A comedian, television host and seven-time New York Times best-selling author known for her crass humor, Chelsea Handler has had a busy couple of years. She recently published her seventh book, I’ll Have What She’s Having, launched her hit iHeart podcast, Dear Chelsea, and filmed her third Netflix comedy special, The Feeling. She’s also held down a residency at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Her latest tour, dubbed the High and Mighty, brings her to the State Theatre on Friday, March 13.
In this phone interview from her winter home in Whistler, Canada, where she was about to spend the day skiing, she speaks about her career as well as the content of the current tour.
Your upcoming tour stretches into June. What will it be like to be on the road for that long?
Oh, I’m used to that, brother. That’s only the first half of the tour. This is just a jumping off point. It’ll probably go on for a year. Typically, it usually does. I’m very comfortable being on the road. That’s my default setting. I’ve been doing this for so many years. I’m more comfortable in hotel rooms than in my house.
At one point, you were the only female talk show host on air. Were you aware of that anomaly at the time?
I was definitely aware of it because it was happening to me. It was a great honor. It was great for women and great for comedians. We had a lot of fun on that show. I didn’t spend my whole day thinking, “I’m the only woman doing this.” I spent my day thinking we were doing super-fun show with great comedians and launching careers and having fun with the news. I did that show for seven years. It was a really, really good time. It felt like I was in college.
Did other comedians or talk show hosts inspire you?
I did look up to Bill Cosby for a long time. That didn’t end well for me. I never grew up thinking I would be a talk show host. I never had a clear vision of what I was going to do. I just knew I had to do something and have a loud and big life. I had opinions, and I was very eager to get them out there. I really believed the world would be a better place once I started sharing my thoughts.
Do you remember your first-ever standup show?
Yea, it was me complaining. I was waiting tables at the time. I was a server. I was just complaining about the industry and the lack of respect from certain customers and what a pain in the butt it is to wait on people and that it should be mandatory for everyone to have to wait tables for six months.
That sounds like a good set.
It was good in the beginning. I had a lot of good luck. I think I had to. If it had been too difficult or if I had bombed a lot, I might have bailed. I was so new and green. Luckily, I had a great first year before I started bombing. That kept me in it when things didn’t go well.
You published your first book in 2005. What was it like to get it written and published?
I just have all these stories about one night stands that I would tell at dinner parties. People regularly told me that the stories were so ridiculous that I needed to write a book about them. Write a book? I didn’t go to college. I have five brothers and sisters who are all college graduates. When I got my first book deal, nothing gave me more pleasure than calling my brothers and sisters and letting them know that they first published author in the family is the one who didn’t go to college.
You tell stories in a very natural way. Where does that skill come from?
I love telling stories. Every part of my career is about sharing. What’s so wonderful about it and what I’m so grateful for is that I’ve been able to make a career of being myself and being who I am. I tell people what’s up, and I’m not full of it. I’m honest about my shortcomings and about the good stuff too. I want to inspire young people and women to be the same way and embrace who you are and don’t shy away from it. People said I was too loud and I talked about this too much and that too much. I didn’t listen to that. I am a storyteller and I am good at it. It’s great to know what you’re good at it and to get better and refine that skill set. As you get older, the level of confidence you have and the level of capability you’ve accumulated really shines through. Now, when I’m on stage, it’s such a different experience than when I was in my 20s and 30s. You’re not nervous. You’re excited. You can’t wait. My life has been a great time. Obviously, not always, but for the most part, I’m happy with the way it’s worked out.
Talk about your latest special, Chelsea Handler: The Feeling. What did you want to accomplish with it?
That was a coming-of-age special. It’s about where I started. People always ask me, “When did you get like this?” I tell them that I was like this when I was 6. I had a hard lemonade stand when I was 8 because I realized my parents didn’t have a savings account. I have been this personality and go-getter and trying to find my way and very independent. I was giving people my origin story and showing them where I have come from and what my attitude has been. It’s “don’t fuck with me. I’m coming your way and going to get there whether your help me or not, so you can decide. I’ll find a way without you.”
That story about buying your own first class airline ticket is very funny.
That was so ridiculous. The pleasure I derived from seeing my brothers see me sit down in first class on their way back to the coach section gave me so much joy and pride.
Have you caught any grief from your family?
I’ve done some family editing with my brothers and sisters and their spouses. I came to the realization that I didn’t marry them. Why am I going on vacation with them? This current High and Mighty Tour, I delve into family stuff a lot. Specifically, the political discord and how to handle that. I have a sister-in-law who is a Putin lover. She’s Russian and loves Putin and talks about how he should be running America. There’s only so many times I can go on a vacation that I’m financing and listen to that garbage. I cut some ties. I came back from the last vacation and said that I’m taking a few years off from family vacations and going on vacation with people that I actually like.
What’s it been like to have a residency at the Cosmopolitan?
So fruitful. Oh, my God. I just won $3000 after my show. I”m like, “Can this get any better?” In November, I gave my friends money, so they could gamble with me. I’m basically making them gamble because I love gambling. They lost my money. I was at the casino the next night to see Alanis Morrissette. I said, “Let me go win that money back.” I sat at a blackjack table. There’s a guy sitting next to me with a cowboy hat on and he had thousands of dollars worth of chips. I said, “Hey sir, can I borrow a thousand dollars? I will pay you right back. I”m going to start winning. I’m very lucky.” I started winning. I think I paid him back two or three thousand dollars. I won all my money back. The table was hot, and there was a line to get into the table. It was one of those ridiculously fun nights in Vegas. At the end of the night, the guy said, “Can I walk you to your room?” I said, “Absolutely not! Get away from me. That cowboy hat is tricky. Are you a Republican?” My friend had slipped him my phone number because she said we had cute chemistry. The next day, I was getting all these texts from a number I didn’t know. My friend told me it was the cowboy. He says, “You are an adventurer and I am looking for more adventure. Name the time and place, so I can see you again.” I told him I was on my way to Antarctica for a crazy psychedelic conference on a boat. I sent him a link and said, “This is where I’m going.” I got a text back, “I’ll see you in Antarctica.” He showed up in Antarctica, and we’re still dating. Who would have ever thought? The residency has been great. I love it!
Talk about the content of the current tour. Do you talk politics?
No. I don’t delve into politics specifically. We’re in a tricky time in this country. My job as a comedian is to be a purveyor of joy and laughter. I take pride in looking at my audience and seeing strangers sitting next to each other who clearly don’t know each other, and they’re laughing and rubbing shoulders. It’s my job to make everyone forget their problems and the stuff that’s going on that’s not great for an hour and a half. That’s what the arts are for and that’s what standup is definitely for. I leave the politics out. It’s too serious of an issue at this point to be something to joke about. I’m not losing hope on our country. I’m optimistic. I think that a lot of the things we are seeing is people coming together in a beautiful way. That’s what this country is about. It’s about opportunity for people who aren’t from here and for people who are.
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