Interview: SANDRA BERNHARD Coming to STAND WITH TEXAS at HEIGHTS THEATER on December 4th - ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Sandra Bernhard is a comedienne, radio host, television and film star, and one-woman force of nature who often puts on spectacularly funny live cabaret shows.  Houston will be only one of three stops on her “STAND WITH TEXAS TOUR!”, and she will be here for one night only on December 4th.  The evening starts early at 7pm, so plan to be there early on a Monday night to hear the woman who is an authority on all things bad and beautiful.  I got a chance to talk with Sandra about her career and the upcoming show. 

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Brett Cullum: I always wondered when people stop you on the street or in the airport. What do they mainly recognize you for?

Sandra Bernhard: A lot of people love Sandyland my radio show on Sirius that I do weekly. That's more contemporary. But of course, my ongoing one woman shows that I continue to do, enjoy, and love. And then, of course, everything from the film KING OF COMEDY to the television series ROSEANNE, WITHOUT YOU I’M NOTHING the film, my appearances on Letterman, to my books. I mean, it's just all over the place. And it's a great feeling to know that I've had an impact on culture and hopefully giving people a jumping off place to find their way with their emotions, sexuality, friendships, place in the world, ability to go beyond the limitations of what the world puts on you, especially now. I think of myself as one of those people who really support and encourage people to be who they are and give as much as they can.

Brett Cullum: I find that my generation, people identify you from ROSEANNE, where you blazed that trail as the first bisexual character on a sitcom in the 90s. But when I'm talking to kids or the younger people they recognize you from the Ryan Murphy work, like POSE and AMERICAN HORROR STORY.

Sandra Bernhard: I forgot about that. Look how that slipped my mind. I'm glad you brought that up. Exactly. Well, you know, those shows were about the LGBT community, and what they went through to get where they are now. And I was there, and I'm here. It's sort of an interesting that I bridge the gaps between the two worlds of having actually experienced it and now to be able to look back and infuse two different characters with the memories and the emotions of what went on.

Brett Cullum: I know you best for your one-woman shows, which I adore. I've seen all of them. I'm thrilled to see you're coming to Houston specifically to talk about Texas politics. What made you want to zero in on Texas and do this three-city quick tour including Austin, Dallas, and here?

Sandra Bernhard: I was there last year driving from venue to venue seeing like the whole landscape of Texas with the big flags flying everywhere. I mean if there was a flag that big in New York City, it would be like a Christo installation! It would cover the entire city. There's so much open space in Texas. So, it's a metaphor for America and what it could be and longs to be.

But right now, there's so many roadblocks to letting people breathe and be who they are. And how much more space do you need? It's great to come to a place like that where there are so many great people and a lot of people who are stopping the flow. And it's just an interesting time to come and address that. And it all just came together with my new booking agent, and she had that idea of coming and collaborating with other local artists. My friend Kathy Valentine and the Blue Bonnets in Austin, and two of the great performers in Houston.  Cat and Caterina will sing.   

Then of course, great local drag artists and there was a whole trying to stop drag. I mean, everything is just like it's so absurd. Like who doesn't watch drag? Who hasn't watched Drag Race of the 25, 30 seasons it's been on, it appeals to everybody, not just gay people. It's a huge hit. And drag is such a sort of safe space, fun, you know, cutting edge, biting, campy place to like watch somebody take, you know, culture apart. And straight people love it because they don't have that uncanny wit, you know, and they need to see it and be a part of it. So I don't know, it just came together and here I come.

You know, it's like, I just hope that Texas can find its footing in the next election. I'm a huge Beto O'Rourke fan. I don't understand why twice now he hasn't been elected. I just find that shocking. He's so Texas and he's so cool and he loves his state more than any person who's run for office down there. The rest of people are just like trying to like stomp out everybody's heart and soul.  I mean, he just covers it from like a blanket, you know, and people seem to relate to him because he's such a menschy, cool guy.

Brett Cullum: It looks like this is a three-stop mini tour. The first place you're going is Austin, and you're going to talk about reproductive rights there.  And then Dallas you're going to address the LGBTQIA plus positions and things like the drag ban. And then in Houston, we're going to talk about education. So how did you come up with those three topics to kind of say, all right, let's go out and pick these three cities and talk about these three things separately on individual nights?

Sandra Bernhard: Houston will feature my friend Laura Ashley Simmons, who's running for state rep 146 in Houston. I saw her on a talk back on Instagram where when the new head of HISD Greg Abbott sent to shut down libraries and turn them into detention centers. And she stood up to him and dismantled him in the most brilliant way. So that was the reason we tied in the education in Houston because that's, that's, it's very much going on there, and she's running for the area, so she'll come up, she'll speak at the show.

There are two local musical artists who will perform, and then there'll be the drag performer Blackberri in Houston. Then I'll do my set, and support Noise for Now. In Houston, it's the Heights Theater to buy tickets. We want people to come, enjoy a great uplifting insight into what is happening with education in Houston and how people can get involved and be hands-on in changing the narrative and really stopping things from descending into the point of no return. I think that's the most important thing. The show starts at 7. You can get there by six and some of the organizations are going to be selling merch. We want a sold-out house so come on down.  I will have my full band with me, and you can have the whole Sandyland experience! 

Sandra Bernhard will be performing “STAND WITH TEXAS!” on Monday December 4th at 7pm at the Heights Theater at 339 W 19th Street.  It’s an intimate venue, and a unique chance to get up close and personal with a semi-legend of stage and screen.  Tickets and more information can be found either at Sandra Bernhard’s website (https://www.sandrabernhard.com/) or through the Heights Theater link which is linked to the BUY TICKETS button below

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