Interview: Mario Cantone of MARIO CANTONE AT THE CARLYLE at Cafe Carlyle

Mario Cantone is what you might call a "live wire". He's a laugh-a-second, rapid-fire comic mind with the ability to put you in stitches with the turn of a phrase. The fabulous funny man recently returned to HBO Max in his signature role of Anthony Marentino in "And Just Like That" - the follow up to the iconic "Sex and the City." He's now returning to the cabaret stage of the Cafe Carlyle for four performances - from April 12 through the 16th. I had the chance to chat with Cantone as he prepares for his Carlyle return. An interview with Mario is a stitch because he's a stream-of-consciousness kind of character. It's all a huge run-on of thought and observation that is, in the end, just hilariously exhausting. I think we could all use a good conversation with Mario because you'll leave in smiles and aching sides.

This interview has been edited for space and content.

Mario, thank you for chatting with BroadwayWorld! I couldn't be happier to chat with you, since you're responsible for a running gag between me and my partner - your hilarious Liza Minnelli goes to IHOP: "Pancake! Pancake! Bacon Eyebrows!

(Laughs) Oh yes, Liza will be back! And Judy!

Oh good! Now, the Carlyle is such an intimate space. Do you prefer intimate stages or large theatres?

Look, I love that room. They treat me very well. I feel proud of the fact that I'm probably the only stand-up comedian that does that room - not the only funny person - there are plenty of funny people that have played that room, but I think I'm the only person from the comedy/stand-up world that does that room. I think Mort Sahl did it years ago, I could be wrong. Look, Sam Smith said he was the first openly gay person to ever win an Oscar - which wasn't true either! I could be wrong. But yeah, I love the room. It's sometimes like Barbie's Townhouse - because I move a lot. It's small so you can't move a lot, but I'm getting older so I don't move as much, so, it's pretty comfortable. But yes, I do love a theatre. I love performing my stand-up in a theatre with my band, it's great, but I've been to so many rooms, but I love the Carlyle - I love the cache of the room, the sound, I love that it's this little jewel box that I get to play in.

I ask because you are such a gigantic presence. Do you find yourself toning yourself down in a smaller room or do you just say "screw it" and go full-throttle?

I just do it. I don't really tone it down. I might be a little quieter, but maybe reign it in. I certainly don't tone down what I'm going to say, but the room itself, on some nights, is fabulous, and I kill. The laughs are big and then there are times when they're afraid - and they don't laugh as much and that can be weird, but that's the same with every room that I play. It goes back and forth and depends on the night. But it's never the room's fault - it's usually your fault - and I don't mean the audience - I mean me.

Do you find that your material is constantly evolving? Are no two shows alike insofar as your set?

There's definitely stuff that I've done before and there's stuff I've never done before. It's a mixed bag. It's the same with a singer. Sometimes, they want to hear a song that they've heard before and loved or (with a comic) a bit that they've heard that made them laugh. I'm weird. There is stuff that I want to talk about that I don't have written down that I just write onstage, as I'm going. My whole life, I've worked that way. I'm looking forward to it. Look, there are a lot of people who haven't seen me there, so I'm doing a completely new show. I feel like I'm giving the audience stuff they haven't seen, and for the people who have seen me, they'll hear some familiar AND new stuff. It's a mixed bag of things.

Comedians often find themselves in love with certain jokes that might not work, how often do you try something before you abandon it and say "screw it"?

I give it a few shots before I say screw it. There's a joke I used to do I'm not going to do this time, even though I do love it. It works sometimes and sometimes doesn't. I decided to take some time off from that joke and fill it with some new stuff. I'll reach back to stuff I haven't done in so long that I find is relevant again and I'll bring it back.

When you are writing material on your feet, how do you make it work?

Desperation. Keep going until you get the laugh. You figure it out. It's desperation. If it doesn't work, you just move on to something else.

What kind of songs and musical material can we look forward to in the Carlyle show?

Some new ones and some old ones. There's some original stuff that my husband, Jerry Dixon, wrote then there's some standards. I always love a good Shirley Bassey tune.

You do so many impressions, did these all come naturally to you, or did you find yourself really working on them?

Most of them came naturally. If I can't do someone, I know in the first second, if I try to do them. Garland, well, I was always able to do her. I did Liza first. Then Bruce Springsteen. Most people don't know I do him and I love doing him. He came as a surprise to me. I think my first impression was Julia Child in the 7th grade. Now, she's more relevant than ever.

If you had to pick one, which is your favorite?

Oh, God...... I like doing Bette Davis after the stroke. I do her in all stages- beginning, middle, and end.

You are a real classic movie buff, you even were a guest programmer on TCM for their Halloween series. What is your favorite classic movie?

Oh, I got to pick all of those movies! It was such a thrill. You know, as much as I loved doing "And Just Like That", which was incredible and a gift from the Gods, the most thrilling thing was doing Turner Classic Movies for 5 Sundays in a row. I was flying high. If I had to pick my favorite classic film, I think All About Eve would be the one. It's a big one for me. It's so good and it still holds up.

Since you brought up "And Just Like That," what was it like to return to Anthony? Was it like slipping into something totally comfortable, or had you found that the character had grown?

Yeah. He's still blunt. Says what's on his mind, but he has evolved more, I think. He's not as politically correct as he used to be. He's kind of grown with the times, but he still is who he is. He's still very strong. I love what he's become. I love what they wrote for me. Every minute of it. I was very nervous my first day. You don't know if you're doing it right. You also know that time has gone by. It's been 11 years since that second movie. You just know it's familiar and the same. But it's grown a little bit. That's what I think happened. I hope I seemed very familiar to people. It was a thrill. It was a great, turbulent, sad, wonderful time.

Since you are going back to the Carlyle for this mini-run, do you find yourself possibly taking this on the road?

Look, if there's a theatre that wants to book me somewhere in a city I want to go to, sure. But am I pushing it? No. I hate going on the road. I don't want to tour, but I don't mind going to a city every once in a while like Chicago or Boston - I'd love to do that. I don't go after it. I'm the laziest man in show business.

Is a Broadway show in your future?

Not right now. No. It's so exhausting, I can't tell you. I see everything. The thought of doing a run? I don't know how people do it. It's exhausting. I can't even get through one number! I don't know, we'll see. There's something I'm involved with. When it happens, you'll know. If it doesn't, you won't!

What's the scariest moment you've had on stage?

Every time I get ready to go on! Offstage. On stage? I don't know. When I'm up there, you just have to give it over and keep going. The scariest moment? We'll see. Who knows who will come up and slap me this time!

Mario Cantone plays Cafe Carlyle April 12 - 16. For information and reservations visit the Cafe Carlyle website HERE.

To post a comment, you must register and login.