May 12, 2011

Great Dame: Sara Benincasa

A comedian, writer, and confirmed Twitter addict, Sara Benincasa just finished her first book, a memoir of agoraphobia and other types of madness called Agorafabulous, based on her stage show of the same name. Sara’s taken the stage show to New York (where she lives), North Carolina, South Carolina, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Austin, and Oslo, and she’d love to take it to the UK. She also blogs for Comedy Central and other sites. You can find her on Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, and Formspring. Nominated by fellow Great Dame, Ms. Mindy Tucker, here are her answers to our questions.

What was it about comedy that first appealed to you?

Comedy is living out loud. The jester is permitted to say things to the king that no one else may say. My “king” may be the audience, or the political establishment, or the Holy Roman and Apostolic Catholic Church.

You’re especially known for your “sexually-charged” comedy. Why do you think it’s important to talk so openly about sex - and so candidly?

I think sex always has a bit of mystery about it, and that’s wonderful. But sex also has a lot of fear, anxiety, and shame for many of us, and that’s NOT wonderful. I think about sex all the time, so it’s what I discuss often onstage. It’s funny because I talk about politics on television and on the radio, and I speak at universities about mental health and feminism, but when I’m doing stand-up I speak mostly about sex. Stand-up is a distilled version of my uncensored, horny, id-driven inner monologue.

What comedians inspired you to take such an honest approach to comedy?

I was inspired by Margaret Cho and the brilliant actor and monologuist John Leguizamo (I create videos for his online TV network, UrbanoTV). There are many others, but those two had the most influence on my choice to perform.

Through your podcast, radio show and/or your writing, what’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned?

What people want most of all in this world is to be noticed.

What’s the challenge you’re most proud of having overcome?

I’m most proud of overcoming my fear of leaving the house. I could say I’m most proud of overcoming my fear of leaving the bedroom, but that’s probably second.

Great Dames Q & A

Who’s your greatest dame - living, fictional, celeb or otherwise?

I’m in love with the late, great Molly Ivins. She was a brilliant Texan newspaper columnist, hilarious and outspoken and liberal. She was fired from the New York Times’ Rocky Mountain Bureau for referring to a cockfight as a “gang pluck.”

If you could go back and give your 16-year-old self one bit of advice, what would it be?

Switch from Paxil to Prozac. There’s so much more, but I’d start there.

What’s the finest tune to have ever floated into your delicate lady ears? 

Anything by the Dave Matthews Band, ever. Particularly “Crash” and “Best Of What’s Around.”

What’s your most famed rant?

Anything I ever said while pretending to be Sarah Palin with my good friend Diana Saez.

Where are you happiest?

In the gorgeous mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.

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