She can’t let him go, either

Hard as she tries, comedienne Kathleen Madigan consumed by prez

Despite responding with good behavior to positions of authority (we’ll get to that later), comedian Kathleen Madigan doesn’t want to talk about President Donald Trump.

That’s easier said than done, however.

“It’s unavoidable, because he dominates everything,” said Madigan, calling from Washington, D.C. “I only talk about politics normally in my 30-year career on the road if it’s, like, overwhelmingly dominating the news in an election cycle. My friend Lewis Black talks about it all of the time. I don’t, but Donald is so all-encompassing. He’s an event.

“We went from (former President Barack) Obama, who never talked to us, and now we can’t get this man to be quiet. I just want a regular president. I don’t know what happened to those. I’d like one of those again, where you do your job, I do my job. I tell jokes and you do whatever. But I don’t need Twitter. It’s constant, and it’s on every channel. It’s 24/7 Donald.”

Madigan’s most recent stand-up special, “Bothering Jesus,” is streaming on Netflix, while she’s on the road with the “Boxed Wine and Bigfoot” Tour which

includes a performance Feb. 1 at the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland.

Madigan’s goal is to spend this year creating a new show that will become her next special, in 2019. She’s talking about family, the Midwest and politics. While some comedians may attempt to challenge themselves to cover new ground with their specials, Madigan doesn’t see a need to reinvent her wheel of success and laughs.

“I just keep doing what I’ve always done, which is I talk about the things that actually happened or I’m thinking,” Madigan said. “So, it’s not planned out. That’s why I don’t want Oprah (Winfrey) to be our president.

“Because I know she’ll require all of us to have plans and vision boards and goals. I don’t want to listen to it for four years. I don’t want to feel bad about myself.”

Regarding her upcoming Rock Hall City show, the comedy veteran said not only does she enjoy the Playhouse Square venue’s intimacy, but there’s something special about a Cleveland gig that makes her feel as though she’s at home.

“I always feel very comfortable in the Midwest,” Madigan said. “I think it’s like, we’re always the underdog. I’m from St. Louis. I know it’s not great, but it’s fine. The New York City comics are like, ‘I live in the greatest city in the world, man.’ OK, nobody from St. Louis or Cleveland is going to say that, but we’re happy. Like, where else do you want to live? “This is fine.” Regarding her tour, even though boxed wine is in the title, Madigan confirms theatergoers shouldn’t bring their own vino box.

“You should not — you’ll get in trouble,” Madigan laughed. “At least I think you’d get in trouble.”

When it’s pointed out Madigan in theory as a rebel rouser would be supportive of such defiance, she turned the conversation to her upbringing.

“I would support it, but then I would be in trouble for supporting it, and at the end of the day I’m a Catholic rule follower,” Madigan said. “When you’re supposed to turn the phone off when on the plane, I turn the phone off.

“I really think it’s from all of those years at Catholic school that when someone is in position of authority, I just immediately respond with good behavior.

“I actually do what they say.”

SUBMITTED Kathleen Madigan is on her “Boxed Wine and Bigfoot” Tour, but, she advises, it’s probably not wise to try to bring boxed wine into her show at Playhouse Square.