A Few Words (and Laughs) with Bob Smith

Eric: Welcome to Rehoboth Beach. Is this your first time?

Bob: No, I visited and performed ten years ago, at the Renegade, with the Funny Gay Males. Thankfully, I haven’t aged a bit.

Eric: I’ve noticed that the comedy section in many gay bookstores seems to be swelling. What role does comedy play in the gay community? Why is it important?

Bob: Comedy, and especially standup comedy, seems to be one of the strengths of every minority group in America. If you think about it, standup comedy is dominated by Jewish, African-American, Hispanic and gay and lesbian performers. It’s because we can look at American life and culture from an outsider’s perspective. For the gay community, which is astoundingly diverse, comedy is one thing that can easily unite gay men and lesbians. I know that I have many lesbian fans and I also know many gay men love the comedy of Elvira Kurt and Judy Gold. Queer comedy is important because we’re committed to making the meanest jokes about Pat Robertson and Cher.

Eric: When did the comedy bug first bite you?

Bob: I started in high school, writing sketches for the Junior Class Talent Show. The hottie quarterback asked me to write a part for him and I wrote a Tarzan parody because he had washboard abs and I wanted to see him in a loincloth. Even back then, I was writing gay comedy but it was just for myself.

Eric: Much of your writing and performance material relies on personal experience with friends, family, and even a long-term boyfriend. What kind of reaction do you get from people close to you? Do they feel like comedy fodder?

Bob: I’m finished using my boyfriends in my books! I dedicated my first book to my boyfriend Tom and then he broke up with me a year later. Right now, I’m working on a novel about a gay man who falls in love with a fisherman/archeologist in Alaska, which I’ve tentatively entitled, The Alaska Fiend. I dated someone in Alaska, and I know the state fairly well, having been up there six times in the past two years. But the story I’m writing is entirely made up although it’s informed by my experience.

Eric: Sounds like quite an undertaking. You’ve been performing and writing for a while. How have you seen things change and maybe open up for gay comedians and writers?

Bob: They definitely have. Straight audiences are receptive to gay comedians after seeing Ellen and Will & Grace. In fact, they almost expect you to be funny after they find out that you’re gay. And I wrote on several TV shows and being a gay writer is a non-issue.

Eric: Standup comedy and writing-do you enjoy one more than the other? How are they similar and different?

Bob: Standup comedy requires you to perform, which is a different skill entirely from just writing. Although I love standup comedy, I’ve found that writing books is more rewarding. It’s possible to convey more complex ideas, tell longer or different stories, and even be serious without losing your audience.

Eric: You’ve accomplished a lot of firsts as a gay comedian and writer, including being the first openly gay comedian to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Do you feel like a trailblazer?

Bob: I guess so. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. But there have been so many trailblazers, you’re just one link in a long chain.

Eric: I’m sure you’ll have no problems at the Renegade, but what’s the funniest experience you’ve ever had while delivering a standup performance?

Bob: I think the funniest or strangest performance I ever gave was in Provincetown after Hurricane Bob struck the town. There was no electricity and I performed by candlelight. The show sold out because there was nothing to do in town, and since there was no microphone, I literally had to shout my jokes so people at the back of the room could hear them. The strangest thing about the hurricane itself was that thirty minutes after the hurricane had passed through town, I was walking down Commer-cial Street, and I saw a guy walking toward me. He was dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. I thought, “Was he making the outfit during the hurricane? Or does he travel with the outfit just in case of a hurricane?”

Eric: Since you’ve performed on national television and have been a best-selling author, do you feel like you’ve reached heterosexual America? Is that important to you at all?

Bob: It is important to have straight fans because I write and perform to be funny, not just to be gay. But I also love performing for gay and lesbian audiences and having queer readers.

Eric: What’s next for you? A TV sitcom? A talk show? A cameo in the next Star Wars movie as a tall, gay, and funny extraterrestrial?

Bob: My novel about Alaska is my next big project. Oh, and finding a new boyfriend.

Eric: Best of luck with both of those! One last question I’m sure you’ll have the perfect answer to. Why did the gay man cross the road?

Bob: Because he heard there were hot guys over there.

For tickets for Bob’s show in Rehoboth on July 29, call the Renegade at 302-227-4713. Tickets are $10 at the door. Table reservations are available in advance.