Any visit by Paula Poundstone is like the first cool front after a summer of savage heat: welcome relief from the punishing norm. At a time when we’re barraged with relentlessly overhyped, prepackaged events – I’m lookin’ at you, Democratic and Republican national conventions! – the common sense and uncommon amiability that Poundstone brings to her comedy cut through the bluster and pretentiousness of so much of the modern media. This week, she brings Austin relief in the form of two shows at One World Theatre (a venue she loves, affectionately calling it “the funniest, silliest place – it’s so like, how did this get here?”). In line with her role as national spokeswoman for Friends of Libraries U.S.A., she’ll be selling and signing copies of her book, There’s Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say, with proceeds benefiting the Friends of the Austin Public Library. Sixteen years after Poundstone covered the national party conventions for The Tonight Show (and one day after she returned from a family vacation to Massachusetts), the Chronicle spoke with the comedian about this summer’s political shows.
Austin Chronicle: Do you wish you were in Denver this week?
Paula Poundstone: Do I? I don’t know. I feel it’s coming too close on the heels of the Olympics. You know what? I was in a pool three days ago doing synchronized swimming, and let me tell you, I’m America’s hope for the gold. I kept my light under a bushel, as it turns out.
AC: It does seem as if we’re in this special-event culture, where there’s always some huge event happening all the time.
PP: I don’t know if it’s normally that way, but it’s certainly been that way over the summer, and frankly, I love McNeil-Lehrer, and I can’t help worrying what this is gonna do to Jim Lehrer. You know, he’s no spring chicken. This could shove the guy over the edge.
AC: I heard an NPR story on the changes in the political conventions, and Dan Rather was talking about how the suspense was drained out of them after 1968, and he sounded so deflated.
PP: There’s a fairly good reason for deflation if you ever saw it as an exciting event. I mean, when I went there years ago, not really knowing what to expect except I guess I believed that something happened or was supposed to, the fact that it was just all theatre – and fairly placid theatre at that – was a disappointment. I always believed that when people brought those cardboard placards that they had made them in their garages out of enthusiasm. And then when I saw the trolleyloads of them brought in on handcarts and distributed to people who may not have had the enthusiasm, there was something about it that was kind of “eeewww.” It’s kind of fake and phony.
And what’s really funny is they don’t even listen to the speech-givers until about 8 o’clock. People are talking and giving speeches, but no one pays any attention. It’s a whole roomful of people talking while someone makes a speech. You think, “Why do they do it?” I couldn’t do it. When I work like an awards ceremony, I specifically ask that they clear the dessert plates before I go on. But these guys … talk about just talkin’ to hear yourself talk. And I think all the speeches are submitted to the press ahead of time, so it really doesn’t matter. You know what would be great? If they got someone else to go on and give the speech, and no one ever knew. What if it was Grover from Sesame Street? I guarantee you, if Grover gave a speech at, say, 1, 2, or 3 o’clock, it’s very likely that no one would ever even notice.
Paula Poundstone performs Friday, Aug. 29, 7 & 9:30pm, at One World Theatre, 7701 Bee Caves Rd. For more information, call 330-9500 or visit www.oneworldtheatre.org.
This article appears in August 29 • 2008.