What:Amy Schumer
When: Doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., Saturday
Where: Varsity Theater, 1308 Fourth St. SE, Minneapolis
Cost: $20
Amy Schumer is coming at the comedy world hard and fast, with an uppercut and a one-two punch line.
She was the first female standup to perform on âÄúLate Night with Jimmy Fallon,âÄù sheâÄôs currently filming a two-hour special for VH1, she was featured on an episode of âÄúCurb Your EnthusiasmâÄù and she wrote a show whose pilot was recently bought by CBS. Between all these projects, sheâÄôs also acting in two feature length films, one with Christopher Guest and movie-darling Parker Posey as well as another with Steve Carell called âÄúSeeking a Friend for the End of the WorldâÄù to be released in 2012.
The 30-year-old Long Island, N.Y., native has an unforgiving sardonic sensibility thatâÄôs belied by her wholesome, Midwestern appearance. The clever comic exploits this contrast most notably in one of her memorable and concise jokes about abortion.
âÄúI havenâÄôt said this out loud yet but âÄî IâÄôm drinking for two,âÄù Schumer says, beaming a bashful smile while the audience laughs and applauds. She cuts them off. âÄúI mean, just for now … SomebodyâÄôs being evicted.âÄù
Schumer, whose jokes are often told through her crafted facetiously naive perspective, recently emerged onto middle-AmericaâÄôs pop culture radar when a jab she made at the Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen was deemed to have gone too far, too soon. But her offensive barb wasnâÄôt poking fun at AmericaâÄôs favorite coke-addled primetime television star, but instead at the sitting âÄúJackassâÄù roaster Steve-O.
âÄúI truly am sorry for the loss of your friend Ryan Dunn,âÄù she said, referring to his âÄúJackassâÄù co-star who recently died in a drunken-driving accident. âÄúI know you were thinking âÄòIt could have been meâÄô and we were all thinking âÄòWhy wasnâÄôt it?âÄôâÄù ************
âÄúEverybody laughs and laughs until itâÄôs a joke that hits too close to home for them and then they get offended. But you canâÄôt really pick and choose,âÄù Schumer said.
The funny-woman is used to getting in hot water for her sharp tongue. âÄúIâÄôve been a problem child my whole life,âÄù Schumer said. In high school, she was crowned with the senior awards for âÄúclass clownâÄù and âÄúteacherâÄôs worst nightmare.âÄù
âÄúI had âÄòBreakfast Club-type Saturday detention almost weekly. It was me and all the kids who were like, drug dealers or kids who just moved to America and didnâÄôt understand, like, that they have to do homework,âÄù Schumer said.
The dark humorist might be under the microscope more so than her male counterparts, simply for being a woman, something she said she works against.
âÄúWomen should be able to have the same vocabulary as guys. I feel comfortable talking about anything. I think itâÄôs kind of empowering,âÄù Schumer said.
SheâÄôs no stranger to what former president and one-time eloquent speaker George W. Bush called âÄúthe soft bigotry of low expectations.âÄù Schumer has experienced firsthand the low standards others hold for her female peers.
âÄúAfter almost every single show I do, someone will come up to me âÄî a man, or a woman just as frequently âÄî and say âÄòI usually donâÄôt think women are funny but I thought you were,âÄôâÄù ******* Schumer said. âÄúThat used to offend me, for some reason, but now IâÄôm just so used to it and I know theyâÄôre just trying to give me a compliment.âÄù
Men and women might just as easily come up to her after a show and tell her they find nothing funny about gay cats with AIDS, God failing a test of his paternity of Jesus on Maury, or when she says, âÄúIâÄôm a normal person. Natural. Like, I donâÄôt bleach anything, except my asshole.âÄù
The comedienne may understand, but isnâÄôt about to slow her roll.
âÄúI donâÄôt take it personally,âÄù Schumer said. âÄúI say things that I believe are funny; that I stand by. And thatâÄôs it. I hope people like it, but thatâÄôs not what drives me.âÄù
