How Lisa Lampanelli Transformed Her Life
Lisa Lampanelli, the reigning Queen of Mean has made some major changes this year. She decided to end her marriage, she dropped 107 lbs, and has a new attitude on life. She’s also one of the headliners of this year’s exclusively female comedy show at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas– Lipshtick. We got to talk with Lisa about the new Vegas Show, and how she changed everything from her weight to her attitude.
The IBang: You’ve done two nights of Lipschtick already, is this your first Vegas show?
Lisa Lampanelli: No I’ve been headlining in Vegas at least once or twice a year for about 7 or 8 years. I just really like it because it’s two nights in a row. It’s usually in and out really quick, one night and then I’m gone again. I actually had enough time to enjoy myself a little. I didn’t do anything Vegas-y but I had some time to have dinner with friends and hang out. It was really fantastic.
The IBang: What’s different about doing a Vegas show from doing other shows?
Lisa Lampanelli: Absolutely nothing. Because we’re comics. We do our show. We know every audience is basically different but the same, so they’re just made up of different people, and as you know, I’m an insult comic, so I make fun of everybody in the audience…every race, creed, color, sexuality whatever. To me, folks are folks. People are people and they’re always there to take a joke because they know what they’re going to get when they come in to see me. It’s never a shock that I’m going to pick out people. So yeah, I find everybody is the same all over the place. I just get treated really well at the Venetian. That’s not the case every single place you play.
The IBang: Do you enjoy working in Vegas?
Lisa Lampanelli: I like it when I can stretch out a little. I’m not a partier. I’m 53 years old but I like to go to a nice restaurant, I like to hang out with people who live there, like I”m friendly with Penn Jillette and his wife. But you’re not going to see me at some weird dance club. I’m just too old. I don’t want to look more pathetic than I am. I’m not the cool chick hanging out with Bret Michaels in the Champagne Room.
This Venetian thing is amazing. It’s a manageable enough sized room that everyone sees everything. Everyone is fair game. It’s a great venue so people should definitely come out and see all of the women. But if you can only afford one show you should totally see mine.
The IBang: What are you talking about in your show these days?
Lisa Lampanelli: I’ve never cared about anything unless it’s about myself or the audience. There’s enough ridiculousness in my life that I get to make fun of that stuff. I’ve been talking a lot about my divorce that I’m going through, weight loss — I loss 107 lbs– and the reaction of people to that and the surgery and everything. Talking about my idea of dating again, about my dog. Most of my act is about people who annoy me. So basically, even though I’m not talking about people in the news who annoy me, it’s just all of us.
The IBang: You look amazing. The weight loss, your new haircut– amazing.
Lisa Lampanelli: Oh thanks! I’m feeling really young again. I feel like I turned back the clock, especially with the weight loss, you just feel so healthy and you’re running around and you never get tired. I feel like the hair matches the attitude and I’m really having fun with it.
The IBang: Are you tired yet of everyone telling you how great you look?
Lisa Lampanelli: I don’t understand that. I used to be the type of person who couldn’t take a compliment, because I didn’t believe it myself. When you’re really overweight, and you just really hate yourself– like I should have put a more positive spin on it. I’m like, “oh Lisa it’s not so bad you have a big gut. It will make your dick look smaller. Instead of putting a positive spin on it, when people would say ‘oh you look nice’ I’d just say oh shut up. So if you don’t believe it yourself, you can’t just say thanks. So now I kind of believe I’m at the best I can be. I’m certainly not a hottie, but at least I know I’m the healthiest and best I can be. So when people go, hey you look great, I go thanks! I get a kick out of it.
The IBang: I’ve heard you say once — in the Unmasked interview you did with Ron Bennington– that after you’d gotten married, you were happy, but that staying just a little bit miserable was a part of being you. Has that changed at all?
This was right before I got married, and I go, I am not blissful with my husband, and I’m not blissful in my life. So for like three years it haunted me that I go, this isn’t the right match.
The IBang: Can you still be the Queen of Mean?
Lisa Lampanelli: Well yeah, again, with the things that bother you, they really bother you so you get to kind of bring it out with an open heart. Also, I try to be like my dad every day now because he was a very humble guy. When he was at work, before he retired I remember people were like, wow your dad had rules, we had to really be good workers. We had to show up on time. And I go you can still be hard-edged when you need to be, but soft edged too. So he was like a perfect blend of that. So I can still have that angry funny edge on stage, but offstage just be kinder and invite more people who are worthy in to my vulnerability. I’m grateful that I knew him.
The IBang: What is left to do that you haven’t done yet?
Lisa Lampanelli: Well I did write a one person show for Broadway, with the writer of Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays (Alan Zweibel) and that just got nominated for 2 Emmys for that. And I feel like, if we get that show to Broadway– cause we’ve been workshopping it around the country– that will be something I really want to check off my list. But I think I’ve really realized in the past year that I never got into comedy to do anything but comedy. So I want to keep doing that. Because I was never comfortable doing anything other than live performing. I”m not comfortable on film. I’m comfortable as a performer. So I think other than live media, I don’t really have any dreams. A friend of mine who is a big guy in the spirituality movement and I are talking about doing a weekly advice show because he knows I’m really into spiritual growth and stuff so he and I are talking about doing a radio show where it can make spirituality more accessible to lowlifes like me. Cause if I have the attitude I have, and I’m still able to be a self help-y spiritual person, that should be accessible to everybody. We’re just having a good time brainstorming and trying to figure it out. I think other than that– and eventually retiring and doing charity stuff which hits me really well– we’ll just see.
Right now its just comedy and Broadway.
Lisa Lampanelli has been known as the Queen of Mean, and the insult comic, and has been affectionately insulting audiences since the early 90’s. You can follower her @lisalampanelli on twitter and visit her website insultcomic.com
“Lipshtick: the Perfect Shade of Stand Up” marks the first time in the history of Las Vegas entertainment that a comedy stage will be performed on exclusively by female performers. Some of the funny women that have already headlined at the Sands Showroom include Heather McDonald and Iliza Schlesinger, Rita Rudner and Caroline Rhea and Wendy Liebman. Future shows feature great names in comedy like Lisa Lampanelli, Whitney Cummings, Joy Behar, Susie Essman, Natasha Leggero and Jen Kirkman, Jennifer Coolidge and Loni Love.
For tickets and more information on “Lipshtick: The Perfect Shade of Stand Up”, go to the official “Lipshtick” website at Venetian.com
Upcoming Lipshtick Shows
• August 15 & 16: Whitney Cummings
• August 22 & 23: Joy Behar
• September 5 & 6: Susie Essman
• September 12 & 13: Natasha Leggero and Jen Kirkman
• September 19 & 20: Jennifer Coolidge
• October 3 & 4: Lisa Lampanelli
• October 10 & 11: Loni Love
• October 31 & November 1: Wendy Williams – new addition!
• November 7 & 8: Roseanne Barr – new addition!
• November 28 & 29: Whitney Cummings
• December 26 & 27: Lisa Lampanelli
