Yorkshire Post
By Chris Bond
Sandra Bernhard has been courting controversy for 25 years. Chris Bond spoke to the irreverent comedian ahead of her UK tour.
SANDRA Bernhard was once described by The New York Times as a "living, breathing bonfire".
Her reputation as a firebrand comic has been forged during a career spanning four decades that has seen her work alongside such luminaries as Richard Pryor and Robert DeNiro.
And while she made a name for herself as an acerbic stand-up comedian, she is far from being just a one-trick pony.
The 52-year-old has appeared in several Hollywood films, guest-starred in TV shows such as Roseanne, Ally McBeal and Will and Grace, and posed for Playboy magazine.
She has also produced a series of albums and written several books of essays and prose.
Now she is back on stage with her Everything Bad and Beautiful tour, which rolls into Huddersfield in October.
Bernhard has been combining comedy and rock 'n' roll for more than a quarter-of-a-century.
"It's an evolving show which has morphed into different things because times change and my life has changed," says Bernhard, speaking from her home in New York.
"I like to keep it up to date with what's going on in the world, but it's not going to be all about the war in Iraq and American politics. I think that's a bit self-indulgent."
She will be hoping it proves as successful as her 1998 Broadway show I'm Still Here ... Damn It, which was widely praised by critics in the US.
While Bernard is known for her unflinching critiques of politics and celebrity culture, she isn't afraid to mock her own Jewish roots, quipping once, "I'm the only actress in Hollywood who didn't pay to have these lips."
She believes her distinctive style has given her greater freedom than many other comics.
"The great thing about being a comedian is I get to say exactly what's on my mind.
"But what separates me from other stand-ups is that I've created a kind of rock-opera for myself."
As far back as she can remember she wanted to be a comedian.
"I wanted to be a performer since I was five years old, doing comedy or acting.
"I was born knowing what I wanted to do. I loved being the centre of attention and performing in front of my family. It was second nature to me."
Born in Michigan to a doctor and abstract artist, Bernhard moved with her family to Arizona when she was young and began performing in clubs in Los Angeles while she was still a teenager.
She believes these formative years were crucial.
"When anyone starts out in the entertainment business it isn't easy unless you are the son or daughter of someone famous. Maybe it was blind enthusiasm, but even when I was going out and performing in front of four people I never thought about giving up, and I still feel that way."
Bernhard went on to become a regular at The Comedy Store on Hollywood's Sunset Strip, whose past alumni include Andy Kaufman, Whoopi Goldberg and Bill Hicks.
She was then offered the chance to work with Richard Pryor on the ill-fated Richard Pryor Show, which was dogged by controversy and scrapped after just four episodes.
"Those were different times and it wasn't so much about celebrity. People were artists, and working with Richard was an amazing experience."
The next big break came when she was cast alongside Jerry Lewis and Robert DeNiro in The King of Comedy, although she admits she and Lewis weren't best friends on set.
"He was a huge star and it was just his manner. He came from my father's generation, and they were not the kind of guys who embraced women. I don't think they were ready for feminism."
Since then her acting career hasn't really taken off, although it remains something she enjoys.
"I need the balance of acting and I love doing it and I look forward to doing more. But the comedy shows are always there for me
and they allow me to get out there."
Bernhard followed in the footsteps of stars like Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin, but fears the breeding ground for comedians is diminishing.
"It's not been a prolific time because of the nature of reality TV and the popularity of shows like American Idol.
"These people have a little bit of talent but they haven't had chance to hone it, they haven't played the clubs and learned from their mistakes."
Despite her misgivings about today's society, she still believes in the power of comedy to challenge and inform prevailing attitudes.
"My audience lets me know that I'm still relevant and saying things that matter, especially in these times which are repressive and weird. That is why I think it's important for me to be out there, liberating people."
Sandra Bernhard plays Huddersfield Town Hall on October 21. Tickets: 01484 223200.