Bridget Everett ist die Art von rauniger, diabolisch witziger Sängerin und Komödie, die das Wort „Ribald“ erfunden hat. Der Kabarettkünstler wuchs in Manhattan, Kansas, auf – dem „kleinen Apfel“ – und träumte von Shows in New York City. Seitdem hat sie dieses Ziel erreicht, und dann einige: Heutzutage schlägt Everett eine monatliche Show im Joe's Pub Downtown vor, wo sie und ihre Band, dieTender Moments, sich in allerlei Schicksalskunst verwöhnen lassen. Sie gehört nachweislich zu den besten Kabarettkünstlern der Stadt und es ist leicht zu verstehen, warum. Sie singt, tanzt und krabbelt in einer Aufführung über ihr gesamtes Publikum, die sich fast unweigerlich außer Kontrolle fühlt – was in diesem Fall gut ist. (Hinweis für die Scheu: Die Teilnahme des Publikums steht definitiv auf dem Menü.) Ein Grund für ihre wachsende Beliebtheit ist, dass sie und ihre Band – darunter Mike Jackson auf der Gitarre, Matt Ray auf dem Klavier, Carmine Covelli auf Drum und Beastie Boy Adam Horowitz auf dem Bass – sich scheinbar wirklich vergnügen. Sie sind talentierte Menschen, die eine gute Zeit haben. Was gefällt Ihnen nicht?
Vor kurzem beschlossen Everett und Freunde, darunter häufige Mitarbeiter/Mittäter Neal Medlyn (auch bekannt als Champagne Jerry) und Murray Hill, eine neue Party zu starten. Der Abend, der als „Catch Club Presents“ bezeichnet wird, ist eine Möglichkeit für die Kabarett-Clique, zu ihren experimentelleren Wurzeln zurückzukehren und Material auszuprobieren, das möglicherweise nicht mit Zuhörern in Kontakt kommt, die eine Deckgebühr zahlen und mindestens trinken. Der Name stammt von einem wöchentlichen Spiel des Fangs – kein Witz, siehe Fotos oben –, das Everett mit Medlyn und Hill im McCarren Park von Williamsburg genießt. Die erste Ausgabe findet am 1. Juli im The Slipper Room statt. Wir haben uns mit Everett getroffen, um zu besprechen, was sie am Nachtleben von New York City liebt, wo sie gerne ein Glas Chardonnay trinkt und wer ihrer Meinung nach der beste Rapper am Leben ist.
Where do you love to perform?
Bridget Everett:
Joe's Pub is definitely my favorite. They are so supportive of the artist there. They've never said no to me, and I've done some seriously crazy s**t. On top of that, the space is cool, the lighting and sound guys always bend over backwards to give us what we need—which is rare, trust me!—and the audiences are like nowhere else in the world. They've seen some really weird stuff go down and they keep coming back. I love that.
What makes someone at your show stand out to be a participant? Most people seem to respond really well to your antics. Is it the luck of the draw?
BE:
It can be anything. Sometimes, someone is looking down at the ground. I can't speak for every woman, but this woman does not like to be ignored!
What's behind Catch Club?
BE:
Murray Hill, Neal Medlyn and I are going to do a show called Catch Club Presents. We will each perform and have special guests, with a dance party after. I miss Our Hit Parade [
a now-defunct monthly revue Everett co-hosted
] and loved the opportunity to try new things. This will allow us to do that.
You're out and about a lot. What do you love about nightlife in the City?
BE:
There's something for everyone. I love that the bars are open till 4am. I love the breadth of happy hours in this town. I love that the best drag queens in the world perform here nightly: Sweetie, Bianca Del Rio, Sherry Vine, Logan Slaughter and more. I love that you can see [cabaret performer] Justin Bond for only $25 at Joe's Pub, or hang out for free while Andrew Andrew DJ at Parkside Lounge. I love that you can go
with Murray Hill and Linda Simpson and actually hope not to win—go to find out why! I love that you can catch up-and-coming superstars Molly Pope, Erin Markey or Cole Escola singing and telling stories that are hilarious and heartbreaking at 10pm on a school night. And, after all that, there's a taco truck or Chinese food waiting for you if you need it.
Is there an era of New York nightlife that you respond to?
BE:
When my friends that grew up here talk about the '80s, I get visibly jealous. I grew up in Manhattan, Kansas (the Little Apple), and I used to dream of being Debbie Harry. No one has ever looked cooler.
What's your favorite place for a post-show glass of chardonnay?
BE:
Drop Off Service on Avenue A. They have the most delicious Mexican deli next door, so I go grab a torta, bring it back, have a few glasses of wine and relax. I also love The Library, which is situated just right upstairs from Joe's Pub in The Public Theater. It is what one would call “very classy.”
What's your favorite restaurant?
BE:
If I'm being treated by a friend who has a job, I love ABC Kitchen. City Crab has a great happy hour. I
love
the spicy margaritas at
, but they will light you up! And if I'm in my neighborhood, I go to
, late night. They have a reverse happy hour and make my favorite drink, which is called the Copy This. I designed it: plum sake, chilled sake and vodka served with a side of ice and lemon.
What are some must-do things on the itinerary if a guest is visiting you from out of town?
BE:
Always take them to see a
show. He's a New York institution. Always do the
to see the
. Hit lunch somewhere great in my neighborhood, like Good Enough to Eat. A happy hour crawl of some kind usually happens, and then we end up at
, because that's a place everyone needs to go at least once in their lifetime!
Are you excited about any upcoming shows?
BE:
is coming to Warsaw in Brooklyn this October, and I am freaking out! The Comedy Cellar is a great place to catch big-name comics when they're in town trying stuff out. The GoogaMooga Festival this summer in Prospect Park. Meet the Breeds at the Javits Center. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show every February at Madison Square Garden. Also, my band and I play monthly at Joe's Pub. Come check us out!
Do you have any advice for aspiring cabaret artists?
BE:
Write every day. Just a little something. If you say something funny, write it down. I keep a notepad. You never know when an idea is going to come. Also, karaoke bars are a great way to play around with different styles of singing. Some people think karaoke bars are sad, but I don't. I was discovered at one.
Who, in your opinion, is the best rapper alive?
BE:
Well, that's tough. I'd have to say Ad-Rock, followed closely by new-to-the-scene Champagne Jerry. Both blow it up!
Bridget Everett & The Tender Moments haben einen monatlichen Aufenthalt im Joe's Pub. Weitere Informationen und zum Kauf von Tickets finden Sie unter joespub.com .
