On stage: Comedian Kathleen Madigan will perform at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside on Saturday, Oct. 11.
She doesn’t ever plan on stepping up to the bar again — even though that’s where comedian Kathleen Madigan got her start.
Working as a bartender to make ends meet during her college years, one night she went next door to a club where they were holding open mike nights, and she and another bartender decided to take the mike and do a little comedy just for fun.
“Eventually, that led to my career as a comic,” said Madigan, about to take the stage at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside on Saturday, Oct. 11. “But it was all an accident. I didn’t start out to become an actor on a sitcom or a TV commercial. Those things never even crossed my mind. I just liked to tell jokes.”
In fact, she added, “I think there’s too much planning going on today. This was never a dream of mine, so it can’t be a dream come true. I think our society is being driven by type-A lunatics that say, ‘You have to set more goals.’ No you don’t. Have a seat and enjoy the fact that you’re here. Maybe that’s the Irish in me talking, though!”
Growing up in St. Louis, Madigan, 48, did go on, however, to achieve as much or more than many of her counterparts, “by accident,” she laughed. Today, although some of her favorites are comics like Lewis Black, Ron White and Louie Anderson, she acknowledged that she didn’t grow up with any major comedic influences.
“I didn’t really watch comedians growing up,” she said. “I knew more about music. I knew the people that were headlining when I started and that’s who I really watched.”
But soon, a whole nation was watching her.
Over a 25-year career, Madigan has performed on nearly every standup television show ever made, from Leno (who called her one of “America’s funniest female comics”) to Letterman, Conan and so on.
She was nominated for a 2014 America Comedy Award for Best Concert Comic, and her third hourlong special, Madigan Again, was named one of ITunes Best Comedy Albums of 2013. She remains the only comedian in the history of NBC’s Last Comic Standing to go unchallenged by any other comedian, meaning no comedian would say they were funnier than her. Madigan was a top-three finalist in Season 2 of that show, and a judge on Season 5.
Additionally, Madigan has written for other comics, including Garry Shandling’s Emmy monologues.
“And that’s where it gets very scary,” she admitted. “I never go to those shows. I’d rather sit home and watch them in my pajamas.”
It all seems to have worked out for the comic.
“I enjoy what I do but I never take anything for granted,” she concludes. “And because it’s such a difficult job, you have to really love it. I consider it a form of organized chaos, so if you don’t like chaos, don’t go down this road.” ••
The show will start at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $34.50. Call 215–572–7650 or visit www.keswicktheatre.com
