What: Natasha Leggero
When: 8 p.m., Thursday; 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., Friday; and 10:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: ACME Comedy Co.
Cost:$15-30
Age:18+
SheâÄôs sitting on a pile of white powder. She has a nose bleed. And she isnâÄôt really wearing clothes. On the cover of her live stand-up CD, âÄúCoke Money,âÄù comedian Natasha Leggero is covered in diamonds and fishnet stockings.
If you stop admiring the cover long enough to crack it open, youâÄôll hear a glamorously monotone voice take aim at just about everything we hold dear, from phone books to rappers sampling pop classics.
âÄúAnd I think IâÄôm down to two rape jokes, so hopefully the audience can handle it,âÄù Leggero said.
The Los Angeles comedian, originally from Rockford, Ill., said she battles with her tendency to tweet an idea for a joke and never develop it later.
âÄúWhat I like to do is take one of the ideas and long-form write about it, to try and think of all the angles,âÄù she said.
Leggero, who often confronts her audiences wearing cocktail dresses and evening gloves, addresses her looks on âÄúCoke MoneyâÄù: âÄúMale comics are always coming up to me, like, âÄòHey Natasha, donâÄôt you think youâÄôre a little attractive to be a comedian?âÄô And IâÄôm like, âÄòDonâÄôt you think youâÄôre a little ugly to be talking to me?âÄôâÄù
You can go ahead and call Leggero sassy âÄî you wouldnâÄôt be the first, given her tendency to point out the horrors of gang culture and old money culture alike with an appropriately appalled and straight-forward zing âÄî but the whip smart comedian has an answer for that label too.
âÄúSassy. I hate that word,âÄù she said, calling it sexist. âÄúThink of a sassy man. Who would that be?âÄù
Leggero hits reality TV especially hard, imitating the insecure girls trying out for âÄúAmerican Idol,âÄù the new moms on âÄúI DidnâÄôt Know I Was PregnantâÄù and Bristol Palin on âÄúDancing With the Stars.âÄù
But Leggero isnâÄôt just sitting around watching reality TV all day. When sheâÄôs not performing her standup act, she chats on her podcast, âÄúThe Lavender Hour,âÄù with her crackly-voiced comedian/boyfriend Duncan Trussell and slams celebs on the âÄúChelsea LatelyâÄù round table. Leggero will be in six episodes of Chelsea HandlerâÄôs new show, âÄúAre You There Chelsea?âÄù
In order to get where sheâÄôs at, however, Leggero overcame an uneventful Illinois upbringing, during which she dreamt of leaving the Midwest constantly.
âÄúI used to work in a grocery store when I was like, 15, and I would just stare at the clock and fantasize about the day IâÄôd be getting out,âÄù Leggero said.
Now that sheâÄôs gone and established herself in California, Leggero has found a wealth of material in Los Angeles.
âÄúThereâÄôs so much to make fun of, living here,âÄù Leggero said.âÄúEverybody thinks everything revolves around them. Even the homeless people âÄî itâÄôs all about them.âÄù
