Her show at the iconic Carnegie Hall will be a part of her 2018 “Laugh Your Head Off” World Tour, which kicks off on May 23 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.
“What an honor,” Griffin exclaimed, about her forthcoming show at Carnegie Hall in New York, which will take place on June 26. “This will be my fourth time playing ‘The Church.’ I’m not a religious person but certain venues like Carnegie Hall are so special, I refer to them as ‘churches of comedy.’ Believe it or not, Carnegie Hall is an excellent venue for stand-up. You can expect to hear me get down and dirty. I can’t wait to walk everyone through the entire Trump B.S., but don’t worry, after doing the show in 23 cities and 15 countries, I promise it will be an evening of gasps, laughter, and more laughter,” she elaborated.
The controversial comedian shared that “everything and everyone” inspires her comedy routine. “What doesn’t? I have been doing comedy for so long that I believe scientists will be studying my brain minutes after I’m gone,” she said, with a wink.
Griffin continued, “My brain has become rewired to view everything (and I mean everything) through a potentially comedic prism. The reason my shows are so personal is because my goal has always been to give people a show that they cannot see or hear from any other comedian. So what you’ll hear on this tour are nothing but true stories, unique experiences, and of course, the act will change a little city by city, because I also love doing local material based on wherever my show happens to be playing that night.”
For aspiring comedians, Griffin’s inspirational advice is as follows: “You better love it. You’re going to bomb more than you succeed, but when you have it in your bones like I have always had, nothing (and I have clearly proven that in the last year) can keep you from hitting the microphone somewhere. Also, write your own material for God’s sake. Don’t be an a-hole.”
Digital transformation of entertainment and comedy
On the impact of technology in the entertainment and comedy scene, Griffin said, “It has made the comedy industry more segregated, and that is a bad thing. When I was coming up, there was a certain level a comedian could rise to in which you had a chance to reach the entire country.”
“Now, obviously people make very personal choices about what to watch, spend time consuming or buy tickets for. I’m so grateful I am building a kick ass mailing list because, luckily, my true fans are signing up for it in droves and frankly, my personal mailing list is the best tool for selling tickets for me at this point,” Griffin added.
She admitted that she uses technology in her daily routine. “Ever since the Trump photo, I have completely shifted my focus to navigating my way through this next chapter through technology,” she said.
Griffin clarified, “For example, because of the Trump photo, I am on multiple lists for bot farms, trolls, and several organized online hate groups. With regards to my three social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter), I have been strategic in what I post and how I post. For example, everything from classic video clips from one of my 23 stand-up specials, to more political commentary, to knowing when it’s time to share something from my beloved 97-year old, boxed wine-drinking mom, Maggie, or my two new puppies,I have become an analytics fanatic. I’m also a spy for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). No I’m not. I just wanted to see if anyone of you would buy that.”
Griffin talks success
The award-winning comedian furnished her definition of the word success. “I feel successful when I’m allowed to make people laugh in any way. I don’t care if it’s a live comedy concert, or a funny TV commercial, or a funny unscripted series, or yet another televised stand-up special. That and when I’ve gotten either one of my two new puppies to actually poop outside for once. See? I’m a serious artist, dammit,” she explained.
Griffin concluded by expressing her gratitude to her New York fans for helping her sell out Carnegie Hall in 24 hours. “Holy shitballs,” she exclaimed. “Thank you,” she reiterated.
To learn more about Kathy Griffin and her touring schedule, check out her official website.
