Nashville-based comedian Barb Neligan recently joined up with the Queer Queens of Comedy, the all-lesbian comedy revue that consistently gets rave revues across the country. Barb sat down with producer and fellow comedian Poppy Champlin to talk about the tour and their upcoming show with Vickie Shaw at Zanie's in Nashville on Monday, Jan. 23.
Barb Neligan: You’ve been making people laugh professionally for 28 years. What are some of the highlights of your career so far?
Poppy Champlin: At this moment, the highlight is the last show I did. It was sooo freakin’ funny and good and full of Zen magic. Another definite highlight was playing for 25,000 people for the Gay Games in Chicago at Wrigley Field. Hearing that many people laugh at once was awesome and amazing. Another show that was memorable was an AA convention that I did. (I have or had a ton of drinking jokes.) They laughed so hard my hair stood up. My Showtime special is a highlight that I am still capitalizing on as far as press and PR and quality of footage.
BN: The Queer Queens is in its sixth year. That is a century in comedy years! Why do you think it’s been so successful?
PC: The gay community loves to laugh. The lesbian population loves to support its entertainers. They may not be huge in numbers but they do like their comedians and like to make sure they keep coming back to their town. They want to hear jokes about their life, about the way they live and love and work and act and feel and are treated. They need to relate and laugh.
BN: Will men enjoy this show?
PC: Absolutely! I do a lot of work with Atlantis Cruises and we do great together. One thing I am pushing this year, is that humor is not a gay thing or a straight thing or a male thing or a female thing. It is a human thing. We all need it. This show appeals to the straight crowd almost as much as the gay crowd.
BN: The fabulous Vickie Shaw will be joining you and I on the Southern tour. Tell us a little bit about Vickie.
PC: Vickie has been a QQQ before and the gals really love her, as do I. She has this southern drawl that is so infectious you can hear her for days after. You know how they draw out the vowels, “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.” And she has some really funny Southern antidotes and jokes and ideas about things. She's been a regular on Olivia cruises for years, and is featured on LOGO and Comedy Central. She has a really strong fan base across the country. Glad to have her along.
