Cameron Esposito is more than just a local one-trick comedian. The out lesbian has three performances at the Just For Laughs festival; teaches The Feminine Comique, the world's only all female stand-up course; and is the producer of Lincoln Lodge, Chicago's longest-running alt-comedy showcase. Grab Them Aghast, her debut stand-up album, was released last year. She recently appeared in the Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Oregon. We talked pirates, priests and presidents in a Nunn on One interview.
Windy City Times: Hi, Cameron. Where is your last name from?
Cameron Esposito: It is Italian; just ask my body hair.
Windy City Times: Are you from the suburbs or the city?
Cameron Esposito: I am from the city. I live in Logan Square.
Windy City Times: The first time I saw your stand-up act was in a little theatre opening for someone I interviewed named Elizabeth Keener. You have an interesting timing to your comedy.
Cameron Esposito: Yes, that is what people say. It is a slow burn…
Windy City Times: Where does that come from?
Cameron Esposito: It is just the conversational nature of the way that my brain works. I really think of stand-up as a conversation but a lot people don't. It comes from me setting you up as an audience. I know what you want and I know how to get it. It is all very methodical.
Windy City Times: Do you have comedians that you look up to or want to be like?
Cameron Esposito: I do. I was able to work with my comedic hero this past winter. I was so jazzed about it. Her name is Maria Bamford. Have you ever seen her?
Windy City Times: No.
Cameron Esposito: I would recommend it because she is likeable and sweet. With that she can be as harsh as she wants to be. She can be super real and it is not off putting so it makes you love her more. I really like watching her.
Windy City Times: I am going to look out for her. Did you always want to be a comedian?
Cameron Esposito: No, not at all. I wanted to be the president and a priest.
Windy City Times: [ Laughs ] So those didn't work out…
Cameron Esposito: No but I am basically the president of any room that I am in.
Windy City Times: And worshipping your act with the priest.
Cameron Esposito: Well, bringing the message to the people.
Windy City Times: There you go! Do you have a day job?
Cameron Esposito: No, I don't. I am just doing this.
Windy City Times: Good for you.
Cameron Esposito: Thank you. I am so happy to share it with Chicago and be able to do that because I live in Logan Square and my rent is really cheap!
Windy City Times: How did you get involved with the Just For Laughs? Because it is a big deal…
Cameron Esposito: I have done it for the past two years with smaller gigs but Steve Heisler who does the programming for the Chicago festival used to write for Timeout Chicago and somebody I had known for years. He had seen me when I was really terrible at stand-up and somehow decided to keep seeing me. He really is sponsoring this part of the festival and asked me if I wanted to do an hour and I said yes, thank you very much.
Windy City Times: And you have three different showtimes, right?
Cameron Esposito: Yes, the one that is a huge deal for me is the one at The Playground Theatre. It is an hour-long spot. I have my little face in the Just For Laughs pamphlet and everything!
Windy City Times: That is huge. We are talking Ellen Degeneres did it one year…
Cameron Esposito: Exactly, it's like Steve Martin on one page and then on another page… who is this? Oh, it's me. The other performance I am hosting some musical performers that are in from LA. They are great.
Windy City Times: What motivates you as a comedian to be funny? Were you a class clown?
Cameron Esposito: It is such a weird dichotomy because we work in bars where other people other people play but at the same time we are always working. You have to be a special kind of flower if you can turn a bar into a workplace. While everyone else is having fun I am seriously in the corner writing notes. I think it is people that have something very specific to say. They need to say it to everybody and need to say it over and over again.
I think stand-up comics are not always people like the class clown in school. I will say this about myself, I wore an eye patch for eight years of my youth because I had crossed eyes. If you wear an eye patch for eight years this can be really funny. You have to make the jokes before other people scream "Hey, Pirate." I said I was the pirate before they could…
Windy City Times: How important is it to be out, like Kate Clinton and Lily Tomlin?
Cameron Esposito: It is very important for me to be out. I am from a generation that it is really cool because I can be very subtle about it, which is where we are going anyway in the larger gay movement. I will use the word gay onstage or lesbian or queer but sometimes I will just reference a girlfriend in the same way my male straight counterparts will reference a girlfriend. I think there is something really rad about being able to have you digest it, I am with a woman and we kiss each other. It is a luxury that I have been afforded by the work that so many people have done before me. For me it is about going in to wherever and normalizing my sexuality.
Windy City Times: I couldn't believe my friend last night didn't know Lily was a lesbian. I said, "I think so. It's a hunch of mine, along with Rosie and Sandra."
Cameron Esposito: That is crazy! Homegirl is wayyy out, too. I am definitely a gay performer. Kate Clinton for instance primarily performs in front of gay crowds. When she was coming up what other option did she have? I don't think it would be easy for her to go to Zanies and announce "Now for your lesbian entertainment of the night!" I think it is really cool that I can do that. It is important that people meet me and are not scared that I will take away their children.
Windy City Times: What do you have going on after the festival?
Cameron Esposito: I am hoping to expand this show's run at The Playground Theatre in August so look for that. Hopefully a Monday night run of the show. People can come every week if they want to.
Windy City Times: Do you have a website?
Cameron Esposito: Cameronesposito.com or therealcameronesposito.com .
Windy City Times: What is the difference?
Cameron Esposito: I had my domain name was stolen for a while. Somebody was selling muscle mass builders and eczema treatment. They had my bio up there. It was really insane: "Cameron Esposito loves Muscle Milk!"
Cameron plays The Playground Theatre, 3209 N. Halsted, on June 15 and at the Lincoln Lodge, 4008 N. Lincoln, on June 17 and 18. For details and tickets visit www.justforlaughschicago.com .
