Let’s face it – sometimes being a lesbian isn’t that funny. The drama, the heartbreak, and well… the women – can be hard to handle at times. Amy Tee – the rising comedic star out of New England, however, has found a way to laugh at it all and help her audiences escape from the trials and tribulations of their relationships and beyond. She uses her own life experiences – which do include the girls – and delivers unique and hysterical comedy that is appealing to gay and mainstream audiences alike and quickly earning her a spot among popular comics nationwide. Cherrygrrl.com had the chance to ask Amy a few questions about her talent, career, and where we can find her next.
Cherrygrrl.com (CG): How long have you been performing stand up comedy and how did you get started in it?
Amy Tee (AT): I have been performing for about five years. It was always something I had wanted to try and cross off my life list. One of my very dear friends suggested I take a stand-up class with her at a local community college. I did and six weeks later I performed my first five-minute set I wrote and was instantly hooked!
CG: What types of subjects make it most often into your routines?
AT: I mostly write about what’s happening in my life at the time. They say the best comedy comes from tragedy…with that being said I have written about my marriage, now divorce, and back out being single and dating again. Girls are a wealth of material.
CG: What is it that you like about being a comedian?
AT: One of my favorite quotes is: “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” That pretty much says it all. There’s nothing better than to have people laugh at something you have written.
CG: What’s the hardest part of being a comedian?
AT: Questioning if what I write is gonna make somebody laugh. At the end of the day, that’s why we do what we do.
CG: How is the comedy scene different in New England from other parts of the country?
AT: Well, there is only one Bangor Maine so the dental coverage jokes only go so far! Seriously though, regional references can be hard but lesbian dating is pretty universal. Just being aware of that is half the battle.
CG: Who are some other comedians, either currently performing or not, that you particularly admire or respect?
AT: There are so many great comedians around and I have had amazing opportunities to work with some truly talented people. Some of the comics I really admire are Suzanne Westenhoefer, Kathy Griffin, Jennie McNulty, Sarah Silverman, Dave Rattigan, and Kate Clinton.
CG: Why do you think there is such a strong presence of lesbian comics on the scene?
AT: I think there have always been a lot of great lesbian comics flying just under the radar. Ellen’s coming out helped bring us into the mainstream and gay marriage has been such a hot topic in the media that it brought us more to the forefront. The political climate has been kinda intense for a while; I think we were all overdue for some humorous input.
For more information about Amy visit http://www.myspace.com/amyteehee and http://www.amytee.com. Upcoming performances include:
Nov 9th – NJ, A.N.G.E.L. benefit for suicide prevention.
Nov 14th – NYC, Gay & Lesbian Center, Laughing Matters DVD Premier
Nov 15th – NYC, Gotham Comedy Club
Nov 29th – Bradford, MA, The Roma Restaurant
Dec 13th – Providence, RI, Sunset bar and Grill
