specials and appearances, here's a few things you should know:
She was raised by drug-abusing hippies: "If you want your kids to be completely straight-laced, do drugs in front of them and make an ass out of yourself. I didn't even drink. All I did was smoke cigarettes, drink enormous amounts of coffee and eat donuts."
She's New York through and through: "If I want to see the country, I put a plant in my bathroom and stare at that. . . . I swear to God, I was in Hawaii, in Maui, and all I did was count the days to be back in New York. I was in Amsterdam; couldn't wait to get back to New York. . . . I would cheer up when I would see the George Washington Bridge. . . . Some people are like 'I'm in a new city, let me take pictures, let me wander around and get lost in this beautiful city.' I'm like, 'Where's the donuts? Where's the booze? Where's the television set? Let me curl up in the covers and die and think about my life and why it isn't where I want it to be.' Put me in New York with some friends, I blossom."
Her mom doesn't really get her comedy: "She heckled me in the club. I was talking about how my mom would wear this button — 'A friend with weed is a friend indeed.' My mother stood right up . . . and she's like, 'That's right. There is nothing wrong with good grass. And if anybody has some good grass, meet me after the show.' And then she sat down. The audience looked at me, I looked at the audience. My face was completely flushed. And I just said, 'This is why I do comedy.' "
What she's thinks she'll find in Tucson: "I'm expecting to go to put some shoes on and a scorpion will come out and I'll get stung. I'm expecting snakes everywhere. And I'm expecting to find a place to get some cheap Mexican tiles so that I can maybe bring a whole bunch back in my suitcase. And maybe meet some cute cowboy-looking guys that have a brain and wear a hat and have that rugged male-y look."
What we can expect: "I really go for it when I do my standup. I'm not afraid of making an ass out of myself. I'm not afraid of putting it all out there on the stage."
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