“The way I became aware of A$AP Rocky was through my talk show [The Kathy Show], where someone on my team found these two rappers talking about whether they would rather fuck me or Cher,” she says referring to A$AP Rocky and Danny Brown. “The tape is so funny, that I now play it before my shows. So I said that we need to track down A$AP Rocky and book him on the talk show, and at the same time, he just blew up and was touring like crazy with Danny Brown and Schoolboy Q – who is also in love with me – and then he was opening for Rihanna on her world tour, collaborating with Drake. So when he came on the show it was exciting, because he wasn’t doing a lot of talk shows at the time. And I just love those guys, they’re hilarious and no holds barred. He came over to my house and we became friends.”
At the age of 52, Kathy is as busy as ever. Juggling a multitude of television commitments and a formidable touring schedule, Kathy owes her work ethos to the legends who have came before. “I’m friends with Joan Rivers and Don Rickles, and they told me this is how it’s done. I’m a workhorse. My 93-year-old alcoholic mother Maggie told me three days ago that if I’m not careful I could lose everything, live in my car and eat dog food the rest of my life. By the way, I have a very nice house and I pay for her condo,” she says, running off a tangent. “It’s like when you hear about these Hollywood divorces and the bimbo wife wants half of everything, my mother is like my bimbo wife. She just wants me to sign a blank cheque so she can get her box wine. And I do it, I’m happy to do it.”
The focal point of Kathy’s material tends to be the often-crazy world of celebrity, a realm she has been ensconced with since her emergence as a comedian in the mid-1980s. Since then, the world’s fascination with celebrity has intensified exponentially. “Now we’re saturated with it. When I started, my material was about my dating misadventures or my family or auditions. Then I started working in television more, so I incorporated all that ridiculousness of celebrity. I couldn’t believe it, my first few jobs on television, I just couldn’t believe how celebrities behaved. So my act has always been what I personally observed. Then I started working more, and getting Emmy awards and Grammy nominations, so I was attending these events and that’s where it all goes down. So when you come see me at the Opera House you know I’m going to give you the real behind the scenes on what really goes on, who’s naughty, who’s nice. Like my fight with Justin Timberlake, that he doesn’t know about. What’s that bullshit with an ’N Sync reunion that was only 90 seconds? It was more lighting and smoke than singing,” she dismisses, focussing on one of the lesser talked about moments of this year’s VMAs. “We need to talk that out as a family.”
Using her own status as celebrity, Kathy lends her voice for the betterment of causes she holds dear. “If I’m doing something serious, I tend to stick to LGBT issues or women’s issues. That’s my wheelhouse, that’s where I live, I’ve talked in front of Senate about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in the military, marched for Prop 8 and marriage equality. Then as a woman in a largely male field, that’s something I can speak to – about the sexism in stand up comedy and how to deal with it. That’s what gets me to the stage every night, that no matter what, you have to laugh.”
With Australia recently electing a conservative prime minister in Tony Abbott, Kathy empathises with our perceived impediment on LGBT and women’s rights. “We absolutely have to remember the struggle continues, but I can tell you from our experience here, our eight years with W. – which wasn’t pleasant for me personally – but it may have provided incentive for liberals and LGBT-friendly folks to get more motivated. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that after the ultra-conservative, and in my opinion, not-so-bright George W., we elected the first African-American president and started making some constitutional moves on LGBT issues. I will say women’s issues are becoming endangered in this country with the right wing making a move, as they always will, like it’s happening with you and Tony Abbott. But we’ll talk about it all on the night, everything’s on the table. I know it’s democracy and everybody had a vote, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to make fun of it,” she declares. “That’s my job.”
BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
