Poppy Champlin photo by D. Hardison. Champlin during her July 3 "Gayly Wed Game." Photo by Jerry Nunn
Poppy Champlin was one of three lesbian comedians who performed at Lakeshore Theater, 3175 N. Broadway, on July 3 as part of the "Queer Queens of Qomedy" show. She brought her troupe but also filmed "The Gayly Wed Game." Windy City Times talked with her about what makes this stand-up stand out.
Windy City Times: Where are you originally from?
Poppy Champlin: Rhode Island. I was in Chicago for eight years. It was my first jumping-off point after Rhode Island.
WCT: You used to perform with Second City?
PC: Yes, I put a year in through their training center. All the while, [ I was ] doing stand-up in the clubs here.
WCT: What was the Gay Games performance like for you?
PC: That was really fun. I did the Gay Games in front of 40,000 people.
WCT: You performed on the Rosie O'Donnell cruise and now you are doing Atlantis cruises?
PC: My first cruise was Rosie and then they did the HBO documentary. I was in the footage, so that was very cool. From Rosie's cruise then I got into the Atlantis cruise. After that, [ I ] finally [ did ] Olivia Cruises as well.
WCT: You were just at the Milwaukee PrideFest. They had some great acts.
PC: I got to open for Cyndi Lauper. Listening to her sing at one point I was like, "Is she a dolphin?" Her voice was going into this realm of non-humanness.
WCT: I had interviewed her recently. She believes in going into smaller towns and opening people's minds. In Chicago it's fairly easy with our big Pride parade.
PC: I was totally in it. I was my own float! I carried a giant sign for "The Queer Queens of Comedy." I was trying to promote the comedy show. The sign was so big and it was so windy that I got taken down the road the whole way.
WCT: What is "The Queer Queens of Comedy" experience like?
PC: I have been producing the Queer Queens for about three or four years now. But I never have had them filmed. Now I want to sell it Logo, Bravo, Showtime or somebody. They are all these great shows, so they should be filmed and they should be sold. I am finally stepping into that arena.
WCT: Tell me about the "Gayly Wed Game."
PC: Working the cruises, they do it all the time on the cruise ships. I was able to host it on the Olivia cruise. I had so much fun doing it. What a perfect game for Logo or Bravo. With the whole gay-marriage issue, it's perfect to have married couples, or as married as they can be couples, on the show. Let's show the gay couples so that America can calm down. Let us show you how human and equal we really are. We are not all Rosie O'Donnells and not all Portia De Rossi, we are not the L Word and we are not Noah's Arc. We are really like you.
WCT: Tell me about your upcoming shows on Logo.
PC: One is called "One Night Stand Up" and I am on episode number five. The other one is called "Unbuttoned." That is their dirtier, bluer show.
WCT: What is the key to being funny?
PC: I believe for me that it's being comfortable and centered and prepared. If you are truly funny then you have the gift basically of being a comic. I cannot really take any credit for my talent as far as having good timing. Either you got it or you don't. When I am comfortable, centered and prepared then I can allow it to happen.
To get more Poppy in your diet and to learn more about this out and proud comic, visit www.poppycockprod.com .
