Jeff Hiller is an openly gay American storyteller who is bringing his act to the Midwest in February. He's making his way across the United States while filming the third season of HBO's Somebody Somewhere and takes to the stage in Chicago at the Den Theatre.
Many will recognize his smile from television with appearances on 30 Rock, The McCarthys and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. On film, he appeared in Greta, Set It Up and Morning Glory plus many more.
Based in New York City, he's a cast member of Raaatscraps: The Best Improv Show in the World at Caveat, and sold out his one-person show Middle Aged Ingenue at the Public Theater's Joe's Pub in the past.
This charming and hilarious fellow met up in Los Angeles to chat about his upcoming trip to the Windy City.
Windy City Times: So you are originally from San Antonio, Texas? I just went to their Pride parade on the River Walk last year.
Jeff Hiller: Yes. I have never been to San Antonio's Pride.
WCT: Have you been to that iconic gay bar there called the Bonham Exchange?
JH: Yes, I started when they had an underage night. You can tell that bar has been around a long time if I was there at an under-21 night!
WCT: Did you ever feel you needed to come out in your career?
JH: No, it was just assumed. I have never come out to anyone that was even mildly surprised! [laughs]
WCT: I heard every gay actor in town wanted the role of Joel in Somebody Somewhere.
JH: When there is a character that is over the age of 40 and gay, everyone wants it because there are so few roles offered like that. At first, I thought it was written for me—then I realized it was a common story.
WCT: Talk about your stand-up routine.
JH: I am doing a show called Middle Aged Ingenue. It is a story about finding meaning in life. As a gift, I will share three stories about buttholes!
WCT: Perfect for our city. We love our buttholes.
JH: Oh good.
WCT: So is it more stories than standard Joan Rivers stand-up?
JH: There are a lot of jokes with a storytelling element to it. It's not Joan Rivers, but who is?
WCT: Are there biographical parts to it?
JH: Almost all of it. It's about me and my life. I grew up in the church so it is about looking for something to believe in. That is the theme of the whole show.
WCT: What religion were you raised in?
JH: Lutheran.
WCT: Oh my best friend in school was Lutheran, and it has similarities to the catholic religion. I was raised Southern Baptist.
JH: That's a rough one.
WCT: I don't think it's a competition…
JH: Well, if it is, you win!
WCT: The Lutheran folks I know are fairly liberal.
JH: Yeah, I was on the more liberal side and there is a more conservative faction too.
WCT: Do you feel you miss parts of the religious experience and could possibly go to a rainbow-affirming church now?
JH: I don't go to church now. My husband is Jewish. I do miss it. I was lucky and grew up in a church that was a little more progressive, even though it was still in Texas. They had all of the social services and worked on social justice. I don't know about your church, but we see many churches with a fire- and-brimstone attitude. I didn't have that experience and people were kind. They were focused on helping their neighbors, so I do miss that. I miss the community part.
WCT: Did you sing in the choir?
JH: Yes, I loved to sing. On Easter Sunday they would hire trumpet players and it felt like Falcon Crest.
WCT: Is your husband Neil Goldberg coming with you to Chicago?
JH: He is a professor, so when he is on spring break, he will be there. I am sure there will be perfect weather for him in the middle of March! I am shooting Somebody Somewhere while in Chicago, so I wanted to tie on this comedy show to my trip before we start filming.
WCT: The weather might get better from when you arrive in February.
JH: We will see.
WCT: Is Neil mentioned in your act?
JH: I talk about him a little bit.
WCT: Some people don't like to be part of the act.
JH: I am not sure he is super keen on it, to be honest.
WCT: That is your artistic license to talk about him. When do you start shooting the third season of your HBO show?
JH: We start shooting the day after my Den Theatre show on February 5.
WCT: You are going to stay busy.
JH: Well, we had that big ol' strike, so I am happy to be working.
WCT: What comedian influenced you?
JH: Tina Fey. When we were growing up there weren't a lot of prominent gay comedians out there.
WCT: For me, it was Paul Lynde.
JH: I was at a casting session and the producer asked me who people say I remind them of. I said, "Jim Carrey" and he said, "If he ate Paul Lynde!"
WCT: Wow, that was vicious.
JH: I don't eat meat. She was part of the LGBTQ+ community, so I let it slide…
WCT: Paul was so funny.
JH: I would spend 30 minutes just watching his Hollywood Squares responses on YouTube. I don't know how he got away with some of that stuff. It was filthy.
WCT: Did you see Tina in Mean Girls yet?
JH: Yes, I just went.
WCT: Tina gave herself the best jokes and lines.
JH: That is how she influenced me! [laughs]
WCT: Well played, sir. Has a scary moment occurred when filming American Horror Story or American Horror Stories?
JH: I hadn't played a villain before, and my character had to cut up a body. There is fake blood. They don't actually make people cut up a human cadaver, but it looks real. There was a tube in it so when you cut the fake skin then blood would come out. That was weird and disgusting. By the end of the night, I was covered in red corn syrup like Sissy Spacek in Carrie. I couldn't make my fingers come apart because they were stuck together with the concoction.
WCT: I love to ask production people what their blood recipe is because it is always a different answer.
JH: This one was syrupy. They use different ingredients depending on what they need in the scene.
Another time I was having my throat slit and the other actor said it was their personal clothing. They asked me to move where I wouldn't get blood on their sweater. That is a special skill, to die where blood doesn't get on a co-star!
WCT: If it was Emma Roberts, I hope you sprayed her with blood.
JH: I have never met Emma Roberts.
WCT: She said something transphobic to my friend Angelica Ross on the set.
JH: I heard about that.
WCT: How was working with Ryan Murphy?
JH: I am such a fan. He saw Somebody Somewhere and was editing my scene in The Watcher when season one was airing. When he sees someone being out of the closet and brave in their career, then he will sometimes pick them to work with. I think that is why he hired me because I am out.
WCT: And now you are in! Well, finally there are some advantages after we have been bullied our whole lives. I had a horrible high school experience in Tennessee.
JH: It was pretty shitty in Texas too.
WCT: What advice do you give to other performers?
JH: First of all, dream bigger than my career! The reason to stay an actor is to never quit. Sometimes the performer will have a great experience like I did with Somebody Somewhere and sometimes they will be on a terrible show that no one will ever watch, so just stick with it!
Head over to see Hiller at The Den Theatre, 1331 North Milwaukee Ave., on Feb. 4. Tickets can be found at thedentheatre.com or by calling 773-697-3830.
